How To Maximize The Small Space Of Your Apartment

You can experience several perks when you choose to live in an apartment. This living arrangement is cheap, which means that you can save money living in it, and you’ll have to spend less time and effort in maintaining the cleanliness of the space. However, not all people realize the benefits of apartment living. Most of them think that because they have limited space, their opportunity to make the most out of their investment is also limited.

One of the biggest issues people living in apartments usually face is the availability of space. Apartments are typically small, making it challenging for individuals to properly decorate their homes or identify the right appliances or furniture to opt for. When a person doesn’t have any idea how to decorate their apartment properly, they will end up having a space that looks and feel more cramped than before. Having this kind of interior can eventually cause stress.

Make sure that none of these happen by maximizing the small space of your apartment. Here’s how you can do it:

#1. Maximize Natural Light

Cocooning in your bedroom with blackout curtains can be very cozy, but it’s important not to go overboard. Completely blacking out natural light from entering your home can make your apartment look cramped. Without any ray of sunshine indoors, your apartment can also create a negative impression, thereby giving the space a negative ambiance.

When maximizing the small space in your apartment, start by using natural light as your ally. An elegant apartment, such as Vintage at Tabernacle, will look better if it has natural light inside. This works because natural light can make any space feel airier and more inviting. Natural light also has countless health benefits, such as improving your productivity and keeping stress and other mental health disorders at bay.

If you want to partition different areas of your apartment without making the entire space look too cramped, use open shelves as these let in plenty of light.

#2. Employ Vertical Storage Solutions

Generally, homeowners would use their floor space when organizing. Since most homes have sufficient floor space, it’ll be easy for homeowners to buy stand-alone cabinets and other furniture to place and store their valuables.

The situation is not the same when you live in an apartment because you will have limited floor space. However, this doesn’t mean that you can no longer store your valuables. When it comes to apartment living, vertical storage is your best friend.

For you to enjoy the same benefit in your own apartment, think up and make use of vertical storage solutions. Instead of investing in bulky cabinets, add wall shelves or other hanging storage options. You can now buy wall shelves from your local stores and install these yourself. You can also look for an adjustable desk storage solution that offers shelves on top of a desktop computer, or make your own vertical storage solutions with the use of a peg board, clear containers, or hooks.

When it comes to vertical storage, your options are actually limitless. These options will allow you to safely keep all of your valuables while making your apartment look more unique and functional.

#3. Decorative Clutter

Living in a small area, such as an apartment, will not stop you from buying items. Even if you have limited space, you will likely spend money on your hobbies or passions that can include books, cameras, or flowers. You can certainly live without these items, but having them around will surely make your life more interesting.

For you to enjoy all of these items without creating a mess inside your apartment, think decorative clutter. Instead of having these items lie around in different areas of your apartment, arrange your books by color or size, or place them inside storage boxes.

The market is now saturated with countless storage boxes, so make sure that you use ones that fit your style and interior design. You can also label them using thin sheets of papers and markers, so you won’t have a hard time looking for these items the moment you need them. You can do the same trick when organizing other items inside your apartment, especially those that come in small sizes.

#4. Purge Often

If you plan on living in your apartment for years, expect that you will continue to add more items inside of it. If you have a growing family, for example, you will likely buy newer items for your children based on their age and needs. If you’re going to adopt a dog soon, you might have to allocate space for your new furry friend and buy other essential items for them, such as toys and food.

You can still enjoy a spacious apartment even as you’re going through major life changes when you purge as often as possible. Purging is a great way for you to get rid of items that are no longer in use and still have sufficient space for new purchases. Although time-consuming and daunting, purging can help you monitor the available space in your apartment and keep clutter at bay.

Depending on your schedule, you can purge every week or twice every month. When purging, you can also opt to sell valuables or donate them to charity. Both of these options can help you give back to your community while keeping your apartment clean–it’s basically a win-win!

#5. Utilize Mirrors

Mirrors are essential to every home as one allows you to see yourself before heading out. But, are you aware that these mirrors can also help you make the most of your apartment?

Mirrors are actually some of the best items you should invest in when you live in a small space as these can reflect natural light outdoors and create the illusion of having a bigger space. This is especially true when mirrors are placed in areas adjacent to a window.

