My Small Space is the ultimate guide to moving out on your own--whether that's in a campus dorm, an apartment with four of your friends, a two-bedroom with your buddy, or your very own studio. With photography of all kinds of spaces, smart design tips, interviews with renters, and more, this book proves that size doesn't matter when you have great style. Learn how to decorate around immovable furniture in a dorm and what to pack (and leave behind) from home. Get creative in a cramped apartrment that you share with others. If you're thinking about living solo, see what it's like to finally be in control of all of the decision making. With tips on making floor plans, picking out color palettes, hanging wall art, choosing a rug, and more, this lookbook will help you feel right at home--wherever that may be. Photographer ANNA OTTUM is known for her sense of playful spontaneity, photographing divergent characters and sceneries throughout New York City. Epic and expansive, moody and quiet, Anna's work captures emotion with an intimate attitude. She frequently photographs for lifestyle and fashion brands, including Urban Outfitters, Refinery29, NYLON magazine, and the Modist, among others. She is based in Brooklyn, New York. Communal When you’re just starting out, living with roommates is an obvious choice. Not only will you have built-in buddies and help with the cleaning, but you’ll also be able to pool your money for a better place than you would get on just one income, especially in cities where salaries don’t rise as fast as the rents. Despite the challenges of learning to work with a housemate’s quirks and pet peeves, many people love the sense of community that co-living creates. Whether you’re looking with friends, a significant other, a sibling, or strangers, sharing a space means finding common ground. Planning Pick Your Partners Carefully. Good friends don’t always make good roommates, and good roommates don’t always make good friends. Someone who’s fun to hang out with might not be the most conscientious housemate and vice versa. Consider how much time you each spend at home and how often it will overlap. Do you like having people over? Will someone be using the living room as a home office? Even if you decide not to live with friends, always ask people you trust for recommendations as well as looking at listings online. You never know who has a spare room or knows of one that’s opening up. And meet any potential candidates in person. Even if you’ve done your due diligence, sometimes compatibility is hard to gauge over text or email—ultimately, go with your gut. Ask a Roommate Finder Ajay Yadav, Roomi How does Roomi ensure that people find good roommates? Our vision is to create a community for shared living so that your house always feels like a home. Our app allows users the options of background checks, full ID verification, in-app messaging, and secure rent payments to help build safety and trust. We take the search very seriously and match people based on compatibility: Are you a night owl or an early riser? A party animal or a gym rat? When is the right time to start looking for a roommate? Even though the search process (from signing up to booking a room) usually lasts about ten days, we recommend talking to potential roommates even earlier so you’re not waiting until the last minute to make a decision. What advice do you have for someone who is looking for a roommate for the first time? Focus more on finding the right person than finding the right place. Everyone has a specific budget in mind and once you narrow down where you can afford to live, you should spend most of your time and energy looking for the right roommate. Your first experience living with someone else will set the tone for future setups. How do you feel about living with friends versus strangers? Personally, I’m fine with either, but I like to try new experiences—so if I had to choose, I’d probably live with a stranger. I’ve mostly lived with strangers and have had very different and unique experiences each time. What five questions should you always ask a potential roommate? 1. What’s your sleep schedule? Do you stay up late or go to bed early? 2. What about parties? Do you like having lots of people over or prefer to go out? 3. Find out if there are any activities they’re into. For example, I always ask if they like to bike or go for walks because that might be something we can do together. 4. What are your cleaning habits? It’s good to make sure you’re living with someone who can tidy up after themselves. 5. Another good way to find common interests is to ask about their favorite movie. I like watching science fiction so it’s nice to know if they’re into that, too. Once you move in together, how do you maintain a good living situation? Set house rules together at the beginning and follow them. I’d focus on things that you really care about—for me, that would be splitting expenses equally, paying