Setting Up Camp
On Friday, August 24th, I was building a fire at the White Birches Campground in the White Mountains.
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On Friday, August 31st, I had the keys to my new apartment in Brooklyn, NY, but I was still sleeping on my sister’s couch (next door to my studio).
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And on Friday, September 7th, I am mostly set up in my new place and starting to explore the neighborhood. (On Wednesday I found a good cafe for frozen lattes and yesterday I ran to Prospect Park.)
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Things have changed pretty quickly in the last few weeks, but really, the whole time it has just been about setting up base camp. It made me realize how much stuff you don’t need to be perfectly satisfied with your surroundings. Here in New York I’ve got about 150 square feet of space and back at the campground we just got a dirt lot and a fire pit. As long as you’ve got a few key basics covered, you can make pretty much anything into a beautiful home.
Lessons I Have Learned on Setting Up Camp in a New Apartment:
1. If there are a few building features you really like, you can make the rest work. (I’ve got tall ceilings, wood floors, and seven foot tall windows.)
2. Set it up in a way you like as soon as you move in, because in a few months you won’t be bothered to go furniture shopping or install new shelves.
3. Clean all those dusty, icky corners that look too gross to go near ASAP. Get out the gloves, paper towels, and cleaning spray. It only takes a few minutes and you’ll appreciate it forever.
4. Once you’ve got all your basics bought and installed, think of a few unpurchased items that you want to be your statement pieces and don’t buy until you find just the right ones. (I spend about two months looking for a light blue colander last year; for a while it was really hard to make pasta.)
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So wish me luck on my search for the perfect bar stools and coffee table this weekend!
-Rachel
Camping photo by Emily Haggett.
