Storage Hacks for Apartment Living
There is some good news for apartment dwellers who find it difficult to store all of the things they love in a small living space. You don’t have to continue fighting clutter and tripping over things that are spilling out of your closet or out from under your bed. A few simple storage hacks can easily transform a little square footage into all the room you need to keep all your favorite belongings within easy reach. By using these storage ideas you will no longer feel the need to get rid of your favorite possessions or pay storage fees at a remote location.
Purchase Furniture and other Items Based on Storage Considerations
When it is time to buy a piece of furniture, think dual purpose. Whether it is a bedside table, ottoman or a coffee table, be sure to select a design that offers maximum storage potential. Fortunately, there are many stylish options that serve two purposes as both an attractive and utilitarian asset that can improve your living space.
By adjusting your perspective about how you buy things, every purchase can be made with an eye to accommodating your storage challenges. When buying an item that you will need to store, it is important to consider how easily it can be stored. Selecting items that will fold or can be more easily stored is always a smart decision. While this is not always possible, it can make a difference in some cases.
Creative Closet Storage Ideas
Nobody wants to spend twenty minutes in search of something they need. This scenario is all too common in closets that are stuffed full with no logical plan in mind to make it easy to find what you need. A few simple tricks can turn that hazard into twice as much usable storage space, eliminating the frustration associated with wasting time searching for things.
S Hooks for jeans are one secret weapon that can be used for freeing up closet space. By replacing wooden or padded hangers with these nifty substitutes, you can hang twice as many pairs of slacks or jeans. Additionally, placing a variety of large and small hooks on the back of a closet to hold belts, jackets or purses can also eliminate spacing issues in a crowded closet.
It pays to consider new ways to use common items. For example, shower curtain hooks are wonderfully flexible and can be used to hang on a normal hanger for storing scarves or t-shirts. Belts, ties and hats can also be hung on shower curtain hangers, freeing up a lot of space.
One other way to free up some space is to replace closet doors with stylish curtains. This strategy adds feet of storage since there are no doors that have to be closed.
Finally, there are over the door shoe containers that can be hung from doors for shoes or anything else that fits neatly into the pockets. Considering all the doors in most apartments, these containers can be used throughout an apartment to store multiple items. Don’t let the name limit your creativity. Just because it is called a shoe organizer does not mean you can’t use it as storage for many other things.
Tricking Out Your Bedroom
Once you have the closet organized and maxed out, then it is time to find a new way to store a few things in your bedroom. A nightstand idea that can be used for storage and your favorite lamp too is to stack suitcases, one on top of the other until you have created a unique table that is interesting and utilitarian. Fill those suitcases up with anything and everything that you won’t need to use too often. Vintage suitcases add a special charm to any room.
Don’t forget to go under the bed with storage units if you have some free space there. One obvious use is to store out of season clothes this way, switching them out with your closet apparel as the seasons change.
Another clever hack that is easy to use if you are single or a couple without kids is to save the floor space where you would have a laundry basket and simply throw your dirty clothes straight into the washing machine. Of course, you will probably have to be vigilant about doing your laundry frequently if you use this strategy. Think of it as added motivation.
Kitchen Storage
Small kitchens can definitely pose a challenge for anyone who loves to cook. Kitchen gadgets, plates, pots, pans and food can easily overwhelm the cabinet space available. Fortunately, there are ways to get around this and still prepare a gourmet meal using all the gadgets you love.
When in doubt, look up. Hanging baskets are your best friend when it is time to stretch the limits of a cozy apartment kitchen. While many people use them for vegetables, onions and other food items, they can be used for anything that you want. Attractive hanging pot holders provide another way to use air space to your advantage. Getting those bulky pots and pans out of small cabinets frees it up for other items.
Storage Space Dividers for Larger Living Areas
An excellent way to divide up a large room with storage space galore is to use a shelving unit or large cubes to create a barrier that doubles as storage for absolutely every little thing that needs to be put away. A clever trick that decorators use to keep this unit from looking messy and cluttered is to use baskets to house the little things that are not necessarily decorative, but still, need to be stored.
Shelves double as a display unit for artwork, books, photos and other items that you want to show off. By interspersing the baskets with artwork and other items of interest, these units provide a decorative element to the room while cleaning up the clutter in an organized way.
Conclusion
In small spaces, creativity can save you from a lot of frustration. Getting organized requires using every inch of your space in new ways. By using the ideas above, you can thrive in the smallest apartment.
Sources:
- https://www.houselogic.com/organize-maintain/storage-ideas-hacks/storage-solutions-for-small-spaces-from-new-yorkers/
- http://nymag.com/strategist/article/how-to-organize-a-tiny-apartment.html
- https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/smart-storage-10-ideas-from-small-spaces-192201
- https://www.zumper.com/blog/2018/03/15-smart-storage-tips-for-apartment-renters/
- https://www.diamondairportstorage.com/storage-ideas-for-small-apartment/
