Setting up my home in Philadelphia has been a journey of creativity, resourcefulness, and a little elbow grease. When I first arrived at my off-campus accommodation, my room was completely unfurnished. To make things trickier, my Amazon-ordered mattress didn’t arrive on time, leaving me with an empty space to sleep in. Thankfully, the shared kitchen, living room, and dining areas were already furnished, as my housemates had moved in earlier and my cousin from Pittsburgh had brought me an air mattress.
The next day, my mattress finally arrived. It felt like a small victory as I unboxed it, and my room was no longer completely empty. Around the same time, my cousin, who was visiting from Pittsburgh, introduced me to one of his friends who was moving out of her apartment. She generously gave me a shelf, desk, office chair, and TV table, instantly transforming my space. Now, all I needed was a bed frame, a sofa, and a TV to make it feel complete.
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I ordered a bed frame from Amazon, and to my delight, it arrived within two days. Assembling it was surprisingly fun—like solving a giant puzzle. Once it was set up, I finally had a proper bed above the ground, and the difference in comfort was incredible.
The next big challenge was finding a sofa. After some hunting on Facebook Marketplace, I stumbled upon a near-new IKEA couch that retailed for $300. It was listed for $70, but I managed to negotiate it down to $40. With the help of a friend and a trusty dolly, we picked it up and transported it back to my apartment. The process wasn’t easy; the couch barely fit on the dolly, and maneuvering it up the stairs was a workout. But once it was in my room, all the effort felt worthwhile. My room was finally coming together, piece by piece.
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Now, all that’s left is to find a TV and add some personality to the walls with posters or art. This process of building a home away from home has been incredibly satisfying. Each item I’ve added makes my space feel more comfortable and uniquely mine. My once-empty room has become a cozy retreat, and I can’t wait to see how it evolves in the coming months.
This long weekend, I made my way to Pittsburgh to visit my great-aunt and her family. It’s been such a comforting experience to be in a family home again, surrounded by warmth and familiar faces. During my visit, I mentioned how I was still working on making my apartment in Philadelphia feel like home, and to my surprise, they offered me a spare TV they no longer use. It’s the perfect addition to my setup. I’m already looking forward to bringing it back to Philly and setting it up!
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