So, I’ve been in the new place for two weeks (and a day). I’m still not fully unpacked but I have my necessities where I can reach them…and plans. I never like to rush into putting things away in a new space. I like to live in it a little bit, see how I really use the space before I commit things to new homes. Some might say I’m just rationalizing my procrastination but I think I have valid points. And this way works for me. There’s nothing I hate more than doing the same job twice – or, doing and then redoing. Measure twice and cut once and all that!

Anyway, I thought I’d give you a little look-see at the new apartment in its current state…as well as this cozy cardigan I had from Gwynnie Bee this week. Sadly, I got a bit of a late start so it was quite dark in the apartment and I had to use flash, which is not my favorite. OH WELL.

I’m sure I’ve told the story of this old door many times and I won’t bore you all with it again, but suffice it to say it has moved with me many times. And it’s a heavy sucker! Movers are always like, uhmm…really?? I know the fairy lights are a little dorm-room slash juvenile but they cast such a nice gentle light at night I’m not ready to let them go just yet.

This set-up, the old door with the handcrafted bench in front, was going to be my zen meditation corner at the old apartment, with plants, mirror, candles and a buddha statue. I don’t know that I’m quite feeling that same way about it here. I certainly don’t know how happy plants would be in this dimly lit room.

That Guy made the bench for me so I’m always a little unsure what to do with it. I’ve thought of just leaving it on his doorstep…I’m just not ready to do that yet. Someday, when I’m downsizing to only the things that will fit in my car, it will certainly end up back with him.

Doesn’t this sweater look cozy?? It was very soft, fuzzy and warm. Warm enough that I was able to wear a non-turtleneck for the first time I think all week! It’s by Kerrick, which is a company I never heard of before subscribing to Gwynnie Bee. I see several cute Kerrick tops at Neiman Marcus Last Call, though I only see this cardigan at Gwynnie Bee.

In addition to being cozy it is also showing a current popular trend of color blocking*, which is a nice variation from solids if you’re not quite into full-on stripes.

You can see from all my empty shelves that I wasn’t kidding when I said I was taking a break from unpacking. The reason for no living room unpacking is that I don’t have a sofa yet. And the sofa size will dictate where it goes. So until I know that, I don’t know what furniture will move or even be sold. And until I know that, I’m certainly not cramming all those shelves and cubbies with heavy books and pottery that will just need to be moved…when the sofa finally arrives. So, for now, these two chairs are in the middle of the living room for me and Janey.

It’s making me a little crazy that I didn’t notice the crooked blinds when I took this (below) picture! But, I love finally having a landing strip again when you walk in the front door. This slightly Asian-inspired console table was Janey’s dining table in the last apartment…and a holder of boxes in the apartment before that…and a nice vignette staging area in the apartment before that! Now it’s a place to set my keys and mail when I walk in. My Brooklyn landladies were getting rid of it years ago so I adopted it. It’s sort of a luxury item as it has zero storage benefit, but I just love the lines of it. If I was someone who had lots of guests I would get two little poufs or square ottomans to sit underneath it so there was always seating for everyone.

That pagoda lamp is a favorite of mine, from probably the 1940s or 50s, needs rewiring and a shade. I’ve had it 15 years or more and have never been able to use it for those reasons, and I still consider it one of my favorite things. This finally feels like the perfect spot for it and I’ll get the work done.

The cream ceramic vintage planter holds favorite photos, greeting and postcards from loved ones, announcements from events I’ve attended, etc. It’s fun to browse through the contents and remember fun times and favorite people.

I’ve always wanted to collect Lucky Cat figurines but this is my only item. I got it last year (this very week!) in Chinatown in Los Angeles when Katie and I were out there visiting.

The bedroom is not really a room, it’s just the space between the sunken living room and the kitchen. There are folding doors but I have never closed them.

I haven’t quite worked out the best place to get dressed. I’ve always had a private, dedicated bedroom and/or dressing area. Here, the bedroom area is so open to the living area and some windows that I never pull the blinds down on, that I feel a little exposed. I’ve been dressing in the large closet but it’s a little cramped and awkward. Plus, there’s no full-length mirror anywhere. There’s a large dresser mirror over on the other side of the bed which is what I’m using to check my outfits, but it’s not ideal. I’ll need to keep working on a better solution.

I will say, I was not thrilled with the concept of wall-to-wall carpeting, but it is nice on the feet. The hardwood or tile floors of the last few places were way too hard on my painful feet but the carpet here has a little give and cushion to it. And I love my new vacuum cleaner! I never thought I would say those words, but it truly makes vacuuming a pleasure. It adjusts automatically from the tile floor in the kitchen and bathroom to the carpeted areas in the bed and living rooms. And it’s rechargeable, so no dragging around a long cord, or having to plug into several locations to reach everywhere. I’m sorry if I sound like a commercial, but seriously, I’ve been raving about this thing to anyone who will listen!

The “office” is against the wall between the bedroom and the living room (that half wall where the black console is). I have a view into the living room from the half wall (I never close those shutters – I wish they weren’t even there because they’re always sort of messy looking) and can see a sliver of sky out the front door window.

I’m also looking for a new desk chair. This one is so old. *I* took it out of a dumpster at my old job, and I left there in 2005! So I’ve had it 14 years and it was trash when *I* got it. It’s missing two wheels so it was awkward at the old place and now I’m afraid it will pull on the carpet (bu-bye security deposit). This was actually slated for the trash when I moved and I didn’t have the movers put it on the truck. But I spent the next two days sitting on a straight-backed hard wooden kitchen chair and was like NOPE CAN’T DO IT and went back for it. And I spend a LOT of hours in a chair at my computer, both at home and at work, so I really appreciate a good chair. But one that will also look nice, because it’s really in my bedroom.

My “desk” is really a vintage vanity that I’ve had for a long long time. It’s a good desk height for me and has two small drawers. It just really needs the top either sanded down or painted or a glass top cut to fit, because the unevenness due to large areas of missing paint cause the keyboard to wobble as I type…so I usually have something stuck under one of the keyboard legs to level it up…an expired credit card or folded napkin. Ha, I feel like if my life had a title it would be “Making Do.”

This is the prettier, “non-office” side of the bedroom. A dresser I took out of the across-the-street neighbor’s trash at the old apartment, an etched vintage mirror, a pair of 1930s glass dresser lamps that I have also never used and which should also be rewired. A green velvet chair I think I got at an auction in my ebay days…and is probably the only piece of furniture slated to go with me when I eventually move cross-county.

Ha ha, I’m such a derp.

I will take pictures of the whole place once I have it more prettied up. Really all there is now, mostly, is furniture.

*More color blocking!

What I Wore:

Photos by me.

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