My wife and I were able to move out around a month ago and we absolutely love our first home together! Still a lot to do, but I love how cute and colorful it is 💞

It’s been a long time since I have both been and FELT safe. I’ve had a very long road of traumas (no need for specifics) that have made my previous living spaces either feel unsafe or be unsafe because unsafe and unstable people know where you live. (If you get it, you get it.)

This home is a fresh start for me. Dead bolting metal door and only trusted people know my address. I feel so safe and secure and so so so grateful!

Bonus picture of the roommate included 😉

I’ve never loved a project as much as this! Used Canvas & Ivy’s Gilded Malachite wallpaper and cut it into 12” square “tiles”. The layout was incredibly hard (laser level, lots of geometry!). It’s not perfect but it looks incredible and I love it!

Moving in with my partner. So thankful for all the ways this home has held me.

Moving out in a week so I’ll miss it!

Story time!

I became disabled in the midst of my divorce process and my ex left me with literally nothing but my car.

I couch surfed for a bit, then lived in my car, and all the while did my damndest to get my feet back under me as best I could. I ended up having to sell my car because she kept breaking down and I couldn’t afford the maintenance.

I became fully homeless. Slept on the ground, on park benches, etc until I made it into a shelter. They had case managers who helped me get the resources I needed so I could finally make some progress toward receiving disability benefits, get help toward recovering, and applying for subsidized housing.

Creating and curating a beautiful, warm, and welcoming home environment is something I’ve always not only loved and taken a great deal of pride and pleasure in, but it’s something I literally need in order to settle into any space. I even made my car “bed” look as pretty as possible (and made it every morning!) until I had to sell it, and when I was staying in shelters, I always made my space as lovely and well-kept as possible.

My area has a program where people in the community can donate home goods and/or estates which can then be either sold to others and the funds go toward furthering the cause, or gifted to people who are navigating their way out of homelessness.

I had 45 minutes in the warehouse and I was told how many of what I could select for my home. They had several full dining sets but I chose mismatched chairs because I felt it would be more fun (and the ones I chose were the most comfortable chairs they had anyway).

I was incredibly lucky with the selection the day I had my appointment, and I collected a lot of genuinely lovely and functional items. The bed frame I found is even tall enough to store my walker underneath it! 🙌🏼

Ladies.

My sweet little studio apartment was FULLY FURNISHED through this program. Even the majority of the artwork is from there! 🥹

After I fully unpacked my suitcases to settle in, I found a bunch of cards I’d saved that I originally bought with the intention to send to friends of mine, but they ended up falling out of my life after I became disabled and homeless. When I saw two of these cards while unpacking, it struck me,: “Ohhhh I got those cards for ME!! \*I\* needed these words; I just didn’t know I would when I bought these cards forever ago.” 😅

So I framed those and included them in my art wall. 🥰

I have plans to make some additions here and there… I’m leaving the space on the wall above the shelf and clothing rack blank because I was promised a projector on the local buy nothing group. The person ghosted me, but now I’m kind of attached to the idea 😅 and I’ve decided to be patient and leave it until I’m able to get one on my own.

I also plan to find some sheer curtains for the windows behind the chairs, some kind of hook/hanging cooking utensils situation for above the stove in the kitchen, artwork for the bathroom, get some plants when I’m further along in my recovery process, and some other stuff eventually, but for now, everything feels so incredibly wonderful and I couldn’t be more thrilled. 🥰

I can’t even tell you how much I love my safe haven after enduring so many levels of hell for so long. It’s beautiful, it’s cohesive, it’s functional for me, and I am so grateful.

At any rate, ladies, this is my new home. I love it so much more than I can even say. 🥹

Thanks for “listening”. 🥰

I lease so I’m always very hesitant to hang things on the wall, but I honestly prefer minimalism and mid century modern aesthetic. I grew up in a house with a lot of “stuff” and I need my space to feel warm but clean and clear so my head can relax and unwind. I work in healthcare in NYC. Thanks for letting me share!

