Apartment Living

I moved out of my parents’ house for the first time over five years ago. Since then, it has been nothing but apartments for me and in that time I have come to some conclusions about things which are unique to apartment living.

First of all, upon moving in you discover that odd stain in the carpet left from the tenant before you and a kitchen floor that never looks completely clean. The walls that surround you are someone else’s sense of aesthetic, usually functional meets bland, which you are not allowed to change with new paint. And speaking of those walls, you cannot put holes in them. And you don’t find out that the plastic adhesive hooks only hold up to a half a pound until after you have paintings and pictures clattering down around you. Then, woops, it was there on the package all along.

Next, the neighbors are closer than when you lived in your own house, in that you share walls. And sometimes those walls aren’t thick enough to block out the constant thud of the base from the tenant’s surround sound below you. Or the yelling from next door. Apparently little Johnny was not supposed to take one more of something or other.

And then there are the random personal items which find themselves located in places they would not otherwise be if you were not living in an apartment. Like bikes in the kitchen, for example. Or in the hallway. Or out on the balcony. I draw the line at the bedroom. One particular instance, when I asked my husband if there might possibly be any place else to stow his road bike, he looked at me as if I had suggested throwing his first born child out into the snow and locking the door. The bike stayed in the living room.

On the other side of the coin, for all the quirks and limitations, apartments do offer a certain something known only to apartment dwellers or those who have-dwelled. The benefits usually balance out what could otherwise be an inconvenient situation.

For instance, you usually don’t pay a separate water bill, so, even though it is probably coming out in your rent somewhere, you don’t feel bad for taking that extra long, hot shower. Along that same line, our current apartment includes cable and internet in the rent, which means again, no separate bill. (Although with no ESPN my husband has contemplated many a time adding an extra bill to the Dish Network people.)

There is also a wonderful sense of community that comes built into an apartment complex. It takes no time to run errands to neighbors across the quad or down the stairs. There’s usually a barbeque of some kind going on out front and all it takes to get an invitation is simply walking by. Whether people are moving in or out, carrying groceries up three flights of stairs, or on the way with you to the community laundro-mat, there is always someone around to make friends with and be friendshipped by.

Finally, apartment living is great for two people, such as my husband and I, who are infected with an insatiable wanderlust. Someday we dream of having a house where we’ll raise our family and where I can finally put to use all that HGTV has taught me over the years. For now though, when we want to pull up and go, we go. I’m going on my ninth apartment now in five years. I’ve lived in two bedroom walk-ups and walk downs from Missouri to Massachusetts, Idaho to Illinois, North Carolina and now Utah where we decided to get extravagant and upgrade to a three bedroom within the cinderblock walls of married student housing. Who knows where we’ll find ourselves after the next two years.

Maybe our next apartment will have a place for the bikes. Some place other than the kitchen.