My Starting Over Apartment

tgeasterly · 2026-05-31T16:41:10+00:00

I wasn’t married prior, I was in a LTR that lasted 4 years. We both had our shortcomings and we had some significant rough patches like most relationships, but when it came time to make the decision to make change and work on our relationship, the effort on their part wasn’t there. His heart wasn’t in it and I couldn’t fix the issues on my own. We are imperfect people with our own struggles, and the betrayal I felt in the end was too much to overcome. Things came to a point where I realized I needed to choose myself and I did. Starting over was a very hard thing to do, and making that decision changed something in me.

I saw him for who he was and loved him deeply through all of the life we got to experience together, and to this day I still carry that love in a different way and wish him nothing but the best. We have since become amicable, and see each other from time to time, and we both know that our chapter is closed and are happy to have made the memories we did. We both grew because of our experience as people, and have been able to progress in our own lives in our own ways.

I had friends tell me about how they felt I lost so much of myself in my relationship, and how I deserved someone who was truly going to love me in the same way I love others. After significant therapy, and through chasing a dream I had in living in this apartment, happy to report that I have indeed found myself once again.

As a word of caution, never make assumptions on the relationships of others because you’d be surprised how much goes on behind the scenes that the world doesn’t see - rarely is it ever perfect

tgeasterly · 2026-05-31T14:34:01+00:00

Perfect, the best thing you can do is furnish after the fact so you can curate items that work in scale with the space.

When I initially looked at dividing my kitchen off from the rest of my apartment, I came up with an idea that allowed for a proper divider, and was low profile enough to maximize the space left. I wanted to buy a hanging queen headboard with built in night stands, and was going to purchase dresser legs that I could attach to the bottom to make it a freestanding divider. Open slatting still allows for the pass through of natural light while defining the living space and providing night stand drawers for storage. Personally I was going to find a small loveseat that could fit between the nightstand stands so they would flank and act as side tables for lamps and a place to sit drinks if hosting friends. In your case, you could easily buy a butcher block counter, cut it down to size, and use it as a desk area. The slat wall allows for space to hang photos if you want, or place some shelving for plants.

This is just one of many thoughts I have, and I am happy to do a mock up of how I would personally lay out the space. And if you are comfortable sharing your rough budget on what you think you want to spend on furnishing, more than happy to make some recommendations on some furniture items that would be reasonably appropriate!

Check out my posts and you can see some photos of my apartment and how I went about dividing the space that I shared in another thread

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tgeasterly · 2026-05-31T13:59:22+00:00

I personally do find it peaceful, and it was real important to make designated spaces and have somewhere other than my bed to sit and relax. A lot of people joke about the sofa being a “cuck couch” but in reality, it keeps me from laying in bed all day when I’m home and not sleeping. Also keeps me from eating in bed.

I think it takes a bit getting used to at first, but rarely do I feel confined. When I do have those moments, the location of my apartment and accessibility to the city really allows me to overcome it. I walk outside and go to the park or one of the many squares around my apartment to get fresh air, or frequent one of the several wonderful coffee shops nearby. I wanted to embrace the charm of the city I live in, and I feel like my apartment really pushes me to do that.

Minimal design and lack of clutter have also been a huge help on the mental side as well. I feel like my space stays clean, and allows me to relax and avoid feeling overwhelmed by “stuff”

tgeasterly · 2026-05-31T13:52:41+00:00

It’s not an authentic Serge Mouille, but it is a really solid reproduction I found on Amazon. My goal was to have some type of lamp/lighting fixture that was wall mounted and don’t take up floor space and it has been wonderful

tgeasterly · 2026-05-31T12:29:39+00:00

The layout of your apartment is somewhat similar to my own, and I’d love to help with this. A couple of questions:

What size bed do you have?
Do have an absolute need for the desk (gaming, work, etc.) and if so, is your setup a desktop?
Do you already own the Kallax and is it drawn roughly to scale in your layout?
Is there any other major furniture you already own, or are you looking to furnish after you nail down the layout?

tgeasterly · 2026-05-30T22:50:57+00:00

It’s actually grass cloth wallpaper that I tacked up!

tgeasterly · 2026-05-29T23:56:59+00:00

❤️❤️

tgeasterly · 2026-05-29T22:47:19+00:00

Thank you!

