A Brooklyn apartment with a backyard for rent
Plus an Etsy find that makes me want a different kind of shower
I recently purchased a cordless vacuum from Amazon and I think I officially like cleaning. I’m not going to go into the brand I purchased or how much it cost or anything like that, because honestly I don’t think anyone cares that much, and ultimately my love for this cleaning product is not the quality of the product itself, but rather the idea of it, which can be achieved from any cordless vacuum. (I think?)
It’s portable! It’s lightweight! It can fit under all my furniture! It doesn’t need to be unplugged and re-plugged to get from one side of the room to the other! Et cetera… et cetera… et cetera. Oh, and it’s really easy to clean the car by just switching out the attachments. Yes, please.
A convenient cordless vacuum has made it much easier for me to maintain a cleaner room. It’s pretty incredible to find that even when I clean with just four days in between my last vacuum, the dust bucket has a decent amount of crap in there. It makes me not just want to vacuum more, but it gives me a specific sort of instant gratification that can only be achieved by cleaning.
What is it about cleaning that gives us that feeling? Looking around the room to admire the hard work that was just put in to make it look neat and tidy is unmatched. As is crawling into a neatly-made bed at the end of the day and being among fresh sheets, and not seeing the clumps hair that naturally accumulate in the corners of the bathroom.
Maybe it has to do with the fact that when I clean, I really get this sense that I’m carving out my own little pocket in the universe. That this space is really mine, and only mine. (Although my roommate’s dog certainly makes himself at home, too.) And I want it to be as enjoyable to inhabit as possible. For me, it’s kind of on-par with decorating.
A Brooklyn apartment with a backyard for rent
When I go back and forth on whether or not New York is a viable place for me to inhabit long-term, the issue of space is often at the forefront of my mind. Moving there would mean sacrificing space — that’s just part of the deal. Finding an apartment that’s within one’s price range and also has access to a private backyard is often coveted real estate.
This Stuy Heights rental unit spans 850 square feet and offers one bedroom and one full bath. Found on the garden floor of a pre-war Queen Anne-style building, residents enjoy a new washer and dryer in the basement, updated HVAC and appliances, hardwood floors, and a private foyer that leads right outside, operating here as a home office. The outdoor space includes custom wood seating and a gas grill. I like to imagine myself in this garden hosting summer parties with friends. I, like many, am eager to socialize once again. [Sotheby’s International Realty]
Something I favorited on Etsy this week
I love my shower. It’s spacious, glass-enclosed, and has Spanish-inspired tiles and a window that makes it easy to keep the bathroom smelling fresh. But because I have a glass door, there is no need whatsoever for me to have a shower curtain. Which, up until I found the below item on Etsy, I didn’t think was something that I was missing out on.
These shower curtain hooks just add a bit of flair to an otherwise forgotten space in the home. Why not dress up a shower a bit? Small items like this are at the crux of my “design style”, if one could even say that I have one at all. I love little tchotchkes that aren’t that expensive, and remind me when I see them around the house that this space is mine and I get to decorate it however I want. Bonus points if the item is also functional. (By the way, there are buyer review images that show how these look in action on the Etsy listing, if you’re interested.)
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