Wunce Agane Perspective & Relativity Fale Me

[serinde]

So I picked up the keys to the apartment last night, and went in for the first time since I looked it over and said "yes, have some". I unlocked the door, dropped my four bags of miscellaneous crap, and looked around; and then did an impression of the above icon.

I don't know how, but it looked bigger with all the previous tenant's stuff in it. I WILL NEVER FIIIIIIIIT I HAVE THROWN OUT ALL MY STUFF AND I STILL WON'T FIIIIIIIIIIT

While I was slowly rotating and gibbering, sweh came in (with flowers!!) and got me a bit calmed down; and then I proceeded with the intended goal, which was to take the tape measure and the graph paper and actually graph the place out. (This is what happens when your parents start you on D&D at age 7.) Regrettably I cannot scan it at this time, so draw along at home: The place is basically a big rectangle, just under 11' wide, and about 25' long. (And then the bathroom is stuck on the end.) At the not-bathroom end are two windows; if you set your back to them and walk forward about 15.5', the walls come in to form a 5' wide doorway, with two folding doors. When you're standing with your back to the windows, immediately to your left is stove, sink, enough countertop for one appliance (who wins? Coffeemaker, mixer, rice cooker, or toaster?), and fridge. Th-th-th-that's all, folks.

Intellectually, I know it is more than possible to live in such a space. We all know people who do, and do it well. And moreover, as I keep chanting to myself, I have a one year lease; if the place chafes, I can leave. But it's still a shock to the mind to feel all "oh I've done pretty well! Look at all the stuff I'm getting rid of or not taking!" and then realize, well, actually, it's not half enough. It has been noted that perhaps I am just a wee bit too wrapped up in Proving Something and Doing It Perfectly and sundry other related issues.

I'm not sure if the futon fits. The desk does, but by damn the computer goes there and only there. TV goes where? Can't take the blue armchair, or if I do, it's in place of the futon and that seems bad, want to have a guest bed. Must get flat-panel TV, no two ways about that. I can fit bed and dresser, and the jewelry armoire, but I just don't know about the vanity. OH MY GOD I FORGOT ABOUT THE BAR STUFF WHERE DOES THE BOOZE GO

Oh, and litterbox. I could probably get a smaller one, as Ranger eats two kibbles a day and produces very little effluvium, but it still must needs go somewhere.

So. Yes. Everybody Panic.

Comments

[nedlnthred.livejournal.com]

Welcome to Manhattan! You, at least, have offsite storage. Somehow, it will all work out.

[caelfinn.livejournal.com]

Doing the floor plan on graph paper is very smart, good for you! I'm assuming that you've cut out little graph paper versions of your furniture and are moving them around on the floor plan like Color Forms (I used to love Color Forms). Anyway, at least you'll know in advance what is possible so you can leave some things in storage for now. After you are in the new place for oh say a month, you will have a MUCH better idea of what you really need (i.e. what's driving you crazy) and what you don't (i.e. "hmm, I gave all that space to the X and I don't really use it.").

You will also figure out what kinds of clever storage spaces you can set up in your apt. You'd be amazed at some of the stuff people have invented for making the best of small spaces. If you like we can go shopping at the container store and some other places that have nifty storage stuff.

Just remember, your stuff is still there, it's just not with you, nothing will happen to it. Oh and don't forget to breathe.

[syringavulgaris.livejournal.com]

That would have been brilliant if I'd'a thought to measure my furniture. Oops.

[dvandom.livejournal.com]

Metal rack shelving for countertop expansion. Just shuffle so that anything currently generating heat (i.e. toaster) is on the top, not the bottom. :)

[nancaurelia.livejournal.com]

I would be feeling this angst too, but you will work it out, because you're a clever sort. Graph paper is a great way to try things out. It will be fabulous when you're done!

Your friends will come and help at any stage. If you want me just whistle.

[xlerb.livejournal.com]

Keep in mind that most of the ways you can do this wrong — and I am not convinced it is possible for anyone to do this kind of thing right — can be fixed later.

[damned-colonial.livejournal.com]

I've downsized from three bedrooms to one, and learnt a few tricks in the process. One that you might want to consider: do you *need* a desk and a desktop computer? And a TV, for that matter? I currently have a mac mini with a 24" monitor, sitting on a small table that's about big enough to hold said flatscreen and the small wireless keyboard and nothing else. It is both TV and a spare computer for visitors or the like; mostly I use my laptop, sitting on the sofa. A shelf below the table holds the printer/scanner, which I only use about once a month. I need to pull it out to use it, but that's no real inconvenience compared to the inconvenience of it TAKING UP SPACE ALL THE DAMN TIME.

