A Day Spent in My Petite Apartment

A New York City apartment needs to be a sweet escape, a place for you to unwind, clear your mind, and recoup. This can be difficult, however, when the space is quite small. The key to thriving in a tiny apartment is not to spend too much time in it. I really try to my best to avoid the claustrophobia by being out and about as much as possible. That being said, there are some days where staying home is just a necessity, especially after a grueling work week or a long and late night of dancing. Here's how I spend a day at home in my petite apartment and avoid going crazy. The secret lies in finding ways to maximize your space, no matter how minimal it may be.

The Less Clutter Around You, the Less Chaos Within You.

If your apartment is like mine, it looks messy quite easily. One glass left out or a single jacket thrown over your chair, and the space feels excessively cluttered. I always start my day by tidying up. Once my bed is made, my dishes are washed, my throw is draped intentionally over my couch, I can allow myself to really begin my day.

Now, from my apartment care to self care.

Pamper and Primp Yourself

Once I've created order and cleanliness in my space, I like to do the same for my body. Put on something comfortable. Do a face mask, a hair mask, a foot mask, paint your nails- do the works. Make yourself feel clean and taken care of. Take a long shower (or as in my apartment, until the water gets freezing cold). Maybe even try to make the shower tub into a relaxing bubble bath. The process of pampering myself truly makes me feel refreshed and relaxed in my space. Once I am pampered, I can be productive.

Enough Room for a Workout?

Do I have to rearrange my entire living room just to create enough space for a yoga mat? Yes. Move the couch back, scoot the table over, unroll the mat, and throw on a workout video. Even if it's just 10 minutes, I find that if I get my body moving, the crampedness of the space doesn’t get to me. One of my favorite at home workouts is 305 Fitness. These dance videos are great cardio and instantly put me in an amazing mood.

Managing a Mini Kitchen

Learning to cook in my tiny kitchen has been quite the adventure this year. My advice: outfit your kitchen with only the necessities. I originally moved in with seven mugs and a measuring cup for every incremental teaspoon. This was excessive. I have also found that I must be strategic when buying groceries; I can’t expect to be crafting anything too decadent. The more fridge-based items, like produce, that I buy, the better. This creates more pressure to use the groceries and actually cook, so things don’t go bad, and it frees up your other limited kitchen cabinet space. During my day at home I am most likely putting together a salad with as much of my fridges’ contents as possible, or I’m toasting up some bread to slab with an avocado.
Two items that have really come in handy:

The mini Bullet Blender. Tiny and so effective; smoothies make life better.

A Magnet Shelf for the side of the fridge. I am obsessed with sauces and spices and this shelf is incredible for storage.

Care for Your Apartment, Your Body… & Now Your Mind Take a mental break to journal or read. I like to reflect and write about my week. It feels rejuvenating and I always want to go back and read about all the little things that happened later when I inevitably forget some. Journaling makes me feel really present and gives me a chance to mentally move out of my tiny apartment space and go someplace else. I fantasize about places I want to go or just reflect on where I have been. Reading also transports me. Both really help if I feel at all stuck. Your apartment is an escape from the city, but writing or reading can be another kind of great escape within your apartment.

Phone Some Friends It is a great time to facetime or call people you have been meaning to talk to. If you are alone in your apartment all day, connecting to the outside world in some way is always a good idea. I spent ten brutally long winter days sick with Covid in my apartment. The lack of social interaction got to me until I made it a mission to phone at least two people a day, usually old friends or family members. I was able to reconnect with so many people I hadn’t talked to in months and it was truly the one good thing that came from my quarantine.

Finally… Analyze and Rearrange… Constantly I am constantly rearranging and redecorating my space. Not only is it fun and satisfying, but it is refreshing to change it up and see your space through different lenses and try out new vibes. Spend time thinking about how to decorate your space in a way that maximizes comfort and openness. Even if you have a lot of stuff and the room is limited, organize it strategically so that there isn't a feeling of clutter. Decorate so that it feels like it reflects you, but don't over-decorate to the point where the space gets oversaturated. Using mostly neutral tones for furniture helps make the space feel vaster. If floor space is limited, really utilize the walls. Hang shelves, lights, hooks, pictures, tapestries. Cultivating an effective wall space that balances aesthetics and utility is crucial.

Check out my Tiny Apartment Mood Board for small space inspiration and hacks.