Even if you never bought into minimalist design or found yourself drawn in by the millennial aesthetic, living in lockdown has forced us to reevaluate our spaces and see them for what they are: spaces to live in, make a mess in and, for the most part, spaces in which an aspirational look has to take a back seat to life's practicalities. Staying inside for weeks on end is revealing to many of us in Generation Rent that our homes are not built to accommodate so much intense living. Many of us lack space and have to negotiate other flatmates, kitchens built into hallways, old carpeting that we just have to deal with instead of ripping up. Living this way was bearable when home was a resting point – somewhere to move to and from – but it feels very different when you cannot leave. As lockdown goes on, the pull of aspirational minimalism or stylish but uncomfortable furniture is usurped by the dirt and mess of daily life. Your home can never be 'done' when you’re constantly living in it: unlike the curated 'mess' of staged Instagram shots, day-to-day clutter will always creep in. Either you have to clean up after yourself (constantly) or embrace the ways in which things jostle against each other.