Hi friends, welcome back! You’re probably just as surprised by this post as Jon and I are because we just renewed our lease for another year at the end of August. I’ll give you some backstory and then take you on an empty tour 🙂 Jon and I have lived in our one-bedroom apartment since September 2018, and it was our first apartment together. This apartment is special to us because it was where we lived when we got engaged, married, and spent almost every second of the pandemic together. In August 2020 we considered moving into a 2-bedroom unit in our building, but at the time there was still a lot of uncertainty about the pandemic, so we stayed put. The 2-bedroom has always been in the back of our minds, but it never made sense to upgrade until two weeks ago.
We’ve always known we wanted to stay in our building until we move to the burbs because it’s updated inside, the kitchens are open, there’s a large gym, and it’s close to all the subway lines. In a dream world, I’d move our building to overlook Central Park so I could get my dog, but the apartments up near the park are typically older with tiny, outdated kitchens and that’s not worth it to us. I think we’re in the minority of NYC residents that actually cooks most of the time.
As time went on, our current place started to feel a bit cramped and working from home could be difficult. Jon is on a lot of video calls during the day, and the desk is in the main living area between the kitchen and bathroom, so I was limited in what I could do until his calls ended. Those instances aren’t ideal and made upgrading more and more appealing. We’d been opportunistically watching the prices on the unit we liked and they’d been steadily falling to almost where they were pre-pandemic.
At the end of September, we somehow got Hand Foot and Mouth Disease and while we felt fine and our symptoms were almost gone, we made the tough choice to cancel our trip to Shenandoah National Park while we could still get a refund on our Airbnb. A few days later, on the day we were supposed to leave for our trip, Jon went down to the leasing office to inquire about the open 2-bedroom unit on our floor. That one had just been signed, but the same unit five floors up was available. It had some interest so we’d have to act fast. I got home from running errands, and then we headed up to have a look. Jon and I loved all the extra space and that the layout was very similar to our current unit but with an additional bedroom, primary suite bathroom, and plenty more closet space. Our biggest con to moving was giving up our beloved view from the kitchen and all the sentimental value. We knew that we’d have to rip off the metaphorical band aid and leave this place eventually, so we applied for the unit that night and were approved. The whole process happened in about seven hours and we had to move within two weeks. I’m not exaggerating when I say it all happened so fast, but sometimes you’ve just got to take the leap of faith and not overthink things.
I believe the move was meant to be because we were supposed to be on a trip and had no intention of moving, but instead we were home and the rest is history. We signed for 18 months to avoid moving out around the holidays or possible snowstorm. We don’t know how long we will be in the city after that, but it’s nice knowing we can grow into the new place if needed. It’s a big and sudden change, but we’re excited to have a dedicated office space and to have real counterspace in our bathroom. I’m also excited to have my decorations stored in one spot and to have a clean slate to decorate and organize. It’s hard to find the motivation to decorate when you know it’s just a temporary home, but we are determined to not procrastinate and make it feel like a home 🙂
So now that you’ve got the in-depth backstory, come on in for an empty apartment tour! Walking in there is a closet, and then turning the corner a bathroom to your right with a linen closet. The entryway is a little dark, but our current place is right across form the garbage room so we could hear that door (and our neighbors) slamming frequently. We’re glad this unit will provide a quieter experience, especially moving away from our upstairs neighbor with a very loud dog.
At the end of the hallway is the laundry closet and then it opens up to the main living area and kitchen.
The second bedroom will be our office and has two full size closets. I can’t wait to store our holiday decor, Christmas tree, and golf clubs nicely in here.
On the left is our bedroom and has a full-size closet and walk in closet. Currently we share one standard size closet so this will be amazing to have.
This bathroom is a dream for me. Our current bathroom was like the one in the entryway and it was difficult to do my makeup/hair and trying to get ready at the same time was even harder.
This bedroom is a little larger than our current one and will feel more relaxing.
The kitchen and living room are nearly identical, but the kitchen appliances and cabinets are laid out a little differently and a tiny bit larger. The wall in the kitchen is also larger and blocks the view a tiny bit.
The kitchen and bedroom have eastern views of the East River and Brooklyn.
The view from the living room is of Battery Park and you can see Governors Island behind the building. Way out in the horizon is the Atlantic Ocean. We love all the light form being on the corner, so we’re very glad this apartment will be bright too.
I think organizing will be easy because it’s so similar to our current place, but it will take some time to make it our own. Instead of waiting till we are done for a full tour, I figured I would show you this as a before. Plus I think you’d figure out we moved when I post my Christmas decor post. We’re very grateful to be able to move into this unit and excited to have more space before we eventually make the move to the burbs. Moving day is tomorrow so send all the good thoughts our way!!
