Corners and Balcony

All notes in this collection

You do not have to redo the whole flat — start with one corner. These notes cover claiming a square metre for yourself: where to put it, a chair you can sit in for hours, a lamp of your own and a bit of enclosure, in three budgets. Out on the balcony, safety and the building's rules come first, then a floor layout that never blocks the drain, plants chosen by which way the balcony faces, and making peace with the washing machine. Plus the handful of low-light species a renter can genuinely keep alive, and the pots and placement that protect the landlord's floor and window sills.

• A one-square-metre reading nook: the most wasted corner becomes your favourite Save one square metre for yourself: how to choose the spot, one comfortable chair, a lamp of your own, and a sense of being held. Three budgets for a reading nook — all no-drill, all packs up and moves with you.
• Hard-to-kill plants for renters: low-light, low-effort greenery The lazy renter's guide to keeping plants alive: be honest about your light, the four ways renters kill plants, six hard-to-kill low-light species, the one rule for watering, and pots and placement that protect the landlord's floors and your deposit.
• A tiny balcony, reclaimed: a chair next to the washing machine How to turn a ~7 m² balcony from an appliance store-room into a spot you actually use: safety and rules first, a floor that never blocks the drain, plants by aspect, and living with the washing machine.