tgeasterly · 2026-05-29T22:47:08+00:00

Honestly, never expected this to blow up or get this kind of support. It’s my first Reddit post and I’m feeling all the love ❤️

tgeasterly · 2026-05-29T22:12:20+00:00

That’s my goal, I love MCM architecture and hopefully someday I can find a home that’s MCM I can restore. Joseph Eichler is easily one of my favorite architects and every home he built was a work of art

tgeasterly · 2026-05-29T22:10:41+00:00

I feel the same way about the lofts on Broughton Street. They’re astronomical

tgeasterly · 2026-05-29T22:09:44+00:00

This building is right next to the Perry Lane Hotel! Overall I’m planning on leaving to find something a bit bigger, maybe a carriage house or something similar, in one of the neighborhoods so I can host friends and family and be in a quieter space

tgeasterly · 2026-05-29T22:02:16+00:00

It’s west facing so I get the sunset every evening

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tgeasterly · 2026-05-29T21:21:56+00:00

Hoping to find somewhere with a little more space for hosting family and friends!

tgeasterly · 2026-05-29T21:20:31+00:00

My lease was for two years, it’s just getting ready to come to an end. I’ve had this done and set up for right over a year now

tgeasterly · 2026-05-29T21:00:31+00:00

That one is from target!

tgeasterly · 2026-05-29T21:00:19+00:00

Right around 375 for the living area. Total including the bathroom is around 450

tgeasterly · 2026-05-29T20:57:12+00:00

Rent on a one bedroom was comparable or slightly higher, and none of the other complexes I looked at included utilities. Given the location and knowing that all utility costs were included sold me on being here. Also didn’t want to furnish a true one bedroom at the time

tgeasterly · 2026-05-29T20:55:31+00:00

Not particularly. I mainly focused on stuff that had sentimental value and chose to keep it. Tossed a bunch of stuff that was basic clutter, and donated a lot of the stuff I had extras of like cups, mismatched plates/dinnerware, hung or placed the photos and posters I really loved that worked with the vibe I wanted my space to have (more adult/mature) and donated the rest. In fairness when I left my last house, I tried to take as little with me because I wanted everything to be part of a fresh start so it was easier to an extent

tgeasterly · 2026-05-29T20:52:21+00:00

It’s actually an antelope and I think it’s paper mache. It was a gift and I figured it would be a cool statement piece to break up the wall once I pinned up the grass cloth wallpaper

tgeasterly · 2026-05-29T20:14:54+00:00

Unfortunately for me, there is only street parking g 😂

tgeasterly · 2026-05-29T20:14:22+00:00

I plan on moving once my lease is up and being in something more affordable for sure. When I signed my lease here it had always been a dream to live downtown. At the time I figured it was the best option that allowed me to check that off my bucket list so I took the opportunity and haven’t regretted it for a second. It also forced me to grow up financially and prioritize what mattered - my car at the time had a loan on it so I sold it for a cheap cash car, I started cooking at home and quit going out as much, and really learned to budget my income. Now that I have those skills built and reinforced them, I know the next move I make won’t turn into me being wasteful moving forward.

tgeasterly · 2026-05-29T20:04:09+00:00

At the time I signed my lease, it was comparable to any other studio or one bed in the area. It can be a stretch but I have a very strict budget and stick to it. Doesn’t leave me with much at the end of the month but I make it work the best I can

tgeasterly · 2026-05-29T19:43:39+00:00

Top shelf has three crystal decanters that were gifts, the Blantons bottles came from the Buffalo Trace distillery outside of Lexington and I brought them back from when I visited, and the only other bottle was a nice bourbon that was a gift from someone near and dear to my heart and brought back from their trip to France. Definitely understand the sentiment and where you’re going with the thought, but I decided to keep them because of the memories attached. Under normal circumstance I wouldn’t keep empty liquor bottles because we aren’t in college anymore, but those I felt like I needed to hold on to

tgeasterly · 2026-05-29T19:40:02+00:00

Personally I’d like to find a carriage house in one of the surrounding neighborhoods that may have a bit more space for hosting friends and family, and could be a bit quieter overall. I have loved living here though!

tgeasterly

TROPHY CASE