My new apartment is TINY!

[HeyMickey]

Okay, I need to vent a little, and I also need some suggestions...

My roommate just got the keys to our university-provided apartment for the school year. I was prepared for it not to be huge, but it's like living in a shoebox! The entire living area is maybe 12' by 14', and that includes the kitchen area along one wall. In that area we have to get two beds (which my roomie doesn't want to bunk even though it saves SO much space), two desks, two dressers, a kitchen table and chairs, and hopefully a TV.
And if that weren't bad enough, the university has a policy of not removing existing furniture from student rooms. There are two big, ugly easy chairs in the room that we don't have room for that they won't take out, along with four semi-broken kitchen chairs and THE biggest kitchen table I've ever seen! We can't keep it in the room because we'll have to climb over it to get into bed, and they won't take it out!
I am so upset with university housing. We weren't allowed to see the room before we picked it, so we had no way of knowing it would be so small. When we got there the furniture was all over the floor and there were 3 beds and one desk - it's obvious nobody had checked to make sure the room was ready before we got there. And they won't take out a kitchen table that takes up every available inch of floor space?
I have no choice this year, but I'm moving off campus next year. The convenience of being close to campus isn't worth paying almost $6000 to live in a shoebox for a year.

Phew. Sorry.

So... does anyone else have teeny tiny apartment stories? Any tips to make it more livable?

 

[lilboo]

I don't suppose they provide you with any extra storage space?

That sounds really upsetting...storage and shelving from floor to ceiling might help and really try to sell that roomie of yours on the bunks(must've had a bad experience with bunk beds as a kid?) Maybe perpendicular bunk beds so that the extra space underneath could also house a small work desk....

...check out ikea.com...lots of inexpensive options for tiny spaces...there may be one in Pittsburgh too.


Hang in there...a year isn't too long!

 

[Keli]

Hummm, If I were you I'd take the legs off that table (they should unscrew) and slide it under one of your beds. When the school year's over put them back on (it may be a bit more wobbly then but....).

 

[Tiggeroo]

If your roomate doesn't want bunks you should get yourself a loft bed. There are inexpensive ones on line. This way you can put your desk and stuff under the bed. If this isn't doable, there are kits where you can elevate your bed quite a bit. This way you could store alot of stuff under there, even putting drawers for your clothes.

 

[HeyMickey]

Originally posted by lilboo
...
really try to sell that roomie of yours on the bunks(must've had a bad experience with bunk beds as a kid?)

...

Actually she thinks we're "too old" to be sleeping in bunk beds. We had bunk beds last year and she didn't seem to care that much... I don't get it. She sleeps at her boyfriend's place every night anyway - I could get rid of her bed and it'd probably take her weeks to notice.

 

[disneychrista]

I would do with out the kitchen table, and opt for colapsable "TV" trays and chairs instead (or use desk chair). Can you share a dresser? Deffiently look into under the bed storage containers.

I moved from a "nice size" (not large) 3 - bedroom apartment to a small 2 bedroom apartment a couple of years ago and have had to "downsize" a lot of our "stuff" we go a smaller kitchen table, my 2 girls went from each having a 4 drawer dresser to sharing 1 4 drawer dresser etc. It took some time to get used to but it can be done, just use your imagination.

 

[shortbun]

Stack the dressers one on top of the other but reversed sides and use as a room divider. use the table(legs off) as a headboard or room divider. Put the beds side by side with no space in the
middle. Rules are made to be broken-so is ugly old furniture(lol),
find a place for some of it. find out who had this space last year
and ask what they did with it. Tell your roomate that being a
grownup is not an option this year. Last suggestion-call
"while you were out" for a redecorating challenge!
Good luck.

 

[holycow]

Do they have a storage space for you to put stuff in? I would used it and store the stuff you don't want to use in there for the year....or ask a friend to store the stuff...then when the time comes bring it all back in......I would also write a letter to housing with pics and complain!

Good luck!

HC

 

[wdwnutze]

I would suggest Rack Raisers to elevate the beds so you can store everything under the bed. My son did this last yr in his dorm room(forced triple) and it really saved him. He was able to fit his dresser and everything under it. Also, if they don't provide extra storage can you rent a storage space. You should be able to get one fairly cheap. I think storage will be key for you. Lots of storage containers and shelves.

 

[Cindy B]

My son has a loft bed.. he has a desk underneath.

Ikea is wonderful and there is one is Pittsburgh. Run to that store and see what they do with 200 sq feet...

 

[caitycaity]

good luck, and welcome to college living. this is why the suggest you get the meningitis vaccine.

my school had the "no removal of furniture rule too." i know it is tough, but i agree with trying to check out ikea to see what they can do to help you maximize your space.

good luck.

 

[HeyMickey]

Thanks for your suggestions everyone I've got my eye on some stuff at Ikea (what on earth would we do without that store?) and hopefully I can convince roomie to bunk the beds.

 

[PugLover]

Sounds challenging!

As far as the beds go I would put the headboards back to back and slide them against the opposite wall of the kitchen area

Like this:


_____11_____

(the ones being the two headboards)

A super cheap alternative to purchasing a loft bed is to elevate your bed using four cinder blocks (this was very common in my dorm). That will give you some additional storage under your bed, it wont be as high as a loft bed but doable for just 12 months.

I assume you both have a closet. Removing closet doors really opens a space up (visually). Perhaps one closet can house your television/stero equipment (like a mock entertainment center) and the other can be shared for clothing and additional storage. Sharing a closet of course is not ideal however there are some unique/inexpensive closet space organizers that will help (hanging shoe/sweater bags, hooks and stacking bins for the floor).

Slip covers are fairly inexpensive and might help mask the two overstuffed chairs. Again, a lighter color will open the room up a bit.

Storing your pots/pans in the oven is a space saver, just dont forget to remove them before you heat the oven (been there, done that, lol).

Floor to ceiling shelving units are an option. To mask the contents of the shelves and to hide the clutter you can easily purchase a piece of fabric or cloth shower curtain and attach it to the top shelf to make a "curtain" to cover your belongings.

I would also remove the legs of the large kitchen table and store the table under a bed or cover with fabric and use for a room divider. Small round tables can be found at garage sales or flea markets for just a few dollars and will be more feasible for your space.

 

[Rajah]

Man, that sounds worse than the dorm I was in!! Yeah, our rooms at the dorm were tiny, but they came with all the furniture pre-built to maximize space so we were pretty well off. I'm sorry you have such a poor situation with your school apartment.

I do like that idea of the loft bed if you can't get your roomie to go for bunk beds, though.

 

[marymrg]

I put my dresser in the closet to save space one year. Is that an option? If your roommate is never there, then why on earth would she mind if the beds were bunked?