How to Organise a Small Apartment

If you’re living in a studio or a small flat, you already know how difficult it can be to arrange your possessions. We’ve all seen photos of flats that are so small they look like they’re inside a doll house, and we know people who have had to temporarily relocate their bed or couch just to fit in the latest delivery.

If you’re living in a small space and everything feels cluttered and disorganised, these ideas will help you use it to a maximum:

Consider tension rods

If you have a small laundry room or closet, you’ll probably need space to hang-dry your clothes. For this purpose, use a tension rod. It allows you to create extra vertical space and is renter-friendly if that’s a problem for you. Tension rods extend to any size you require and lock in place, so you can use them nearly anywhere. They’ll give you the perfect section for hanging clothes or laundry and allow you to use every little area of your small space, making it maximally functional. 

Use your door as a storage opportunity

Get hooks that can be attached to the upper part of your door. They’re renter-friendly, don’t damage anything, and create more space for storing oversized items. This keeps things off the ground and out of the way without taking up extra space. You can devise many ways to put the hooks into use, such as hanging an ironing table. 

The key to a successful small space is multifunctional furniture

Multipurpose and folding furniture allows you to use your living space maximumly. Various styles of desks, dining tables and king-size beds can be easily put away when not in use. As well as folding furniture, some pieces can perform a variety of functions, such as tables that can become couches or desks that transform into tables. The built-in storage space in sofas and ottomans can help you keep clutter at bay. The pull-out sofa or daybed that also serves as a couch is widely used by people with small living spaces to replace a traditional bed. 

Get rid of clutter

Often, when you cram all your possessions into a small living space, it’ll feel anything but cosy and restful. Look for storage spots to hide them. From shelving to built-in storage cabinets, sliding doors, and bookcases, this can be whatever you want. Expand your thinking beyond the usual places. Install a storage space under your bedding. Many storage options also serve as beautiful decor pieces. Also, get rid of the belongings that don’t serve a purpose – either because they’re impractical or don’t bring you joy any more. Storage baskets can help you organise certain items, such as workout equipment or magazines.

Place larger furniture items at the edges of rooms

Place more oversized items, such as bookcases and couches, against the walls instead of in the middle of the room to create more open space for movement. 

Open up the space by letting light inside

With the right amount of lighting, a small living space can feel more spacious. Make the most of the space’s natural light by avoiding the blackout blinds or by adding another source of warm light. Enhance the effect by including mirrors. Reflective items give more light to the area and make it appear bigger. If you don’t have room for floor or table lamps, place them on spots that don’t take up primal space. Think of string lights, plug-in wall scones, or pendant lights. 

Consider a loft bed

Usually, legs on furniture make a small space feel larger because if it’s rooted to the ground, you can’t use the space under it. Even just elevating your bed instead of keeping it rooted to the floor allows you to have extra storage space under it to keep the clutter away. A loft bed in your small bedroom will create a functional nook underneath where you can place a work desk, for example. An alternative to a loft bed is a flatbed, which is compact and can quickly turn a one-person bedroom into a larger one when needed. Most flatbeds also have installed drawers, which are the perfect storage opportunity. If you’re storing suitcases underneath, you can use them to keep more things inside.

Avoid visual clutter as much as possible

Create an open shelving look in your kitchen or bathroom by removing the cabinet doors. It’s an excellent solution for anyone who feels like their rental kitchen is tiny. If you love the open concept of cabinetry, taking off the cabinet doors expands the space because you can see right to the wall; it brightens and opens the room up. You can also do this in a minor way by removing one or two cabinet doors to create a display area to show dishes, plates, or decor pieces you like. This is a perfect option for orderly people with many matching dishes that can make the shelves look decorative. However, beware of your kitchen looking cluttered if you have cabinets ‌filled with mix-matching things. Keep them clean-looking.

Rent a storage unit

If you have many valuable possessions but no space to store them at home, you could consider renting a storage unit. Many people move around a lot and travel with all their possessions, which eventually leads to transport damage. By storing your belongings safe in storage, you won’t have to worry about potential losses. Storage units are also perfect for keeping all kinds of old items you currently don’t need around the house, like old furniture, childhood items, memorabilia, and everything else that usually clutters spare rooms or garages. 

Use the vertical space to a maximum

A shelving system from the bottom to the top of a wall will help you store many items if you don’t have a storage room or an office to put them away. You can utilise them for styling‌. Building upwards maximises the amount that you can put on your walls. Consider how you can use the space above your TV, door or kitchen cabinets, for example, and what you can set up there. There is lots of room that you can use in the space upwards that you may be forgetting about. 

Get more furniture in lighter tones

This instantly brightens up a small space, bounces colour and reflects off daylight.

Let each space be its own

In a small space, breaking up areas, either with pieces of furniture or rugs, is a great way to symbolise different parts of the room. 

Consider the scale of your furniture and your room

If you have a smaller room, avoid buying big, heavy furniture because it’ll weigh down your space. Going for smaller pieces of furniture that don’t take up as much space will make the room look bigger. 

Lastly, make sure everything has its own designated spot so that it’s easy to find when needed. With these tips in mind, organising a small apartment can be much easier than expected! Check out an apartment for rent in Nashville.

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