Love for My Apartment

I moved into my current one-bedroom Chicago apartment in July 2016. It would be the first place where I would live alone, a big departure from having lived in a 4-bedroom apartment with three of my very best friends, preceded by years at college where friends were always nearby. I was nervous to step out on my own but excited at the idea of making my home what I wanted it to be.

I hired movers and managed the move with them on my own — my boyfriend at the time was out of town and I didn’t want to be the person who asks for help with a move because no one likes helping with a move. Plus, if…