When you live in a small apartment, every inch of space is at a premium. By utilizing your space in the best way possible, even the smallest home can go from feeling cramped to cozy. With just a few simple tweaks, you can maximize your floor plan and live more comfortably.
Here are three tips to make your small apartment feel bigger:
Eliminate Clutter and Get Creative With Storage
Excess, unnecessary clutter will just make your apartment feel overcrowded and disorganized. Instead, take care to pare down your belongings and get creative with the ones you do choose to store. For instance, use clear tubs under your bed for extra clothes, purchase furniture that doubles as storage items — like a cedar chest for a coffee table — and install shelving to utilize wall space. And remember, de-cluttering likely won’t be something you can only do once. Aim to reassess and pare down unnecessary items with every changing season.
Purchase Bigger Furniture — But Less of It
It might seem counter-intuitive, but larger furniture can actually be a space saver. When you have a small apartment, it’s easy to gravitate toward small furniture pieces, but then you typically just end up needing more furniture to fulfill your needs. Several pieces of small furniture will take up space less efficiently, causing your apartment to feel cramped. Instead, choose larger pieces that suit your space and are multifunctional.
Use Sliding Barn Doors in Place of Swinging Doors
Doors that swing open need clearance, which can encroach on your already small space. By changing to a barn door on sliders, you can avoid needing extra space to accommodate door openings. Barn doors are an especially great choice for closets, bathrooms or kitchen pantries. While the door will need a little extra wall space, the sliding feature will help your apartment feel more open and less crowded.
Even just simple changes like these three can transform your space and help you feel more at home. The secret isn’t to have more space — but to use the space you have more efficiently.