#6. Pay Attention To Your Color Scheme

The color scheme of your apartment doesn’t only speak a lot about your personality, but it also influences the mood of the people who will stay inside your apartment, as well as the ambiance that your space creates. Bold colors, such as red and yellow, can increase a person’s energy, which is why they aren’t the best options for your bedroom.

Aside from using mirrors, paying attention to the color scheme can also help you make the most out of your space. Since this is your own space, you will have the opportunity to paint your walls with whatever color you want, but this doesn’t mean that you should.

To stay on the safe side, consider using neutral colors for your apartment, such as tan, beige, and cream, as these can make your apartment look bigger. These colors also work by creating a slight mental illusion of openness and distance, making your apartment look and feel bigger than it actually is.

When choosing a color scheme for your apartment, avoid using patterns as these can make your space feel tighter. Patterns can also add visual clutter and cause mental stress to the people who will be staying in your apartment.

#7. Make Use Of Your Bed

Your bed is one of the most important pieces of furniture in your home because it affects your ability to get a good night’s sleep and the quality your overall health in the long run. It’ll be challenging for you to stay healthy if you don’t have any comfortable bed in your apartment. But, because beds usually come in big sizes, decorating your apartment can be a challenge as your bed will take up a lot of space.

Instead of thinking about switching into a smaller bed (which can possibly take a toll on your sleeping pattern and health), make use of your bed by transforming it into a storage solution. Depending on the size of your bed, you can add storage boxes with wheels underneath it or turn your bed into a loft. The latter option will require you to transform your bed into a double deck, but instead of having another mattress on the lower portion, you can add your workstation.

Any of these options will make your bed more useful and your Little Italy one bedroom apartment more organized. Transforming your bed into a loft will also extend your living space as you can utilize the area for work, reading, or watching TV.

#8. Invest In Dual-Purpose Items

Your apartment will be useless if there are no pieces of furniture inside of it. How can you sit comfortably if you don’t have any couches?  Do you think you can welcome your friends and family in your apartment if you can’t provide a table where they could eat?  Pieces of furniture can easily be purchased almost anywhere today, but since you are living in an apartment, it’s important to pay attention to the size and functionality of these pieces. You won’t be able to enjoy your investment if you’ll end up with an apartment that is too cramped because you purchased too many items.

If you want to improve the functionality of your apartment without compromising its available space, look for items that serve at least two purposes. Instead of buying a table, use a trunk as this can double as another storage space. You can also swap your couches for an ottoman or sofas that double as bookshelves.

Dual-purpose furniture is common today, so make sure to look for options that are most suitable for your apartment and your lifestyle. Sure, these pieces might cost more money than the usual furniture, but with the number of benefits they can provide, they surely are a worthwhile investment!

 #9. Avoid Duplication

For people who have a stable income, it’s easy to be attracted to buy new items. Whenever there’s a sale, people would often rush and buy items thinking that they can get a good deal from these purchases. There’s nothing really wrong if you have the same lifestyle, but if you want to maximize the space in your apartment, you should turn over a new leaf and avoid buying duplicate items.

Regardless of how cheap a 50-inch TV is, if you already have one, it’s best to not make another purchase. Duplicating items that you already have is a clear waste of money and will only eat up valuable floor space in your apartment. When you buy items that you already have, the new one will end up collecting dust in one area of your apartment. This is especially true if the existing item in your apartment is still working fine.

#10. Opt For Pocket Doors

Doors are essential as these provide division and privacy to every area of your apartment. Doors are common, but this doesn’t mean that you should use the same type that everyone is using. Today, you’ll be able to find countless doors that come in different shapes, styles, sizes, and colors.

For you to continually enjoy the benefits of having a door without compromising valuable floor space in your apartment, opt to use pocket doors. These kinds of doors easily slide sideways and have glass windows to allow natural light in. Using pocket doors doesn’t only make your apartment unique, they also take up less space compared to swinging doors, allowing you to enjoy more space in your apartment.

It’ll Be Worth It

Looking for ways to maximize the small space in your apartment is easy. The challenge is having the commitment to maintain these strategies for the longest time possible. De-cluttering your apartment today and, then, putting your valuables just  anywhere can put all of your efforts down the drain. When this happens, you’ll be back to square one and experience more stress.

After knowing how to maximize the small space in your apartment, make sure that you exert time and effort in maintaining its aesthetics and functionality. Incorporating these to your lifestyle might be challenging, but once you’re able to see how clean and optimized your apartment is, you’ll be thanking yourself for all of your efforts!