A TV Stand Dogs Love

Every great living room needs a great television, and every great television needs a great television stand. At the same time every great dog needs a great crate, and there isn't always enough room for both. That brings us to today’s “Great Find”, a TV stand meets dog crate.

While being a dog owner is such a blessing and fulfilling experience, having a dog while living in a small apartment brings about its own problems. When I got Mika, my precious Shiba-Inu, she was just a puppy and needed to be crate trained. Because I worked all day and could not take her out, I bought her a Puppy Apartment, which is basically huge crate with a divider in the middle. One section of the crate is where she can go to the bathroom if she needs to and the other section is where she can play, sleep and eat. While this crate sounds like a great idea, it takes up a lot of space. Lucky for me the Puppy Apartment also sells a table-like structure to cover the crate and make it more aesthetically appealing. Instead of purchasing a television cabinet stand, or table, I used the crate as a TV table, so that it saves space and functions in more than one way. When people walk into my apartment they assume that I had a table custom made for the crate in order to save space and they are very impressed with my ingenuity. Well, my secret is out. This “Great Find” is perfect for wo/man AND his/her best friend. The Puppy Apartment brand is a bit pricey, but you can find similar crates to this one on Amazon.com and E-bay for half the price. I was able to find this “Great Find” on Amazon for about $100.00 not too long ago. Prices vary by size. Isn't this the best looking dog crate you have ever seen?

A Place to Sleep, Eat and More

When moving into your first apartment, you usually don’t have money right away to buy all of the furniture you need. However, I think that we can all agree that at the very least, we all need a place to sleep and eat. Today's "Great Finds" are not only space saving solutions, but are multi-functional while providing the necessities. While these were most definitely “Great Finds” for me, they would also be incredible solutions for people moving into a studio apartment.

-Great Find #1: Belize Euro Lounger

This couch is by far my favorite apartment purchase ever! That is because it is not just any old couch; it is a multi-positional sofa that is convertible to your relaxation needs. The backrests and armrests can be reclined all the way down, and your sofa is transformed into a very comfortable bed! Bring one of the armrests up to its upright position, and you have a lounger with a headrest. Recline part way, all the way, sit upright...the positions are endless and offer way more comfort that any ordinary sofa. This couch is actually very inexpensive for all of the services it provides, and allows you time to save up some money for a bed, if you don’t have one right when you move in. Don’t have space for a bed? No problem! The fact that this couch turns into a bed so easily makes this perfect for any small or studio apartment. I have slept on this couch countless times, and even have friends sleep over on it. If you need a couch AND a bed, this is a "Great Find" for you! Not to mention, the space underneath the couch is perfect for sliding cute drawers or boxes underneath for a stylish and functional storage and space saving solution. This “Great Find” can be found at Costco for just $599.00. Look at what it can do!

Regular couch to...

Chic, modern couch to...

Bed to...

 Mix n' match!

This is the euro lounger in my space. Super cute right? 

-Great Find #2: Coffee Table

This coffee table was actually gifted to me by the previous owner of the apartment. She was getting rid of a bunch of furniture, giving it away or selling it. While you may never find this exact table, gems like this are something that you could find on Craigslist or at a tag sale. One person’s trash is another man’s treasure, so do not hesitate to visit your local tag sale; you never what you will find and you will be surprised by how much of it is in amazing condition. 

This looks like an ordinary coffee table. Not trendy in the least, but this coffee table is hiding a ton of secrets. The top of the table can be lifted to expose two storage compartments that no one would ever expect. Once the table top is lifted, it is a perfect eating height for those nights that you want to rent a movie and eat Chinese food in front of the tv while on your euro lounger (like how I tied that in?). This is where I ate many of my meals when I first moved in and did not have a dining table yet. Like my couch, this would be a perfect solution for a small or studio apartment where there is not enough room for a dining table. Instead of buying a dining room table for one or two people to use, a table like this is multi-functional, space saving and offers great storage. “Great Finds” don’t get better than this! There are a slew of coffee tables out there that provide the same services as this one. It may take a little research to find a budget friendly one, but you may just get as lucky as I did!

The Hidden Storage Compartments:

Perfect Height for Eating:

Transform Your Outdated Bathroom From Yuck to Yeah!

When you moved into your new apartment, did your bathroom look anything like this?

Yeah…mine too, except foam green. Yuck.

Despite the outdated bathroom, with the missing mirror and broken tiles and dreadful plumbing, I fell in love with my apartment the first time I saw it. Most apartment bathrooms have not been updated since the 60's or 70’s, so the tiles are all sorts of crazy colors, and quite often the tub and toilet bowl are colored to match. Most people are intimidated by this, but there are some easy ways to take focus away from the existing bathroom and make it appear more modern and stylish.

-My first tip, and probably the easiest solution is to get a new shower curtain! The trick is to find one with a bold, modern pattern that contains the color of the tiles in your bathroom. However, there should be other complimenting colors on the curtain as well. A new shower curtain can really bring some new life to your bathroom. It will not only work with your space, but will become the focal point of your bathroom and detract from the outdated color and fixtures. See the "Great Find" I got at Target.

