Studio Apartment Move-In {Part 1/3}: Unpacking & Organizing a Small Apartment
My boyfriend moved in with me in my 500 sq ft studio apartment! If you’ve been thinking about moving in with your significant other, I’m giving you my moving day tips that will make the whole process soooo much more pleasant and smooth.
Small apartment living with a boyfriend definitely comes with its challenges, especially when it comes to moving into a studio apartment together. So if you’re in a similar boat as us, watch our studio apartment move-in vlog we created to walk you through how we did it without wanting to kill each other! 🙃
But seriously, these tips are crucial for having a seamless small space living move-in experience. And stay tuned for Part 2, in which we’ll be sharing our studio apartment organization tips as we get my boyfriend settled in here with me!
Video Transcript Excerpts↓
Below are the moving day tips I shared in the video, along with excerpts from the video transcript!
Today is a big day… Because my boyfriend Kobee is moving in with me!
So in this video, I want to take you through this process of moving Kobee into my studio apartment and give you some tips along the way.
If you've ever wondered about moving in with a significant other, especially in a small apartment, then hopefully this will demystify some things and give you some ideas on how to tackle this beast of moving in with a significant other.
And if you’re new to my channel, my name is Steffi and I’m the creator of the interior style blog Moda Misfit as well as the online course Small Apartment Styling School.
And you’re watching Living Pretty, the place for apartment styling tips! So if you want to get inspired with me every week, be sure to subscribe!
Also, have you downloaded my free Apartment Styling Handbook yet?
It's a bite-sized roadmap for decorating your apartment so that you can create a space you love - without feeling like you're stumbling alone in the dark. Because sometimes you just want someone to tell you what to do to decorate your apartment, right?
So download the FREE Apartment Styling Handbook for some extra help!
Moving Day Tip #1:
Self-Care
I highly recommend making time for some quality self-care the morning of your moving day, whatever that means for you. We all know how exhausting moving is, so a good, filling breakfast and an activity you find enjoyable and calming goes a long way.
My version of a self-care morning? I just had a very chill slow morning. I made some avocado toast, drank a couple cups of coffee, and played some Zelda. You know, just to calm the mind.
It can be that simple!
Moving Day Tip #2:
Make Room (Not just physically!)
My next tip for moving in with a significant other is to make room. And I don’t just mean make room for them physically in the space (I donated like 6 garbage bags of clothing and shoes to make room for him), I mean mentally make room for the fact that you’re sharing a small space with a partner now.
It’s not just about me anymore in my studio, and I need to be intentional in making Kobee feel like this is his space too.
That means not getting freaked out by all the new stuff that’s about to take up space in the apartment, and being cool with an ungodly amount of ramen suddenly taking over the kitchen. It’s cool. Totally cool. 🙃
Moving Day Tip #3:
Communication
My next tip is to really focus on clear, empathetic communication with your significant other.
In the months leading up to this move, Kobee and I took a lot of time talking about our vision for living together. I warned him about my quirks, which include my need for regular stints of quiet, alone time, my tendency to be a bit of a control freak when it comes to my apartment, and the fact that I’ve been living alone in this studio for 4 years.
My point here is to communicate everything; how you’re feeling, what you want, what you’re afraid of, what you’re excited about, what you need from the other person… all of it.
Trust me, it’ll make this process so much better for all parties involved!
Moving Day Tip #4:
Have Fun!
Moving is undeniably stressful, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find ways to have some fun!
After all, moving in with a significant other should be a happy occasion. Moments of goofiness and playfulness are like medicine for the tension and stress that comes with moving.
Try to approach the moving process with a spirit of play. I know it’s easier said than done. The goofy moments Kobee and I were able to carve out were extremely helpful! Watch the video to see what I mean. 😊
Moving Day Tip #5:
Deep Breaths
My next tip is to take deep breaths and try to chill out.
Try to embrace the chaos of moving, because it’s unavoidable. Befriend chaos. Welcome chaos into your heart. Because he ain’t going anywhere in this scenario. Which is, admittedly, very hard for me!
Moving Day Tip #6:
Tape Drawers Shut
Here’s a super practical tip for you! When moving anything that has drawers (a dresser, wardrobe, TV stand, etc.), tape the drawers shut so they don’t randomly open and get in the way!
Moving Day Tip #7:
Go to Gratitude
I have to give Kobee a serious shout out here. He did most of the heavy lifting - literally - in this move, and fun fact: he used to work for a moving company in his college years, so he’s an actual pro at this. I’m not going to lie, I found this sexy and convenient. And I am very grateful for his moving prowess.
Amidst the stress and chaos of moving, it helps to take a moment and simply think about what you’re grateful for, especially if it’s something about your significant other. Because after a day of moving, there’s a good chance you’re feeling at least a little frustrated with each other. That’s to be expected!
Expressing gratitude has a nice way of putting things back into perspective and re-centering your mindset around the moving process.
So those were my tips from was part one of our move-in experience! And the saga will continue in next week’s video, which will be all about organizing and getting this disaster under control. So stay tuned!
And whether you’re living with a significant other or solo, you’re still completely deserving of a stylish apartment that makes you happy every day. But if not sure how to create that dream apartment and you're wondering things like:
“How do I discover my personal style so that I can make these good choices for my decorating?”
“How do I become more confident in my interior styling choices?”
“How do I mix styles?”
“How do I actually arrange things in my apartment?”
Then I got you covered…
If you're wanting to dive deeper into learning about how to style your apartment step by step, that's where my online course Small Apartment Styling School comes in!
Small Apartment Styling School basically holds your hand through your styling process and tells you exactly what to do step-by-step, so by the end of the course you feel like you know your style, you know what to buy, and you know how to place it in your apartment with confidence.
Imagine living in an apartment that actually boosts your mood everyday and makes you feel welcome, and makes you feel a sense of belonging and being at home.
Just because you rent your space doesn't mean you can't own your style, and Small Apartment Styling School helps you do that!
My current students have been a raving about how helpful the course was for decorating their apartments and I am so proud of what they've achieved just after the couple months of being enrolled in the course!
Small Apartment Styling School will help you decorate your apartment step by step, including:
Figuring out your personal style
Choosing a color palette
Mixing different interior styles
Learning about the different interior styles that are out there and which ones might be a good fit for you
Arranging and accessorizing your apartment room by room - living room, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom.
All of this and more is in Small Apartment Styling School, so if you want to learn more and join the waitlist for the next time it opens for enrollment, click here!
For daily glimpses into my studio apartment life, you can follow me on Instagram @moda.misfit.
And for regular doses of apartment styling tips and small space decor inspiration, subscribe to my YouTube channel and hit the bell to be notified when a new video goes up every week.