19 Apartment Decorating Hacks

Confession: I’ve lived in student housing for the last 6 years. Yikes. Some of my apartments have been better than others, but they’ve all been small and very basic as far as amenities go. My current apartment is a cozy little 3-bedroom. There’s no air conditioning, no dishwasher, and no washer/dryer. I don’t have fancy carpet or cute white kitchen cabinets (insert crying here). But I’ve made it work! I’m always flattered when people tell me that it feels good to be in my apartment, because I’ve done my best to keep it clean and decorate it well. I have a real-life budget and I try to make good decisions. 

Here’s a few things that have been helpful to me in creating a space I truly love despite the limitations I’ve been given.

1. Command hooks are your best friend. I especially love the velcro ones, because they can hang your frames completely flat! 
2. The best way to decorate is to clean.
3. Anything in sets of threes looks classy and elegant.
4. Don’t be afraid of old/funky/thrift store items. I once read that you should ask yourself, “If I saw this in Anthropologie, would I think it’s cute?” If the answer is yes, BUY IT! 
5. Pick one neutral color and work with it. It’s easy to go overboard with colors and patterns. Choose one neutral color as your base and find fun accent colors. 
6. Beware the gallery wall. A gallery wall with hundreds of little frames can make a small apartment feel dark and cluttered. Keep it simple, stupid. 
7. Empty glass jars can be beautiful decor.
8. Candles are magic.
9. Trays and baskets are the best way to decorate kitchen and coffee tables. It doesn’t really matter what you put in them, as long as it’s in a basket, it looks good! 
10. Hang ONE dish towel on your oven, and make it match your decor.
11. Rugs, curtains, and throw pillows are the easiest way to make an apartment look like a home. No matter what your carpet and walls look like, you can give the illusion of a well-decorated home with matching rug, curtains, and pillows. 
12. Cute towels can double as throw blankets.
13. Stacks of books can be great decor.
14. Put something on the front door. I think hanging a wreath on the front door is the equivalent of putting shoes on your feet. It just makes everything complete. 
15. Don’t be afraid to go BIG! Oversized art, plants, and furniture can look modern and cool. Don’t get oversized everything, though or you’ll feel like a doll in a giant’s house. 
16. Utility carts are a cute way to get more storage.
17. You don’t need to put something on every wall.
18. You DO need to put something on the main walls.
19. Don’t hate on the Dollar Tree! I’ve found great baskets and storage options at Dollar Tree and you really can't beat the price.

It’s easy to feel discouraged when you’re renting an apartment. Don’t assume that because you don’t own your apartment, it has to be ugly and dirty. Take pride in your physical environment! Make it your own!

♡♡♡
Rebecca

My Style Secret

Have you ever looked at someone and wondered, ‘What is it that makes them look so stylish and put together?’ Since I graduated from college and started working in a professional office, I’ve been very aware of what I wear and how I present myself. My friend, Annie (the talented photographer who takes all my pictures) taught me this trick and it has revolutionized the way I dress, decorate, and do almost everything!

Here’s the secret: Color, Pattern, Texture.

That’s it!

Every time you get dressed, you should put on Color, Pattern, and Texture. I’ll explain.

Color

This one is obvious because we all know what classifies as a color. When you’re pulling clothes from your closet, ask yourself, ‘Which of these will be “my color” today?’ (You can wear a monochromatic outfit and still make this work, I’ll explain how later.) 

Pattern

A pattern is anything that repeats itself. There are some obvious patterns and some less obvious patterns. For example, stripes, polka dots, and floral prints would all work for “my pattern.” But sometimes a chunky necklace can be a pattern, or a lace cut-out shirt. Start looking for patterns in your closet and you’ll be surprised with what works.

Texture

Texture is anything that feels different to the touch. Leather, lace, and linen are all examples of texture. This is the trickiest element for me to master, probably because most of my clothing is a standard cotton-poly blend. But there are a few tricks to get around that. Hair can be a texture IF it’s wavy or curled. Jewelry can be a texture (though it has to be something pretty distinct). Wearing a texture really helps add some visual interest to your look.

Sometimes you have one item that could pass as color, pattern, or texture. I find that my outfits work best if I have three distinct pieces--one for color, one for pattern, one for texture. You can see how a monochromatic outfit would work. In the pictures below, Annie was wearing a white shirt (color), nude woven shoes (pattern), and a white linen blazer, as well as a necklace (texture). There were no pops of color, but it still looks complete.

 
I love this trick because it’s an easy way to check myself if I feel like my outfit is off. The same principle of Color, Pattern, Texture applies to anything visual. If you’re decorating a room and it seems like something is missing, ask yourself if you have all three elements. When you take a picture and it looks off, check to make sure you’ve got Color, Pattern, and Texture in the photo.

This little secret has helped me find my style and maximize my wardrobe. As I get better at documenting my outfits, I’ll share some of my favorites here on this blog!

♡♡♡
Rebecca

Bad Day Blues

I’m having a bad day. I hate writing that because I want to be happy and positive all the time. But I’m not. Pregnancy has ROCKED MY WORLD emotionally (it’s been rough physically, too, but that’s another story). I generally feel pretty happy and positive when I wake up in the morning, but I usually lose my cool around 3PM and it takes me a few hours to feel better. That probably sounds so dramatic, but it’s the absolute truth. By the time I get home from work, I am either (a) filled with rage, or (b) on the verge of tears. It’s fantastic.

Unfortunately, I don’t have any profound advice about dealing with a bad day. I’ve been really frustrated with myself because none of the usual things I do to feel better have been working lately. There’s no fast reset button for these kind of days. I did read an article by Elizabeth Gilbert (one of my creative idols) on Oprah (another one of my creative idols) that made me smile, but it didn’t take away my bad mood completely.

The Kind Gesture that Helps Elizabeth Gilbert Find the Light On Her Worst Days

Listening to good music usually helps me, too. I could tell I was going to have a rough day this morning when my Christmas music made me feel sad. I love Christmas music! It should make me happy! Even Nat King Cole couldn’t cheer me up! What’s wrong with me??? I’m listening to Demi Lovato right now at work, and I must admit, I’m LOVING IT. Her music speaks to my angsty soul.

I wonder if I need a new notebook. I have found that if I am having a lot of bad days, I get a new notebook, organize my purse, and I am a new woman. I always feel slightly guilty for buying new notebooks when my old ones aren’t full, but honestly, if $4.99 is all it takes for me to feel better, I think that’s totally worth it.

The truth is, some days you just feel sad. I believe in exercise and sleep and self-care, but sometimes those things don’t help and you just need to call it a wash. I made a little chart with some more specific “bad day remedies” I tried today in case you’re interested in some of those things. At the very least, you can always tell yourself that tomorrow is a new day and not everyone is 100% all the time.

♡♡♡
Rebecca