From Lola...

My grandmother has a knack for antiques. Although she has some pieces that I can live without, there are also some that I absolutely adore! Like her antique dial telephones! Since she already has 4 and her house is pretty stuffed, sometimes I drop a hint or two for one of those phones. Imagine how pleasantly surprised I was when she called a few days ago to tell me that she sent one of her pieces to my apartment. Here's it is:

Beautiful! One person's trash can definitely be another's treasure. I strongly recommend for everyone to look around their grandparent's homes for some vintage goodies. (With permission of course!) You're bound to find something that they've forgotten in the bodega ages ago. Or something that's just sitting in the corner gathering dust, long forgotten. It can be a chair, a table, a vase, a trunk, a figurine, some books, frames, old Coca-Cola bottles, etc... 

Unique vintage pieces instantly add character to any place. And they make for great conversation starters! Enjoy the hunt!

Essentials #1: Work Desk

This seems completely basic, but it wasn't so basic for me. I've been living in my apartment for almost 2 years now and it was only a few days ago when I FINALLY chose and bought a desk.

Now, buying a desk isn't all that simple. A lot of thought actually goes into purchasing the right desk for your work needs. Things to consider are size, functionality and design. Is it long enough for all your equipment? Does it have enough drawers for your files? Is it made of good materials? Does the color match your room? And the questions go on and on... But don't think TOO much about it because you might never get one!

Having a desk provides an instant room facelift because it limits you from scattering things on the floor. And more importantly, it makes it much easier for you to work! Now as to how organized you want your desk to be, that's up to you.

Here are some before and after pictures of my life with a desk:

Before...

AFTER!

Voila! Not a total betty (yet), but a vast improvement! What do you think?

Stay tuned for Desk Organization 101!

Welcome to Apartment 703!

Living alone seems so glamorous when you're young. But it's not as glamorous as you think when you realize you have to pick up and fold every shirt you try on, save to pay the bills, worry about leaks and eat take-out or your neighbor's food because you don't know how to cook or you're too lazy to even try. 

However, I have to admit that living alone is not bad at all despite having to worry about things that you normally wouldn't have to if your lived with your parents. For one, no curfews! But more than that, you can manage things exactly the way you want it. You can teach yourself how to be independent, from the littlest things like choosing your furniture to making sure you pay the phone bill on time to avoid disconnection. You have the freedom to express yourself and make your living space a personal canvas. You have your own time and can make decisions by yourself. 

Being a 20-something, I am pretty clueless when it comes to domestic concerns. I can't really cook, I'm not well-versed with laundry symbols and I'm not exactly neat. But hey, I have to learn one way or another right? And what better way to learn than to figure things out for yourself? This is my journey, a 20-something, clueless girl, open to the world and figuring things out, about apartment living and life, one step at a time. 

Welcome to Apartment 703!