During the move to our new apartment, I made an executive decision: we need a new vacuum. It was easy to trash an old vacuum, but I totally underestimated how hard it would be to decide on a new one. Picking out vacuums for small spaces can be a challenge because 1) the square footage you need to clean is small 2) you don't have a lot of space to store bulky cleaning appliances and 3) you *probably* have a budget.
During the search, my three non-negotiables were:
Under $200
Designed to work on carpet/rugs and hardwood floors
Compact design
I received a lot of suggestions from my Instagram family. I primarily looked at Dyson, Bissell, and Shark vacuums, but many were above my budget and too bulky for efficient storage. I also looked at iRobot Roomba but decided that it wasn't worth the money right now.
I'll spare you the details of the search, but eventually, I came across the Shark® Freestyle Pro Cordless Vacuum on Bed, Bath, and Beyond's website. It was $150, sleek, cordless, and is advertised to function on a variety of surfaces. I gave it a shot, and so far, so good!
It has two modes: carpet and hardwood. You can easily change modes via button on the head (also the power button). It is not only efficient on the carpet in our bedroom but efficient on our new rug (that has a much shaggier texture than our carpet).
The sleek head + wide range of mobility allows me to easily vacuum under cabinets, tables, sofas, etc and turn corners easily. It has LED headlights on head that allows you to vacuum in the dark on in small spaces without stopping to turn on the lights. And I can vacuum the whole apartment on one full charge. For reference, our apartment is 740sqft. While it's not a do-everything type of vacuum, it is totally worth the $150 I paid for it. Plus, you can often get it for less than $150 because BBB regularly sends 20% coupons. Shop the vacuum here.
This vacuum is not new but it's still worth mentioning. I've had this vacuum for years, it came in handy for cleaning my small studio apartment. Now that we have a standing vacuum to clean the majority of our space, I will use this cordless, hand vacuum for small corners that the standing vacuum (inevitably) can't reach and small messes. I spill coffee grounds on our kitchen tile more than I'd like to admit. It has multiple specialized adapters for crevices and upholstery, so I also use it to get hair and fuzz off of our velvet sofa. It's optimized for pet hair so pet owners, this one is for you! Under $60 with amazing reviews, it's a no brainer. Shop the vacuum here.
What is one cleaning item you can't live without?
Shopping for a new apartment can be both exciting and stressful. If you're moving or re-designing your space, here are the first 5 purchases for our new apartment. Shortly after making those purchases, we bought a new mid-century inspired rug as a Christmas gift to one another! I've linked our rug, and our other picks for rugs under $200 here.
If you've recently moved or are redesigning your small space, check out my tips and picks from Ashley Furniture HomeStore in my post, 7 Tips for Designing Small Spaces. In collaboration with James, we've also discussed Our Home Kitchen Must-Haves to help you step up your home cooking game. It probably comes as no surprise that James loves all the new counter space in our apartment's kitchen!
If you love anything I've shared here, comment on this post, send to a friend, and/or recreate it with your own personal flair! For more home inspiration, check out my Pinterest and read previous posts under the AT HOME tab. Lastly, you can keep up with my everyday home updates by following me on Instagram!
Until next time,
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