While apartment living certainly has numerous benefits and perks, there seems to be one small dilemma that many apartment dwellers find themselves facing-lack of space. But just because you live in a small space doesn’t mean you have to feel like you do! Thankfully, the struggle to find a proper place to store belongings has made renters and small homeowners quite the resourceful bunch.  Below we’ve compiled our favorite space-saving and storage-maximizing, tips and techniques to help get you started in creating a clutter-free and organized apartment.

Furniture

As far as furniture goes, it’s important to keep in mind scale and proportion. Try to keep your furniture as tight and compact as possible, and remember that multifunctional furniture is definitely the way to go in small spaces.

Ottoman

Not only do ottomans serve as a footrest or an extra seat for guests, they can also be extremely helpful in saving space around the apartment. Choose an ottoman with a removable top, and you now have a multi-functional room centerpiece that also serves as place to hide remotes, blankets, DVDs, and more. There even exist convertible ottomans that can easily transform into an extra bed for guests!

Trunk/Storage Bench

Using a bench or storage trunk is a perfect way to maximize storage and utilize space in an apartment. By placing a storage bench at the end of your bed or using a trunk as a coffee table, you’re able to store a multitude of items in a vital piece of furniture that also serves many other uses.

 

 

 

Murphy Beds

Studio apartments can surely get a little packed, especially since you’re combining dining, entertaining, and sleeping all into one room. Consider investing in a Murphy bed, or a bed that can be pulled up and down from the wall. Murphy beds are the perfect solution to create more space for eating and entertaining by completely hiding your bed when it is not in use.

DIY Tips

Proper furniture isn’t the only way to save space in your small area! Here are some simple DIY tips to quickly and easily increase the amount of space in your place:

• If your home is lacking in closet space, make the most out of your closet by stacking clothes vertically. Simply hook hangers onto one another with a soda tab, and you’ve instantly increased your amount of closet space. (Which gives you the perfect excuse to buy new clothes!)

• If you’re looking for more shelving to store cans or other pantry items in your kitchen, check out this easy-to-make DIY Slide-Out Cabinet that will conveniently store food while taking up hardly any space.
• Even walls can provide storage in small places! For a simple and lightweight shelving option, consider using wicker baskets instead of traditional shelves. Check out the instructions here.

• Another important tip to remember when decorating a small space is that mirrors can make a room seem significantly larger. Likewise, mirrors are great decorative pieces to liven up a space and add more light to a room.

In addition to these helpful storage tips and techniques, many of our Flaherty & Collins properties offer storage units for bikes and other similar items!