This One Small Change Made My Apartment Feel Brand New

While some people derive joy from plowing through season after season of their favorite TV show, I’m more than content spending a free afternoon moving furniture around in my apartment. (That’s a totally normal hobby, right?)

While larger reconfigurations can be a bit more complicated to execute, I’ll note that I’ve had major success changing up the location of some of the smaller pieces in my apartment. One favorite switch? Moving the three-drawer chest I was using as an entry table into my living room, where it could serve as a bar, and taking the petite buffet that previously held my liquor bottles and placing it by the front door instead. 

I was particularly pleased with this swap for a few reasons. My entryway is small and narrow, and the chest, though enjoyable to style, was weighing down the space due to its bulk and thickness. And while I’m all for using furniture pieces in unexpected places, I wasn’t sure if I loved the idea of a bedroom-like chest being the first item that visitors would spot upon walking through the door. I wanted something that was a bit daintier and more sophisticated, but I still wanted to incorporate the dresser somewhere in my space, since it had been a fantastic secondhand steal and had such great bones.  

After looking around my apartment, I decided that I could take my buffet, which made for an adorable bar station and place it by the front door instead. The piece is much smaller in-depth and therefore is an extremely entryway-friendly choice (no one enjoys not being able to open their front door fully!). It also features an open bottom, which adds an airy touch and is a stark contrast to the chunky chest. Of course, living in a space with minimal square footage, the bottom cutout didn’t stay empty for long. I was thrilled to discover that my miniature brass trunk would slide into place just perfectly, and it then became a home for seasonal décor and other trinkets that needed to be stashed away. 

On the other side of the room, the chest fit wonderfully in the buffet’s former spot. Because the chest boasts such extensive storage, it quickly became the ideal spot for me to tuck away all of my entertaining supplies—I have an endless collection of linens, festive paper napkins, wine caddies, coasters, and so much more. I’m not a fan of see-through storage, so being able to keep everything organized and accessible yet hidden from sight was key. 

What was most enjoyable about this swap was how easy it was to move the two pieces in just an afternoon. It’s incredible how just playing with your existing items and figuring out how to best maximize your floorplan can make a world of difference in just a couple of hours. If you’re willing to move pieces around and try out a few styling setups, you may be surprised at how new and fresh your space can feel. Though the design enthusiast in me will always be on the lookout for stylish new pieces, I will certainly encourage myself to think twice about ways to repurpose the items I do have before grabbing my wallet.