6 Things Your Chicago Apartment Needs

As holiday shopping kicks into high gear, we must repeatedly face a difficult challenge- resisting the urge to buy presents for ourselves. How often have you been looking for the perfect sibling gift and ended up purchasing something for yourself? For me, this struggle ends in one of two ways, either I cave and snag it or copy the link into a family email chain called, “Present Ideas for ME.”

We’ve collected a list of 6 awesome things that your Chicago apartment needs, so do yourself a favor and send the whole list to Santa Claus (or Mom) now.

1. Couch Arm Table

Whether your place is too small for a coffee table or you just want to stay very still during a Netflix binge, this is the perfect couch accessory. Use it to hold your food, drink, tablet, or book. This creation is sold on Etsy and able to be customized with a different configuration, size, or wood type for your needs.

2. Cabinet-Door Trashcan

Don’t give an ugly trashcan valuable square footage; get one that can be neatly tucked away. Almost every luxury Chicago high-rise has a trash chute on each floor, so you don’t need a massive trash can to lower the number of trips you take into the elements. This one is available on Amazon Prime for $29.99.

3. Wall-Mounted Wine Rack

Utilize every inch of precious counter space and move your wine collection to the wall. This wall-mount holds eight bottles and comes in a variety of colors.

4. Bed Risers with Plug & USB

Are you sensing a theme here yet? A lot of Chicagoans are working with limited space in their apartments and appreciate products that make their lives easier. These bed risers will provide 7 inches of extra storage and one includes a six-foot extension cord with two outlets and USB ports. They’re available at the Container Store for $29.99, although sets without plugs are more affordable.

5. Clothesline Photo Display

Cut down on the number on nail holes you’ll need to spackle next year on moving day and display photos in this unique fashion. Two wooden supports hold five cords of twine with 40 clothes pin clips. Available on Amazon Prime for $19.99 with a 4.5 star rating, this display was designed by Sung Wook Park and Paul Loebach.

6. Nesting Mixing Bowls and Cups

Choose between four, seven, eight, or nine pieces of this colorful cookware. Each piece is dishwasher safe, stacks together to limit cupboard space, and the mixing bowls feature wide carry handles. Set pricing ranges from $22.76 – $37.49 and is sold on Amazon Prime.

If you’ve already got a must-have apartment accessory, please share it in the comments below! For more lifestyle news and real estate updates, sign up for our newsletter by following the link below.