If there’s anything that all apartment-owners can agree on, it’s that we need more space. Most apartments focus sell based on square-footage, and unless you’re making serious bank, it’s likely that your space is a bit smaller than you’d like.
This is something that I struggle with, because I hate the look and feel of clutter. But, my apartment didn’t come with very much storage space. So, we’ve had to get creative and work hard to organize, de-clutter, and store all of our stuff comfortably. Here are a few (totally easy) storage hacks that make a big difference.
1. Purge your stuff
Before we even begin, how long has it been since you’ve sorted through old clothes and given away ones you don’t use? How long has it been since you’ve purged items in your desk drawers or entertainment center? What about that mail pile that sits near the front door? What about in the kitchen cabinets?
There’s no real point of going through all the effort just to end up storing a bunch of stuff you don’t like/need anyways. Take a couple hours to really dig through everything and get rid of everything you don’t use. Take it to a thrift store for some cash or take it to a local donation spot.
2. Invest in under-the-bed storage
Big-box retailers like Amazon or Target have plenty of solutions. I have purchased 3 long plastic bins and 2 cloth zip-ups. Under the bed, I store: all holiday decorations, off-season clothes (mine and my roommates), old books from college, and mementos that don’t need to be displayed. I could probably store even more (and plan to!) when I take time to look through the apartment for clutter.
3. Use closets efficiently
Make sure that all the space you are offered is being used well! Use top shelves for storage (I keep plastic bins with extra blankets/pillows up top), off-season clothes, and things you don’t need too often. Hang as much as you can, then use the space below to store shoes (using bins here also really helps minimize clutter!) and your laundry basket. Make sure things are easily accessible so that you actually use them.
4. Add hooks under cabinets to create “shelves” with baskets
A big trick in creating space in an apartment is by hanging things instead of leaving them on the floor. By not hanging items, you miss our on tons of storage space!
Organizing Made Fun
5. Manage all those plastic grocery bags by organizing them into an old Lysol can
This is a no-brainer because it will take all of 5 minutes to gather your 100+ grocery bags and load them into the old disinfectant can. Plus, when you’re done, you’ll gain back feet of storage space in your pantry!
Nae Chic
6. To minimize pantry clutter, store foods in plastic (airtight) containers and recycle the original packaging
On the same note, huge boxes for food are a waste of space, especially when you’re more than halfway through them. Instead of keeping original packaging for your cereal, nuts, crackers, etc., store them in clear bins! Then you also know when it’s time to buy more.
7. Re-purpose an old dresser and use the drawers as hanging shelves
This is more of a DIY project, but I thought it was too cool not to include. If you have an old dresser hanging around, put it to good use! Remove the bottoms of the drawers and hang the shelves up on your walls to create a unique shelving syste,.
8. Use hanging shelves wherever possible to create the illusion of more space. Hanging bedside tables take up very minimal space but are still functional
We use hanging shelves from Ikea as our nightstands and it has made a huge difference in the amount of space we have left over. Nightstands in particular can be expensive, and just take up space. Think about using a hanging shelf instead!
Good luck organizing! Let us know if we missed any genius ideas!
