Small Flat Living

If you know me personally, you know I like stuff. Before moving I had every book I ever read and intended to read, clothes from 8 years ago that I "might wear again" and shoes that I just never got rid of.

Moving to England I knew I would need to downsize because we were moving into a small flat; spaces here are smaller than what one would typically find in Houston. Our flat came furnished with the basics, a bed, a small wardrobe, a night stand, dining table and chairs, bar stools and a sofa and coffee table. This was wonderful because it cut down on our immediate costs, but it didn't provide us with the storage we needed. To remedy this we had to buy a few pieces to give us more storage and make it feel more like a home.

Since we are living in a small space, the things we bought needed to be very functional and/or have multiple uses, no space for frivolous furniture. The first pieces we bought were a larger wardrobe and bookshelves. The wardrobe functions only as my wardrobe because it is the perfect size for all my fluffy dresses and other various items one needs to stay warm and fashionable in this country. We have two bookshelves, each with four square spaces. They are shorter, about my hip height, and they function as a mantle to display holiday decorations, framed photos and candles, and the cubbies hold books, the cable box and a few other decorations.

*I wasn't paying attention to the television when taking these photos. #bodypositive.

We also purchased and table and two chairs for the balcony from Ikea. Despite popular belief, London does receive a few warm sunny days, though the sun never quite reaches our balcony, we thought a nice breakfast or coffee on the balcony would be a nice little treat.

The last and most recent piece was a storage ottoman. This piece gave us two extra seats for guests and provided us with storage for extra throw blankets, an air mattress and pump and other items that needed a home.

I have never been one for a minimalist lifestyle, but I am finding that I don't actually NEED all the things I thought I did. I am surviving just fine without the things I left in Houston and will most likely do another purge when I visit next. Though, I do want my books and my Cricut and I will need my teacher books eventually, but everything else is just something I will have to find a home for and we really can't fit much more furniture in our little place.

*Just a wanted to show you my Texas pillow that I found in TJ Maxx.

Overall, our place is smaller than I am used but I am learning to live here. Maybe this will give me to push I need to live a more minimalist lifestyle.

xx

Mariam

P.S. Can you find which Hogwarts house I am in?