As a law school student, my study space was definitely a crucial aspect of settling in.  Although I've only had to do a little bit of pre-orientation reading and writing, it was nice having this desk ready to go!

One of my few true DIY projects.  I'm terrified of hanging things up on walls for fear of leaving nasty holes in the walls and whatever I hang up falling down and breaking. However, I was able to manage hanging these colorful hooks from World Market on the wall under a DIY dry erase board.  I made it by using a cheap frame from Target and pretty ginkgo patterned paper from Blick Art Materials.

Unfortunately my living room is pretty blank right now.  I still haven't found the right sofa, futon, or comfy chairs.  Also looking for an affordable printed rug.  Hopefully I'll find something in the next few months...

My cute little dining area.  I have my potted herb garden with basil, thyme, rosemary, and peppermint near the window so I have access to fresh herbs when I cook.  Having a container herb garden is also pretty cost-effective.  Instead of buying fresh herbs from the grocery store every time you need them for a recipe you have them all the time ready to go.  As long as you're willing to water them, it's a great way to add a little life to your apartment.  My dining set is from Target.  Big thanks to my boyfriend for helping me build the table and chair.

Although a little bit narrow, my kitchen is the perfect size for me.  I ADORE having a gas stove (major luxury for a post-grad apartment) and have found myself spending a good amount of time

 there cooking up various wallet friendly dishes (many of which will be featured on this blog later).

My bedroom.  Filled with bright colors, a little bit of yellow and a little bit of blues and greens. I have a collection of maps and postcards on the walls from my travels as well as my friend's adventures and plenty of pictures to remind me of friends and family.

I love the view out of my window and my new collection of cacti.  They're pretty cute, don't you think?

OH-IO.  A vintage scarf from an antique barn in Maine with all things Ohio in orange, yellow, turquoise, and green.  Definitely inspiration for the color palate in my room.

My biggest goal when moving into my own place was having everything be organized before the semester began.  I'm happy to say that everything has a place.  A cork board served as a cheap and simple way to not only organize but display my prized jewelry collection.  Also, these cube shelving units from Target are an amazing way to stay organized.  You can buy bins to use as drawers or leave them open and use the shelves to store books, trinkets, etc.

Hope you liked the tour of my new place!  I'm loving it so far and I'm excited to see what other things I'll add to the decor.  I can guarantee that my place will be a work in progress but I like it that way.  What do you think?

Leah