The art of living in a mini-apartment Bashny.Net

In one of the episodes of "House", where the valiant diagnosticians searched the apartment of another false patient once again, sounded a phrase: "Look at this place - they are in such close quarters is not killed each other»

. On the screen it was quite decent and not a small accommodation with a living room and even a separate bedroom. Not only that - even with a full kitchen. I remember that moment, each time with someone start talking about the Paris apartment.

And they are known, are often similar to the lockers. The last three and a half years (with a short break) I'm with her boyfriend live in 32 squares. No, it's not the smallest area by local standards. But not as big as it might seem from the outside (especially those who have never shared a room without a door with another man). Anyway, I decided to write about how to live in a really small apartment together and do not kill each other.




Yes, in Paris can be removed and 16 square meters, and 10 (with shared facilities). And yes, people in these areas also somehow manage to live together. And this without any sentimentality there pandemonium ad. Although often very tiny housing - a student version for one. But even in these apartments-boxes have micro-balconies. And in this - to squeeze out a drop of French art aesthetics, even where, seemingly, and not anything else to squeeze

.

I'm not one of those who sees purely rental housing as a temporary option and does not want to get attached, to grow things, because "it's still not yours." Firstly, there is nothing more permanent than something temporary. And secondly, I argue differently: for a year, two or three is still MY

. Maybe here I can not change the furniture or the color of the walls, but I can do my maximum to a rented apartment was like my own cozy little house. Therefore each of his house (and the last eight years I rent a one-bedroom apartment) I love decorating and settle. I prefer to live here and now, without a constant focus on the fact that one day you still need to move.

This is our second house in Paris. And, as for the first time, now it is also a studio. We have an incredibly small kitchen (even a kitchenette - kitchenette), a small bathroom and a bath itself, which can accommodate only half-sitting. And the bruises on the knees and hips, which you constantly touches the bed, the shelves, the table, passing between them to the balcony, it is a common thing.

But if you learn to maneuver between the sharp corners of furniture, and if the two of you who live under one roof and learn to smooth out the rough edges in relationships due to the lack of personal space, then everything will be OK.



My most important rule: never and would never violate another's privacy, when a person is in the bathroom. Even if there's just brush their teeth, and you desperately need a comb or cream; even if your partner just before spinning mirror and corrects hairstyle, and you just need a second to slip a bottle of eau de toilette.

Never and would never go into a bathroom when there is someone there. Even with pre-polite knock. That's just not all. This is the only area in the apartment, which absolutely can not be divided into two. You can hang out together in the kitchen or interfere with each other at a table with two laptops, but the bathroom - only one. I earnestly believe that such an invasion is able to destroy the very good relations.

Another important thing that I have learned over the past eight years: to clean up the mess as soon as he risks appear. Open cabinet doors, the clothes on the backs of chairs, a mountain of dirty dishes in the sink, cups, placed on all surfaces, trash in the workplace, a pile of clean laundry, ironing waiting - it's claustrophobic

. I start to choke when all the scattered houses. It was as if the ceiling is reduced by half a meter. But it is necessary to spread things out, as the room becomes twice.



And the golden rule: respect the personal space of each other, always clean up after themselves and do not do anyone any favors. I do not believe that "the boys sloppily girls' and jokes about the socks scattered around the apartment, I did not laugh. There are simply more accurate and less neat people. I - from the first. My boyfriend - Second

. But we both try to make life in these 32 squares of comfort for each other. However, remove, divide household chores in half and tried to make our house under the roof as much as possible comfortable and beautiful. And all this - in four hands. We both want to see the house was good, and that none of us did not do all the work for two.

As for the personal space: I love our Saturday and Sunday morning, we had breakfast together, and then a couple of hours to unravel in different corners of apartments to stay in "isolation". Clement reads TIME in the hallway at the outdoor balcony, and I have been doing their own thing in the room. And then we're going together and go for a walk. In my opinion, it is very important sometimes do not speak and do not touch each other when you are under the same roof. The man most of all tired just from another person.

And now I will share with you little life hacking and their own important requirements for a small apartment and its filling.



Pure white apartment - a real salvation when the footage is painfully small. White furniture and white walls are one of the most important criteria when two years ago we were looking for a new home. This interior is very easy to dilute the bright accents. We have, for example, has a set of small decorative pillows bright colors. They just lie on the couch in the corner. And on one of the walls adorned here it is "Assorted" of postcards and reproductions of paintings.



Built-in wardrobes. I have not even thought about it before, I have not yet moved into the apartment, where they've been. If suddenly you are looking for accommodation in Paris, I advise you to make it to the list of defining moments. This is ideal to somewhere to put large suitcases, seasonal footwear (shoes or ALL in general, as in my case, but it is quite heavy, vacuum cleaner, the documents folders - you name it).

And speaking of suitcases: before moving to Paris, so I was not engaged, but now hide in their summer clothes in the winter, and vice versa, in order to save space in the closet. And every six months might be a small opening: class, it turns out, I have such a beautiful sweater / dress / T-shirt, and I forgot

.

Paper books in a small apartment - is, unfortunately, a luxury. Therefore, for some time now, we use electronic. I know that in Paris you can take the books read, and even get paid for it some money, but I'm already used to eBook - it's light, always fit in any bag, and it is possible to load as many books as you want.



Since I can not stand the mess, then the little things that just lying around or lie on the shelves, it is my most important stimulus. That's what I love boxes, boxes and decorative baskets. This includes all sorts of organizers with compartments: I use them for cosmetics, jewelry, for any dressing jars, bottles, hair accessories, first aid kits, etc.

. Finally, in Paris, I appreciated all the Soup, which are formed, collapsed or "flick of the wrist turn into ..." Dryer hiding behind the couch; hanger hooks attached directly to the front door; freshly bought my desktop is flat and merges with the white wall in the corridor at the end of a working day; kitchen door open-closed "accordion"; Finally, wooden chairs, which wander from one balcony to another, too, at the right time can add up. And with it all so good to breathe.


In fact, small apartment very much disciplines and fosters a habit not to buy too much. But this does not mean that there can not be to decorate the house. Yes, a palm tree in a tub in the living room already, perhaps, you will not put. But nobody canceled and fresh flowers, with which any room immediately becomes friendly and festive.

And no one has repealed the little details that can be changed, to hide and to get again. Nobody canceled candle lanterns on the headboard and pinbordy to which you can attach photos, business cards, clippings and dead leaves, brought from a short trip (as I do). And if the refrigerator does not fit into your kitchen, no one forbids you to paste it with colored stickers so that it not spoil your white interior.

In other words, a drop of imagination and love for his cozy nest will help to eliminate.

Author: Olga Kotrus