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What To Do if you Hate Your Apartment

This post was last updated on: August 12, 20120

It happens more than you think. A sudden move, a small budget, or lack of research can all mean that you end up with an apartment you don’t love. Whether the place is small, in bad shape, or badly lit, an unattractive apartment is a drain . It’s hard to feel great when you loathe where you live. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to transform your less-than-perfect apartment into something that you’ll love:

1. Figure out what you hate

Avoid comparing your apartment to others. Just try to make an objective list of things you don’t like. Does it feel cramped? Do you not have enough room for clothes? Is it dark or in bad shape? Does it have a cold, impersonal feel? Rather than fuming, get specific. Number your list, from the things that bug you the most to minor annoyances.

Hate my apartment

Incorporating one of these sofa sizes into your apartment is the perfect way to kill two birds with one stone. Not only will you have a seating solution, but you will also have a comfortably-sized full or queen bed that can sleep 1-2 people.

Sofa beds makes it easy to find the best match for your needs. You may consider options such as:

2. Find out what you can change

Most landlords are happy when you make an apartment look great, since it makes it easier to rent out the space again when you leave. However, you don’t want to lose your damage deposit, so be sure to ask before you open a can of paint or re-tile the kitchen floor. That said, there are lots of things you can do to make-over your space on a small budget.

Hate my new apartment

3. Find apartment-friendly fixes

You don’t need a huge budget or tons of know-how to transform an apartment into something beautiful. The most common problems include:

  • Tiny spaces. If you live in a very small space, there is a two-prong solution you need to follow: prune out what you no longer need and find creative ways to stow what you do have. Start by getting rid of as much as you can. You’ll find that much of what you have you don’t really need anyway, and you probably own a lot of stuff you don’t even especially like. Once you’ve pared down, find new ways to store things. You can use hooks inside doors, for example, to keep things organized, or furniture that folds away or acts as a storage space. For some creative small-space hacks, checkout this Complex Magazine post.
i hate my apartment
  • Poorly-maintained apartments. If your apartment is not in good shape, you may want to speak with your landlord about it. For major repairs (such as problems with the plumbing or the wiring) you will need to persist until the landlord agrees to an upgrade. If he or she refuses, there are legal avenues that you can explore. For less dire repairs, such as painting, you may be able to get permission from management to fix that on your own.
  • Inconvenient kitchens. If your kitchen does not have enough space, consider a breakfast or bar stool rather than a small dining table – you’ll save room. If counter space is at a premium, buy a kitchen cart, which will give you an additional chopping surface as well as storage space. If you are low on cupboard space, consider hanging shelves outside of cupboards as well as dividers within your cupboards. Both will allow you to store more things. For more small kitchen ideas, visit this BuzzFeed post.
  • Lack of storage space. Some studio apartments have only one small closet as storage space. One solution is to get a storage unit nearby for extra items. Shelving and drawers are another good solution – especially if you can get taller units that take advantage of the space near the ceiling, which is wasted in most apartments. This Pinterest user has additional storage ideas for small spaces.
  • Dim, cramped apartment. The solution here is a few extra lamps, lighter colors, and reflective surfaces. The three used together will create a larger-looking, brighter space.

4. Focus on the positive

If your apartment is noisy and near a train station, it may be in an older building full of character. If your space is tiny, it may be close to everything in a major city where people long to live. Even if your apartment is not your dream home, there are probably things you can play up. If you have a nice living room space, you can set it off with great furniture. If you have a nice view or nice windows, you can play that up with bright curtains and a window box of plants.

hate new apartment

5. Inspire yourself with apartment makeovers

There’s a reason that makeover and home renovation shows are such a big hit – everyone loves to see a space transformed into something gorgeous. More to the point, if you hate your apartment or home but can’t move, these transformations can tickle your muse and inspire your own apartment makeover. Must-see transformations include this Huffington Post makeover and this Nate Berkus tiny studio transformation.

i hate my new apartment

When you hate where you live, entertaining may take a wayside. When you focus on improving what doesn’t work and highlighting any nice features of your apartment, you’ll wind up with an apartment you are proud to show off.

Jan Pierce

Jan Pierce

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