Amazing Ways to Maximize Apartment Floor Space

Are you feeling cramped in your apartment? You’ve only got so much room, but there’s a lot you can do with it!

Think Vertical

It’s not just about floor space. What about wall space? Can you hang a movie rack on the wall? Perhaps you can store your broom and mop on hooks — bonus points if you can place those hooks on the inside of a closet door where no one can see. Over-the-door storage can help you keep cosmetics, shoes, and other items organized, negating the need for a shoe holder that you keep on the floor. Consider an over-the-toilet storage unit or even a ladder shelf to house toiletries or bathroom linens.

Smarter Furniture

No, we’re not talking about a smart house; although, technology may soon be able to help us make better use of floor space. We’re talking about storage containers that double as furniture, such as an ottoman in place of a coffee table or a coffee table that has drawers and compartments.

You can achieve something similar with a storage bed, which are more common for kids’ rooms but can work just as well for an adult’s bed. In the kids’ room, you can use a combined bed and desk unit, which had a desk beneath the bed.

Corner couches are another way to make better use of the space you have. A straight sofa or loveseat is much longer than the corner style, which means you need to sacrifice more floor (and potentially wall space). Tucking a couch into the corner, however, allows you to use less wall space on either side while still having plenty of room for guests! You can get the same effect in your bathroom or office by replacing your bath with a corner bath and getting space-saving office furniture.

On the topic of sofas — and chairs — opt for multitaskers. A pullout sofa, a chair that folds down into a bed or a trundle bed all provider extra sleeping space for guests while taking up minimal space and remaining functional when not in use.

Finally, skip chairs and opt for stools that you can full push under counters or tables.

Natural Lighting

Taking advantage of natural lighting reduces the need for lamps, which frees up more floor space. It can also be beneficial to your electric bill! Thin, flowy curtains are a great way to invite in the natural light that will make your apartment seem bigger.

Decluttering and Storage

Over time, most of us accumulate too much stuff. If you’re like me, you imbue your stuff with far more sentiment than is really appropriate, making it hard to give stuff up. Not only is clutter impractical, but according to Mikael Cho, clutter drastically affects productivity and wellbeing. Conversely, the act of severing those emotional attachment we have to things can be extremely cathartic. If there are boxes that have remained unpacked over two or more moves, it’s likely that you won’t miss that stuff if it went to Good Will.

If you rarely use but frequently travel with important items such as antiques, SKB recommends using hard-shell, crush-proof, easy-to-stack cases that can be comfortably kept in closets, attics, or storage spaces and retrieved when needed. Finally, if there are season or frequently-used items that need an easy-to-access space, we have some creative storage solutions that can help you maximize space.

There are more tips and tricks to maximize space in your apartment, even if it’s small! There’s no reason to be climbing over your stuff just to accomplish regular daily tasks. With some careful planning, the right tools, and a little elbow grease, you can maximize your apartment space and make your dwelling more attractive and more accessible.