Here are the things I loved!

Happy last day of the month! With my move to Oregon on the 1st, the majority of my favorites are related to my new apartment. I hope you find this helpful if you are moving, starting school, or looking to make your place a little more home-y.

1. Aerobed. When I moved up to Oregon, I brought along zero pieces of furniture, meaning I didn’t even have a bed. Luckily for me, my boyfriend offered to let me borrow his Aerobed queen inflatable air mattress. When Riley told me he had an air mattress for me, I honestly was expecting one used for camping, like a Coleman. Instead, I was surprised to inflate a real bed, complete even with a headboard! This is the crème de la crème of air mattresses, so if you are going to be moving or if you want to be able to offer your house guests a nice place to sleep without having to find space for a permanent bed, this is the option for you.
2. Litter Genie. Moving to rainy Oregon, I knew it wouldn’t be much fun carrying bags of cat poop out to a dumpster in the middle of the night. I started looking into different options of disposal and found the Litter Genie. Like the Diaper Genie, you just dispose of all waste product in an airtight container and empty the entire thing when it fills up. I have been keeping it next to the litter box in my apartment bathroom and it has worked like a charm. The dual compartments keep all smells contained: first you scoop the waste into the top compartment and close the lid; then you pull out a “trap door” to let the waste fall though into the bottom bag. When it is full (so, far I have been emptying mine once a week), you cut the bag using the attached, child-proof razor, and tie it up! It is a very efficient and odor-proof system, and for only $15 for the container and $7 for the bag refills, it is a really affordable option. And, yes, that is my pink toilet.
3. Sip by S’well. I talked about how much I loved my S’well bottle in my June Favorites, but when I was unpacking what I brought up to Oregon, I discovered my S’well bottle was not included. Bummer! Not wanting to spend the full $35+ on a new bottle, I picked up one from their off-shoot brand Sip at Target for $22. I honestly don’t think it works as well – the lid is a little inconvenient (it sits deeper into the bottle, so you can’t full it up to the top) – but it is a great, cheaper alternative. Plus, they offer some really cute colors and patterns. I opted for a simple plum.
4. Craig’s List. Like I mentioned in my first favorites, I came sans furniture to Oregon. Being on a student’s budget, I took to Craig’s List for some inexpensive options. In one day, I found this Ikea desk for $15 and a brand new computer chair for $15 as well. Living in a college town, it is pretty easy to find an influx of furniture that students are leaving behind as the school year ends. This is a great way to find items to furnish your apartment with if you are a student like me. There are a lot of hidden treasures on their, they just require some digging!
5. Artwork. Jessie and I are still working on furnishing our living room (we have a kitchen table and a TV, so we aren’t too concerned, although a couch would be nice eventually), but to keep it from looking too empty, we broke out the art work. Luckily for me, Jessie is an artist, so she was able to provide all of our pieces. If you haven’t unearthed your artistic ability yet, check out your local GoodWill or Craig’s List for some pieces that speak to you. Art is a great way to add personality to your space, and it doesn’t require surfaces for things to be displayed on (something we are lacking without any coffee or end tables).

I hope this post gave you a little inspiration on how to make the most out of your space, especially if you are working on a budget like I am!

-TM

What are your tips for personalizing your space on a budget? Let us know below.