Buying a house can be very expensive, and it can take years of planning before you’ve saved up enough for a down payment. For this reason, many people choose to live in apartments instead.
Apartment life has several benefits that can help your finances and freedom to move around. It also allows you to live in bigger cities where houses may not even be available.
However, with all these great ups, there are also some downs. Perhaps the biggest downfall is the lack of space available in small apartments. The good news is that with proper space-saving solutions, your apartment doesn’t have to feel cramped and cluttered.
Did we grab your interest? Keep reading to discover 9 space-saving solutions for small apartments.
1. Find Furniture that Collapses or Fits Together
Big, bulky furniture can be one of the biggest things standing in your way to an open apartment.
One of the best ways to free up space in a small apartment is by choosing the right furniture. Ideally, you should look for furniture that collapses when you don’t need it.
A great example would be a kitchen table that folds down against the wall when not in use. If you have a little extra room to play with, long tables that can be made shorter when needed is another great way to save space.
Beds, ironing boards, and end tables that fold up into the wall are also great options to include in your small apartment.
Another space saving idea is to find furniture that is specially designed to fit together. There are kitchen sets where the chairs can be pushed perfectly in between the table legs. Just a few inches can be a lifesaver when maneuvering around a cramped kitchen.
2. Opt for Furniture with More Than One Purpose
Another idea for how to make more space in your small apartment is to opt for multi-purpose furniture.
The best part with this is that there are so many options, and they are easy to find! If you need to free up bedroom space, you can find bedframes with built-in drawers and headboards with built-in bookshelves.
In the living room, choose a coffee table that has a lift-up top revealing storage inside the table. Sofa beds are a great option for when you want to be able to host guests on rare occasions but just don’t have the room for a second bed.
Challenge yourself to find at least 2 multi-purpose pieces of furniture to free up room in your small apartment.
3. Always Go Vertical
When it comes to apartment storage solutions, vertical storage is almost always better than horizontal. Replace any long dressers or shelving units with tall ones instead.
You may get the same amount of storage space, but the vertical orientation will free up floor room and make your apartment feel less crowded.
The same goes for hanging shelves on your wall. Instead of trying to hang one long shelf, look for areas where you can hang shorter shelves on top of each other. It will open up wall space and make the room look so much bigger.
If you’re looking for a unique way to incorporate verticle storage into your kitchen, baskets can be used to store fresh fruit without taking up table space.
4. Use Every Nook and Cranny
When you’re living in a small apartment, every little piece of space counts. You may think that there’s no spot big enough to utilize, but you’d be surprised how much can be done in a minuscule area.
If you’re lucky enough to have a nice indented window seat, consider hanging small shelves along the sides. Not only will this give you some extra storage space, but it can turn your little window seat into an adorable reading nook.
Do you have access to the area under the stars? Some shelving units can be a great way to maximize the storage space in there too.
The back of a walk-in closet can be a great place to hang jewelry or a mirror. If you don’t have a walk-in closet, that’s fine! The proper closet organization can free up loads of space in even the smallest closet.
5. Use Bins in Your Closet
You may think that there’s no way you can fit anything else in your storage closet, but you’d be surprised what proper organization can do. The best storage solution for small closets is to use clear bins and stack them on top of each other.
The clear plastic will allow you to get an idea of what’s in each bin. Stuff the bins full of related items for better organization. You can line the walls and stack them vertically to leave a little pathway for yourself.
But this tip doesn’t just apply to storage closets. Bins and baskets can be used in your clothes closet to organize socks, shoes, and underwear.
Instead of wasting an entire drawer for your socks and underwear, utilize some unused (or poorly used) space on your closet floor. You can get stackable cubes, hanging organizers, and shoe racks to take full advantage of your closet space.
6. Hide Your Litter Box or Pet Beds
Having pets in a small apartment opens up its own unique set of challenges. However, there are some handy space-saving solutions that can help.
Do you have an end table with an open area underneath it? Use it by turning it into a DIY litter box cover or pet bed.
If you don’t like the idea of your cat’s litter box being in plain sight (or if your pet likes a dark place to sleep) then you can attach curtains or bits of fabric around the inner perimeter of the table. Just don’t forget to cut a slit on one side so your pet can have easy access!
Not only will you save up space by utilizing a small, unused area, but you will be hiding that unsightly litter box!
Don’t have pets? Placing a cute basket under an end table can be used to store blankets and more.
7. Hide Your Jewelry
If you hate dealing with knots in your necklaces, you probably have decided to hang them on the wall instead of stuffing them away in a drawer somewhere. While this works great to keep your jewelry organized, it can take up a large portion of your wall space.
If you have artwork that is fighting with your jewelry for wall space, you can actually use them to hide your jewelry!
By constructing a special jewelry holder with small sides, you can attach your favorite picture to the front with some hinges. When it’s time to pick out your jewelry, all you’ll have to do is open the painting like a door, and voila!
If you’re not the handy-type, then a canvas painting can be an easier alternative. Hang a flat jewelry holder on the wall and place your canvas painting over it. All you’ll have to do is take the painting off the wall to reveal the jewelry hiding behind it.
8. Find Unique Ways To Store Mugs and Wine Glasses
Who doesn’t love a nice glass of wine after a long day of work (or organizing)?
Instead of trying to shove all your mugs, tea cups, glasses, and wine glasses into the same cabinet, open up some space by hanging them upside down under your cabinet.
By installing some simple wooden beams or slides under your cabinet bottom, you can have the perfect place to hang your wine glasses.
Teacups and mugs can also be particularly difficult to store, but a rustic wall rack can be a great storage solution.
9. Hang Cute Baskets on Your Wall for Storage
We talked a lot about hanging shelves on your wall and in your closet for a great space-saving solution. However, the occasional hanging baskets can store more than shelves and they’ll look adorable!
Simply hang hooks onto the wall and hook your basket handles onto them for one of the most stylish DIY space saving ideas. We suggest opting for dark, wicker baskets to give the room a more rustic look.
While these hanging baskets are great for storage, we suggest only using them in rooms where you have a lot of open wall space. Otherwise, they may cause the room to look a bit cramped.
The Best Space-Saving Solutions for Small Apartments
If you’re living in a small apartment, you might be frustrated at how cramped and overcrowded it feels.
But, don’t worry! With some simple space-saving solutions, you can free up space in your small apartment to make it look bigger and more open!
Finding collapsible or multi-purpose furniture is a great start. Then, the ultimate DIY space-saving solutions are to hang vertical shelves (or baskets) on your wall, utilize every small space, and organize your closets.
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