Small Ideas in Small Places

Living in an apartment is not easy, but it's not all that bad either. I often hear people talking about all of the things that they can't do in an apartment. More often, I hear people telling me about all of the things that I can't do in an apartment: have a large dog, plant a garden, store things properly, etc. I prefer to think about it in terms of how I can do those things with much less space?

So, maybe I can't do those things in the same way that house dwellers can. I'll admit that certain things may be a little easier to do when you have a house, but it doesn't mean that you shouldn't do them. Living in an apartment isn't as limiting as some people think. It just requires you to look at things a little differently. For instance, you might have to be willing to assemble some miniature IKEA furniture.

Thank goodness for Steven and his willingness to read instructions.

This is the couch, not a chair.

You might want to consider starting a window garden. Not just because urban farming sounds super awesome, but also because it's really convenient when you can pick vegetables and herbs right from your kitchen.

Our garden, just getting started.

Obviously you don't want to spend money on customized closet space-savers, but bins can work pretty good too. It's important to be organized when you have to fit a lot of things into a small area. It's okay to group things together too, as long as you know where things are. Everything should have a spot.

I could actually fit a lot more into these closets.

I'm a huge fan of using books as decorations. Even when I lived in a house, storing them was an issue because I had so many. Some people may think it's strange to store books in your kitchen, but I'm okay with it. If you find a space that is perfect for something, make it work!

I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, so it's fortunate that I love being around books.

Balki isn't very big yet, but I'm confident that he will be a happy and healthy giant when he is full grown. If there is one thing that a long walk is sure to do, it's tiring out your dog. A tired dog is a good dog. Even multiple short walks will suffice (depending on the breed). Dogs would much rather spend their time walking with you than sniffing around the backyard. So, I'd say...if you can keep up with the walks, apartments are ideal for dogs.

That's one happy pup!