My apartment make-over

At long last, my summer apartment make-over is complete! This make-over has been a whirlwind of crazy and for a surprising reason. But first, you know me: it's time to break out the before-and-after shots. Drum roll please...

I call this montage "convertible table swap" though you'll note I've also replaced my chairs and, not visible here, I've sold my old carpet and added a bar table and stools.

I fancied up the folding doors that hide my kitchen with a second, smaller set of mirrors, I swapped out my three trash/recycling bins which had the unfortunate habit of toppling in a domino effect with a three-in-one impossible-to-tip bin, and I replaced my dorm-style chandelier with something a little more age appropriate (keeping in mind that age only means 26).

I replaced my jewelry holders that made my bathroom counter look like the inside of teenage jewelry box with a discreet jewelry holder hidden inside a standing mirror, and my mom gifted me some lovely new towels and a cloth shower curtain which perfectly matches the tiling.

I already shared the story of the great bookshelf masterpiece to which I owe my dad much thanks. I finally got rid of the half-broken bookshelf that had been in the unfurnished apartment on my move-in, and my electric cello is now tucked in basement storage. I replaced the coat hanger on the right-hand wall with a giant 14-photo picture frame to remind me of friends and family who I don't see often enough.

And to finish the tour of my "new" apartment, I call this piece "Bar with a view" ;) There is no "before" shot because there was no bar table before. And yes, I already showed off this new addition but I felt like sharing again because it's that awesome.

And now for the background story.

I've opted for an additional fourth year of PhD research. To be fair, it was less "opted" and more "forced into because I really don't have anything on which to base a thesis defense at the moment," but who's nitpicking here? In case an extra year of grad school isn't fun enough, it comes with a hefty pay cut, assuming my application for fourth-year funding is approved at all, which I'll learn at the end of this month when my current funding source runs dry. Great timing, no? In short, I had a problem. So what is a girl rapidly hurtling into her own mini financial crisis doing remaking her apartment? Well, saving her ass, assuming my landlord doesn't read this blog.

Let's make this simple: with my new paycut, I won't earn enough to keep paying my bills. And the biggest bill of them all is my rent. In any normal situation, you might think it was time for a move, unless you're familiar with the Paris housing market. With my current state of contract expiring/no guaranteed income, or even in a best case scenario with my severely reduced income, no landlord will give me a contract. I could have tried moving in to a flatshare but I did that once and perhaps some of you remember the great Thanksgiving of 2010 staircase replacement debacle. I don't need to learn how to rebuild any other building features during the next year, nor do I enjoy nightly ominous death threats from roommates-gone-sour. A PhD is enough adventure for me, thank you.

So, reducing my bills wasn't going to work. (Even cutting my internet and cell phone wouldn't save me so much, and I am not sure how one goes about cutting one's electricity but I think with winter approaching that it's not the most astute plan of action.) Next strategy: find a supplemental source of income. I half-heartedly tossed an application at an SAT prep service for French kids and young expats looking to go to college in the States but honestly, I don't have the mental reserve after the doctoral research to attempt to master and teach a second subject. Looking around at what other marketable assets I possessed, it finally hit me what a gem my little apartment that I won't leave truly is. I've been hosting enthusiastic couchsurfers here for years. Would someone pay me to stay here? Well, it turns out that the answer Airbnb gave me is a resounding yes. I was kind of weirded out by letting other people sleep in my bed while I holed up at Peter's place, but soon enough the cash flow made me realize that I'd found my solution for surviving grad school.

Airbnb is a godsend for someone seriously in need of extra income, but it's not as simple as opening your front door for a stranger and packing an overnight bag for your boyfriend's. The scheduling, the check-ins, the regular thorough scrub-downs of the apartment, the moving of my wardrobe and valuables in and out of my basement storage, the clearing of the fridge, and the dragging of my cat and her accessories to and from Peter's isn't terribly convenient. The efforts have forced me to make my apartment more short-term-rental-friendly. I am rather proud of my efforts, like my new fantastic organization system complete with lighting for my basement storage area which was until recently a black hole of Christmas deco, suitcases, and boxes. One fix-up led to another until it snowballed into a several-month massive make-over project that I'm proud to present to you today while another family sleeps in my home. Yes, I am renting the place as I write this now.

It's been a real headache optimizing my apartment but I have to admit, I'm liking the new look. Maybe there is an upside to my funding cut after all.