Unlike most choices I’ve made in my life, my decision to move off campus was a fast and somewhat irrational one. Usually I’m very logical and think long and hard before I make huge decisions. But when it came to moving off campus, somehow I managed to cancel my on campus housing, find, view, and sign a lease on an apartment all in about five days. But that was the easiest part.
When I unlocked the door to my new 3rd floor apartment located in the heart of downtown Binghamton on Gorgeous Washington Street, what I got was a whole lot of nothing. Except for a hook or two in the ceiling and some shelves on the wall, I was starting from scratch.
I started with the basics, I knew I needed a bed and a place to store my clothes (and I do have a lot of them). I lucked out and managed to snag a bed and a well maintained dresser from another vacant apartment in the building. The previous tenant in my apartment installed a hanging rod so I also had hanging space for my nicer clothes as well. Step one complete.
I always wanted a nightstand growing up but never had one. The nightstand I have now I got from a garage sale, all it took was a little shining and buffering and I was able to bring out the light turquoise and gold details it had. At that same sale I got a small bookshelf that I use for more storage. It’s pretty cool because it actually folds flat and it’s extremely lightweight so it was a breeze to move up three flights of stairs.
When it came to the living room I only had one requirement: my entertainment space needed to double as a desk somehow too. I didn’t have enough space for a TV stand and a desk so I needed something that functioned well as both. Well thanks to IKEA, my dreams came true. This desk was sturdy enough to hold my TV but also had space to utilize as a workspace. The best part? It was only $18.
After making a trip to the Goodwill store, I stumbled on a futon that I snagged for $30. I added a cover to it and now it functions great as a couch and extra sleeping space for my friends when they need someplace to crash. I also found this side table for $3 at the Salvation Army. I cleaned it up with some wood polish and added a cute drawer liner to the top of it to give it a pop of pizzazz.
My kitchen is pretty tiny, but so am I. There’s adequate cabinet and shelf space and the previous tenant also installed some shelving right above the stove so it works great when I need spices while I’m cooking. My dining set is a cute two-piece wicker set that I got along with the nightstand and bookshelf from a garage sale. All three items I got for a grand total of $30.
Once my apartment was fully furnished, I had to add decorations. I’d like to think my apartment is a cross between a French chateau and a minimalistic Williamsburg loft. In some spaces it’s clear that I was focused on vintage-esque pieces with detailed designs but then when you look left or right, you’ll find posters and quotes and maps of the Metro system. All of my decorations were free because I already had them or because I made them myself with a little help from Pinterest.
It goes without saying, I love my apartment. Because I was able to start from scratch I was able to make it totally my own. I love finding little trinkets and knick-knacks to add and I’m constantly thinking of new ways to rearrange everything and bring some new feng shui into the mix. What makes me most excited though is the fact that when I graduate in May I’ll have the opportunity to find a whole new apartment and start this whole process again.