Darwin Your Domain
Humans evolve naturally according to our needs and our relationship to our environment. Our homes — on the other hand — need our help. Our lives are dynamic so if our homes remain static a feeling of domestic dissonance can occur. Our apartments should change with us. To get in sync, check in on your current relationship to your space. Has it evolved with you, or is it keeping you from evolving? A scientist needs to ask questions and experiment to solve problems, and so do we. It’s time to get Darwinian and ensure our homes are fully adapted.
First Time Around
What does a 1991 photo of Color Me Badd have to do with home evolution? Although I might have seen four people dressed like this yesterday, fashion evolves just like apartments but styles can come back around. If you’re in a home-style rut, try looking back to a happy home past. Maybe it’s your first dorm room or any first time you set up a place on your own. You didn’t need much, you shared resources, the hygienic bar might have been a little low, but what did you love most about that first space?
A graduating senior gave me a beige barrel chair at the end of my freshman year of college and I’ve used it almost daily ever since. I never imagined my dog would be reading “Anna Karenina” in it but life takes strange turns.
Do you have a feature in your current apartment that makes it feel like home? Maybe your desk is by a window or you like the bed in a dark corner with the long side on the wall. In the words of the great Sade, “it’s never as good as the first time.” But considering what you like from that first time around can help inspire how we move forward.
One Piece at a Time
Post-college life is all about sharing especially when you live in NYC. Living with roommates means not needing to own a lot of things, as everyone contributes what they can. We can learn a lot about what we want (and what we don’t want) when we’re living in tight platonic quarters. What do you (or did you) contribute to the habitat? Is it something you’re invested in and want to take with you when you move on? This could be something abstract like a system for making sure the kitchen is always clean or something concrete like an amazing painting by a close friend. What you make room for in the limited square feet of a room of your own (as opposed to a whole apartment) can reveal your priorities.
Back to Basics
You live in a studio. It’s doesn’t do everything you wish it could plus it’s a huge financial stretch. You should probably still be living with roommates but a door you can lock is worth whatever it costs (almost). Since this is your first time living alone, this is usually the stage in apartment evolution where you might have ten milk crates of records but no teakettle. You have plenty of stuff but not all stuff you need because you’ve been sharing for so long. This is a great time to edit the collections so you have room to beef up on the basic. It’s the next logical evolution.
Shuffling
Moving to a larger space creates different opportunities. Maybe now you can add that home office you always wanted. What is the one thing that makes you happiest when you come home? That full-size sofa, an adjustable height desk, a proper dining table, a wall mounted TV, your partner, your kids, your cat or dog? Shuffling sections of your apartment or moving entirely makes it possible for your apartment to support your new chapter.
When two people come together to have an apartment, they each bring their own style so interesting intersections can happen. You bring a gray sectional sofa and your partner brings a tiger stuffed animal. When you put them together, it’s becomes a home for both of you.
Look Inside
As we grow older, easy home maintenance becomes more important. Our priorities also shift from spending time outside our apartments to
staying inside. We’re in more nights than we’re out. We’re having a few friends over instead of going to a party at a bar. Spending more time at home also means creating more space for yourself. What is one thing you wished your adult home would have when you were a child? Is there an object or color that channels your best self? What is your favorite thing to do at home on a rainy Sunday? Asking these questions can help your space evolve with ease.
Level Up
Another benefit of getting older is developing a strong sense of self. Knowing what things makes us happy and understanding that this will change over time is the key to healthy home evolution. If we’re lucky, our lives are frequently undergoing small transitions because we’re growing. When our homes are flexible enough to make these adjustments, that’s the ultimate evolution. What little changes can you make to better align how you live where you live right now?