Not only is Target a budget friendly place to shop when looking for apartment essentials, but it also offers a variety of colors and patterns to select from. If you don’t find what you are looking for at Target, or do not have a Target near you, do not fret! You can find some great affordable shower curtains pretty much anywhere; don’t forget to check out your local dollar store or Christmas Tree Shop for some “Great Finds” as well.

-My next tip: Buy new towels. Select towels that pull from colors in your new shower curtain. Don’t feel that all of your towels have to be the same color. Add some flair with a couple of different colors, patterns or designs. Things don’t always need to match, but they do need to go together. I also purchased my towels at Target. There were so many colors to choose from, the quality of the towels is great and they did not break the bank! 

Mika's towel came from a local pet store. The brown towel with the paw print stands out so that she knows which towel to use. 

-Now, we all know that the plumbing in old bathrooms is not always so reliable, so be sure to purchase a plunger! I know mine has already come in handy. I know plungers can be extremely unsightly, with bulky wooden poles that stick out like a sore thumb. I was able to find this really great plunger (yes, at Target) for about $8.00. It has a clear handle that disappears behind the toilet. I love that I never have to worry about guests focusing on a hideous plunger, or even noticing that I have a plunger at all! I know it is a little bit girly, but I am a little bit girly, so it works for me.

-Toilet brushes may not be as unsightly as a plunger, but they are a pretty close second. I found this really great toilet brush with holder that is very streamlined, and clean looking. It matches my toothbrush holder and trash can, so that everything works together in the space. Target $5.00.

See how you can barely see my plunger from behind the toilet because of the clear handle? Isn't it great that the disgusting toilet brush is now the disguised toilet brush? 

-Having a dog and/or kids can mean that your trash cans may never be safe. My puppy loves going through the trash to get a nice piece of tissue to chew on…yuck! Plus it creates a big mess for me to clean up later. 

A trash can with a lid has been a wonderful solution to my puppy problem. With the flap lid, she is unable to get in there. Trash cans like this are pretty easy to come by and come in a variety of colors and sizes. I was able to find one that matched my bathroom accessories perfectly, and you can too!

-Now just add some finishing touches. Tooth brush holder, tissue boxes, etc. Little details like that can really enhance a space and pull your whole new, modern look all together. I was able to find a toothbrush holder to match my bathroom accessories  and some great tissue boxes that pull colors from my shower curtain in the most perfect way. Even Kleeenex can be a "Great Find", and a great accent piece.

While my bathroom started off as the typical outdated apartment bathroom, I was able to transform it into a space that I actually enjoy and am proud of. I don't even see its outdated skeleton anymore. With this information, under $100.00 and some “Great Finds”, you can too! What do you think of my bathroom?

Whistle While you Work...

When walking into your new apartment for the first time, it might not feel very bright or “homey” at first. Here are a few small tricks to brightening up your place in no time.

Before anything TURN UP THE MUSIC!!! Make this as fun as possible and remember that only with hard work can you achieve great results! With that said...

Tip #1: Wash all of the windows, mirrors and existing lighting fixtures in your apartment. This will instantly let more sunlight in and brighten up your place immediately, which will also help make the space look larger. Who wouldn't want that? 

Tip #2: Clean the floors. Sweep, mop and/or vacuum depending on the flooring situation. A shiny new floor will automatically make your place feel newer, cleaner and more inviting for you to start living in, and walking around in your cozy socks. 

Now that the windows and floors are taken care of lets move on to tip #3.

Tip #3: Make sure that your kitchen and bathroom are clean, so that you feel more comfortable using them and they sparkle like new. 

Tip #4: My last tip, and probably the most important, is to find pieces that you love, even if they are just pictures of your family or happy memories that will make you feel at home. Put them up in your new place to make it feel more nostalgic. The furniture and décor will come with time, if you don’t have it all at first, but making sure that your new apartment feels comfortable, and “homey” should be the goal from the very beginning.

This may not be very interesting, but it is VERY important! My first “Great Finds” on this blog are, but are not limited to:

-Windex for cleaning and brightening windows, mirrors and existing lighting fixtures

-Swiffer: you can use dry and/or wet cloths on most floors

-An all-purpose cleaner for the bathroom and kitchen surfaces and fixtures

-Paper towels

-Sponges and/or rags

-Something you already own that makes your place feel like home to you, or reflects your personality.

Total cost: $30.00-$50.00...The satisfaction you get after a hard days work: Priceless.

Welcome!

Moving into your first apartment can be so exciting, but it isn’t always easy. Trust me, I know from personal experience. When my dog, Mika and I moved into our first place, the amount of excitement was definitely outnumbered by the lack of money, space and storage. I quickly learned that the key to making your first place function for you, and still look great is to not give up hope, to not stop looking and to think outside of the box. I know it sounds cliché, but it’s so true. I am eager to share with you some of the amazing things I have found since moving into my apartment, as well as some of the ideas I have had along the way. The possibilities are endless! Welcome to “Great Finds”, your go to place for budget friendly storage solutions, space saving ideas, DIY projects and inspiration that will transform your space and make it feel like home. 

Welcome! 

XoXo, Megan and Mika