Making the Most out of Apartment Living

I just moved into a new apartment and immediately felt overwhelmed. My old apartment was a 600 sq foot, one bedroom apartment. It was fine when it was just me. Then I got a dog and it immediately felt too small. There were times that I felt bad for my dog because she did not have room to run or play.

My new apartment is a two bedroom, two bathroom place. Needless to say, it is big enough for me. my dog, and now my boyfriend moved in. The extra room is nice and now (when Covid- 19 goes away) can have friends over without feeling squished. Plus, my dog loves the extra space to play with all her toys.

All the extra room meant more storage. It was nice since everything could now have a place. However, it would be easier to misplace things. Plus, all the space meant that I had the freedom to decorate. Still, living in an apartment is tough, especially when going outside is limited. So, here are some ideas to keep busy during lockdown (or just to survive boredom).

1) Re-decorate. This is especially a good idea if the apartment has space where a dramatic change can happen. For example, trying flipping an entire room. Take your bed and move it to another wall. Try hanging up curtains or a darkening shade in the bedroom. It might seem silly, but it really does make a different. I am able to sleep in instead of waking up at 5:00am by the sun. Plus, this can be fairly cheap. I bought a darkening shade at Home Depot for $40.00 and was able to install it myself. The curtains were only $10.00 at Big Lots. You can probably find these cheaper online, but I did not want to wait for shipping. It made a huge difference!

2) Spend time on the balcony/patio. This is especially huge, since we are on lockdown due to Covid 19. I am still being safe, but I am able to get outside. Plus, you can read or watch Netflix outside.

3) Take a hot shower. Some apartment complexes include utilities or the water bill is considered in the rent. If this is the case, a hot shower can really help your mental wellbeing. Working from home can be mentally draining and sometimes hygiene goes out the window. However, it is important to keep up personal hygiene, especially during times of lockdown.

4) Develop a new hobby. Bring in lockdown, I was running out of things to do. I have seen most everything on Netflix so, I turned to Hulu and Disney plus. These helped for a little bit. However, TV can become boring. Plus, I was noticing that I ate more when I watched a lot of TV. Instead of TV, I started a scrapbook. While I was afraid to start something new since I was not the most creative person, it helped me channel my energy into something healthy.

5) Start home-workouts. I was a little worried about this one since I did not have a lot of weights or machines. However. I found that Pintrest had a lot of different workout ideas. These ideas ranged from beginner to immediate and were designed specifically for women (there were some for men as well). I was able to create at home equipment. For example, I use towels as sliders and I was two chairs put together as a bench. Get creative!

6) Connect with family and friends. Just because you live in an apartment does not mean you have to be alone all the time, especially if you live in a small apartment and feel cramped. Connecting virtually is a great way to stay in touch with loved ones. Being on lock down has forced me to talk to my family via telephone or Skype. Plus, these apps are usually free.

7) Clean. This probably does not sound very fun, but i can feel rewarding. During Covid 19 especially, it is important to to keep your living area clean. Wiping down counter tops and door handles regularly can be beneficial. For some reason, I find washing dishes relaxing. Having a clean apartment can also help overall wellness.

Hopefully this types will help you survive living in an apartment, especially during Covid-19.