[lillilah]

Joel and I lived in a little cottage that size when I got back from the Peace Corps. My thoughts: skip the tv and use your computer. Use the money that you would have spent on the tv to buy a loft bed, under which you can put a computer desk and your dresser. I'm guessing that most of the time you spend in the apartment will be alone or with only a couple other people, so focus on making it comfortable for you first, an additional person second and not for a vast dinner party. Seriously, vanity? Isn't there a mirror in the bathroom? Guest bed? A sleep pad on the floor is fine. Clearly, you can probably cut the booze down to a bottle or two of the absolutely necessary.

You won't actually die if it doesn't all fit. No one will hate you if you don't have their brand of gin on hand or if they have to sleep on the floor. I'm guessing that the worst you will face is that you might occasionally have to go out to Beth's to pick up something that you forgot or couldn't fit.

[damned-colonial.livejournal.com]

The sleep pad is an excellent point. Keep in mind that in a small space, you probably won't have as many long-term guests as you do in a full size house. You won't be as profligate with invitations, and people won't expect it.

In my 1BR I personally place a cap of 1 school night, or a weekend, with very few exceptions. I just don't have room to host people for a week at a time, and people don't generally ask for it. Find a decent cheap hotel close to your house, and offer the details to anyone who wants to stay longer. A night or two on the floor won't kill anyone.

(That said, if you want a sofa anyway, keep the futon.)

[lillilah]

My thought on the futon was that in our previous place a long futon was not as conducive for socializing as a seating setup that allowed people to face each other. At our current place, we have yoga balls, padded folding chairs, and a folding stool, all of which are very nice when we have company and very easy to put away when we don't.

(BTW, for sewing and cutting and all that, I use the floor. No big fancy table necessary.)

[damned-colonial.livejournal.com]

Agreed. A long sofa is only good for one person, or for two if you have armrests/cushions at the end that let them turn towards each other. The armrests do make a difference though. In my small apartment in Melbourne I had a couple of large floor cushions for guests, and currently I have both floor cushions and folding Ikea chairs.

[missionista.livejournal.com]

I unlocked the door, dropped my four bags of miscellaneous crap, and looked around; and then did an impression of the above icon.

That is absolutely the normal and time-honored reaction to moving into one's new space. You're doing everything right so far. You'll find a way to make it work. Remember, use those walls--shelving, shelving, shelving. That will be a storage lifesaver. And keep breathing, nice, deep, cleansing breaths.

[damned-colonial.livejournal.com]

Also, wrt the vanity -- if it were me, and I realise I am not you, so take this with what salt you will: I would leave it behind. You are living alone. The bathroom is your own and nobody else's. You can spend as long as you want there, and take up as much of the bathroom storage as you want (possibly with the help of Ikea) for your stuff. Add lighting as appropriate, if that's important to you. And put a 6'x1' plain full length mirror on the back of a door somewhere.

[syringavulgaris.livejournal.com]

It's mostly that I always wanted a vanity, and then I got one, and it was very happy making. Less about the need for a separate mirror space and more about an I Wanna Be That. It actually isn't that convenient or necessary an item, I just <3 it.

[damned-colonial.livejournal.com]

Put it in storage til later, then?

[syringavulgaris.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I had finally come 'round to that conclusion. It's part of a life that can be mine, just not this current year.

My TV problem is this: the Apple Cinema Displays do not play nice with the XBox. Or, at least, not without $400 of additional hardware, and fuck that for a game of soldiers.

[briony530.livejournal.com]

It always looks smaller empty.

What everyone above said. You could probably store an air mattress somewhere for company for far less space. Focus on day to day living.

Well.....

[arkham1010.livejournal.com]

There are always yard sales! ;)

[spride.livejournal.com]

No need for own bar. Is Manhattan. Bars, we got.

[syringavulgaris.livejournal.com]

I can't afford to be going out to good cocktail places alla time. And I like mixing drinks. This requires Esoterica.

[caelfinn.livejournal.com]

I used to subscribe to ReadyMade Magazine and one of my old issues has really easy to build plans for a "murphy bar". Here's a PDF: http://www.jacobward.com/images/magazineart/readymade/issue_pdfs/RM15_excerpt.pdf

The bar is on page 28.

It'll be a fun project and we can help. Well, maybe you should get some friends who actually have wood working skills to help, but you know what I mean.

[heliumbreath.livejournal.com]

So, having the space on graph paper, obviously now the next thing is to decide where the monsters go.

[syringavulgaris.livejournal.com]

He'll be under the bed for the first week, I imagine.