Apartment Living for Retirement

My father lived in senior apartment living in the last few years of his life. He had never lived in an apartment before, but we found he was really quite comfortable there. 

His small home was in government subsidized senior apartments. We were worried about his move there, but it is what he chose. In the end, we both loved him being there -- safe and secure!

Creative Ways to Make Your Apartment Feel More Like Home

Although apartment living for retirees can be tight,  there are many creative ways to make it feel more like home. You can pack all the love that a home has to offer into a much smaller space.

There is so much you can do! Make that small space your personal sanctuary. Get ideas from books and magazines, then find items at garage sales and swap meets, if you are low on cash -- you can do this!

Making a Small Space Kitchen Work

While there are many things you can do without in the kitchen when apartment living, some things are just a pure necessity. Utilizing every ounce of space in an apartment kitchen takes some creativity.

Using built-ins – If your apartment does not have built-ins, ask the landlord if you can work with him or her and have them installed. A built-in set of shelves hovering over an enclosed cabinet will give you tons of storage space. The built-in is built directly into the wall and does not take up precious floor space. 

Shelving – Shelving above the sink and on every existing wall in the kitchen is a great way to store and even display useful kitchen tools and items.

Over the refrigerator – No space is sacred in any apartment kitchen, most especially not the space on top of the fridge. This area is useful for storing your microwave and your toaster when not in use.

Turning the Smallness of the Bedroom into a Cozy Space

The bedroom is the most important room in your apartment. It is where you rest and rejuvenate for a hectic day. It is also where you spend time with your significant other.

If you do not have the luxury of having a separate space for a living room and a bedroom, convert your bedroom into both. The use of a futon or day bed is a great way to have the best of both worlds. You can set up your futon as a couch by day and as a place to rest your head by night. Futons can have extra cushions added to them and really big fluffy pillows for extra comfort.

Your television in your room can be perched atop a wardrobe, set inside an armoire, or even hung from the corner of the ceiling.

A small closet can double as a computer storage space. Utilize under-the-bed storage systems and use the closet as a workspace.

Bringing the Outdoors In

If you are fortunate enough to have a big bay window or a walk-out patio, you can turn that space into your own little private oasis.

A bay window that has a window seat is a great cozy addition that can double as a reading room. Take comfy cushions, throw them on top of the sill, and add extra comfortable throw pillows.

Put up some shelves and you have a private reading room. If you have a small walk-out patio, add some hanging plants and a bistro set and voila - you have your own private villa. A great place to have a glass of wine and watch the sunset.

There are many ways to convert the small spaces in an apartment to feel like home.