The makings of a good apartment

You have recently moved in, and you keep asking yourself if you’ve moved into an apartment that has all the makings of greatness in it. Well, hang on, what are the makings of a good apartment, exactly? We know it seems like a trivial question, but what follows is some Verified Movers advice on how to make your apartment into what you’d call a good apartment. Lots of people have their say in this, so it’s important to note…

The makings of a good apartment are entirely subjective

Some people would like a luxury apartment with a balcony that overlooks Hollywood. Some would like a well-decorated and easy to maintain trailer park or mobile home. Others would like to live in a cave, and would gladly keep the bear inside as a pet. The point is there are no rules. Most people live in homes or apartments, and most of them would tell you that their home is a far cry from what they actually want. You may not be able to pull out a magic wand and turn your apartment into a medieval castle, but let’s have a look at some general outlines on what makes an apartment good.

Does it give you enough space?

This doesn’t mean that only large apartments have the makings of a good apartment. Plenty of small, well-organized apartments are what you’d call „spacious“. This is because their owners view their space as a resource, and manage it with little to no problems. A good apartment will have, regardless of its size:

• Plenty of space for you to move around;
• Enough room for you to be comfortable;
• A special place for you to work is one of the more important makings of a good apartment;
• And, last but not least, a separate place to relax and blow off steam.

The good thing about this is that even the tiniest apartment out there can contain all of these, provided that you organize it well.

Does it brighten up your mood?

This one has to do with interior decoration. You know, the shape of shelves, the number of plants, and such minute details. One good idea to keep yourself lively is to paint the walls yellow. You see, we, humans, try to make sense of our environment. Our brains are hardwired to make associations, and this also includes colors. But what do different colors mean and what do they cause?

• Red stands for rage. Painting your walls red will make you angrier and give you a faster heartbeat;
• Blue is the „deep“ and intellectual color. Some common associations are calm, reflection, coolness, etc;
• White is associated with cleanliness, hygiene, and purity – ever wonder why so many doctor’s offices are white? Well, to be fair, some of the mare green, because that’s the most reassuring color.

To make your apartment into a good one, this is essential. You see, you want to make a friendly environment for your activities. This means, in short, that you will want to adjust the color of your apartment. If you’re a brash and forceful person (not a bad thing to have in moderation) you’ll want to go for red. But if you paint it with too much red, you’ll be more strained and anxious  With green, you’ll feel more melancholic. Well, you get the point. You have to do it with some taste.

In essence, a good apartment is a place where you feel at home

The old saying goes that there is no place like home. But to make the place feel like home, you have to get used to it. We human s are afraid of the unknown – mainly because, from an evolutionary perspective, the unknown had a tendency to contain giant tigers and other sorts of nasty fauna. Knowing your apartment means spending some time inside, learning more and more each passing day.

Your apartment is your territory, you own little stronghold. It’s fully known only to you (and your family members). You can, for example, also feel at home when you’re at work. You could be a long-time worker, and you are accustomed to the climate of your business environment, including the people. What does all this mean? This means, in short, that your home will be a good apartment only if you’re familiar with it.

If you’re, for example, holding a dinner party and one of the guests pulls out a gun and shoots at the ceiling, all the familiarity is gone – it’s not your territory anymore, because you can’t contest it. Once the danger has passed, you can feel the familiarity restore. Psychology dictates that we form attachments to personal space in much the same way cats do. So, to put it bluntly, a good apartment is one where you feel like you’re in charge of the environment around you.

How do I make my apartment into a good apartment?

Well, that depends on you. Each person is different, and not only on a physiological level. Our differences do not end with our bodies. If you want your apartment to have all the makings of a good apartment, a good idea is to examine what you need. Some people need a large apartment with a garden outside and a jacuzzi, others will feel fine and dandy in a garage.

In essence, to determine if your apartment is a good apartment, you need to do some introspection. You need to ask yourself „What is it that I exactly need?“ If, for example, if you’re staying abroad – let’s say you’re working three months abroad – well, then you want a simple, small apartment, unless you’re, like, the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. You’ll keep that apartment in good order, but most of the time you’ll be working, so you won’t miss the luxury. But if you’re looking for a place where you’ll remain for the remainder of your life, you should absolutely go for comfort. As I mentioned, it’s entirely situational, just like a long distance move. A good apartment, in short, reflects your needs and desires.