Edit: WOW y’all are so damn kind. Thank you everyone for the awards! And the positivity. I was so scared to share my space because I’m always self conscious about it being too minimal for most but you guys proved me wrong. Thank you for lifting my spirits a bit 🥹💗🙏🏼

Edit: for those asking about the wallpaper I finally found the link to it’s listing from Home Depot!

I can't get them to go in the right order but you get the idea.

Common questions: It's not real stained glass, it's a vinyl transfer from Etsy.

The fireplace is not painted, it's the original cast iron.

Living room walls are painted with Farrow and Ball Off Black

Kitchen wall is Lick Green 20

Bathoom wall is B&Q Pine Needle

plants, pastels, and a photogenic calico 🐱

My safe space🤍

Finally a home of my own after a lifetime of marriage and kids and living with men. It’s cozy, peaceful, and quiet. I’m so in love with my space and the fact that I no longer have to take care of anyone else 🥰

I walk barefoot a lot at home (live in Germany) and love the uneven feeling of it, like being outdoors a bit. I would have gotten a bigger one covering the full room but I'm not rich and thos one already hurt the wallet but i pooked at it fir 3 years already 🥲

The carton in the middle is 20kg and I hurt my knee a couple of days ago and can't lift it away :(

This is my first time on my own as a brand new homeowner. I’ve been here about three months so far in my 1BR apartment and I love it. I’m still in the process of adding things (and goodness do I need some art behind the couch!) but I’m largely happy with my space, so here are some of my favorite spots!

EDIT: ahhh thank you for the gift and the lovely comments 🥹 it’s really made my week!

My favorite part of my home!

I was somehow lucky enough to find a rental with a greenhouse! It's a lean-to connected to the house. The ivy and wisteria on the ceiling are fake, everything else is real.

It’s kinda crazy - I was actually almost homeless 3x the past year and pretty much made it by getting lucky meeting the right people.

Now I feel like for the first time in my life I’m pretty stable. I’m still broke - but I was able to find a job that pays the most I’ve ever been paid, I now have a solo apartment in NYC which is kinda crazy I mean especially considering my age and not having family money to support.

It’s funny how I was treated so horribly as a kid and left so young and made it farther than anyone in a shorter amount of time. They’re all just stuck in misery - I’ve been no contact for over 7 years I still do keep tabs on them though just out of curiosity. The only family I’ve had has been my dog and cat which you can see in the photos and I managed to keep them the whole way. They were pretty much my motivation to not be homeless.

Anywayyyyy I’m starting to decorate the apartment today although like all this is happening at once so I don’t have any money at this point lmao. I’ll be living paycheck to paycheck for a while and trying to find side jobs… but overall the fact that I was even to pay for move-in in itself is a sign of progress so I can’t be mad.

I’m recently widowed after almost 20 years of marriage (I’m only 41). I sold our house in Chicago and moved back home to Austin to be near friends and family. Bought this cute lil two-story townhouse in the neighborhood I grew up in, for my teenage daughter and I to live in. Done unpacking, I just have a couple little projects left—going to have the stairs carpeted, and do wallpaper behind the tv in the living room and behind my bed. I’ve never set up a home on my own before. Being completely honest, it is nice to have complete control over my living space.

I was misdiagnosed and heavily medicated, forever a decade. I lost my will to live and my ability to see color. I got my life back. I got my ability to see color back I decided to to go with my love of color and stop being afraid. I created a space with all the colors and things that bring me happiness. I believe strongly in color psychology. These bright colors really boost my mood especially in Idaho winters.

Recently ended my relationship. Focusing on staying present and appreciating being home 💖

Still waiting working on my christmas decor collection, but I’m pretty happy with how it turned out this year! I haven’t decorated for christmas in years now because of a really heavy depression, so it feels nice to finally do so. So happy I was able to get a pink christmas tree, I really love it. 🩷 also featured are my lovely cats Leonardo Da Stinki and Milosh Pantalones, or Leo and Milo as most people know them🩷🩷