Our Small Space Adventure: The Teaser

We're officially packing. In less than a month, Navah and I will move into our new apartment in another lovely D.C. neighborhood - Eastern Market. Living here in the Logan Circle area has, in many ways, been wonderful. We've been blocks away from many of our friends, and being able to walk to campus while we were in law school was invaluable.

But there are some things we haven't liked. First and foremost - the price. The new apartment is significantly less expensive, which will allow Navah and me to allocate more money toward paying off student debt (mine) and saving for a down payment on a home.

Second - the concrete-ness. DC is actually a fairly green city. I always see trees on my way to work, and there are several little grassy traffic circles where I can head for a walk with Jammer. But the fact that I just wrote that sentence is a sign of the struggle here. Grassy traffic circles? That's the green space I'm getting excited about? No, we needed something more. The new place has...drum roll please...a backyard! Seriously. A backyard. Like a hey-I-just-let-the-dog-out-the-back-door-to-pee, we're-having-a-garden-party, ooh-aren't-these-hot-off-the-grill-steaks-delicious backyard. If you've never lived in DC, you probably don't realize what a big deal that is. But I'll tell you - it's a big deal. Backyards are not easy to come by.

Third - the lack of a fireplace. To me, any place that doesn't have a fireplace can't really be considered a home. Perhaps it's an emotional weakness on my part, but I just have a thing for fireplaces. And the new apartment does not disappoint.

But - there's always a but - the space is much smaller than where we live now. Navah's very concerned that we'll feel cramped and on top of each other. Though I fully acknowledge the validity of those fears, I can't help but focus on how adorable and cozy the new place is (did I mention the fireplace?) and how good it's going to feel to get rid of So Much Stuff. Navah grins at me with a raised eyebrow every time I bring that up. Yes, I'm a bit of a ~~packrat~~ collector. I have numerous plastic bins filled with fabric yarn, paints, colored papers, markers, and old odds and ends that I Just Know will be the key ingredients for an awesome craft project down the road. And I haven't even mentioned shoes or t-shirts or books. I recognize that this might make someone doubt by ability to actually get rid of things.

Hear this: I'm absolutely committed to turning over a new leaf. (It doesn't hurt that we'll be able to store some of our stuff at Navah's parents' until we end up in a more permanent, larger space.)

Apartment Therapy must have intuited our position - this week they ran a series on the best small spaces. I was definitely inspired by the conscious and beautiful use of space. I can only hope to make such well thought-out choices.