Creative in-home storage ideas for small apartments

by Emma Evans

Living in a small apartment in a big city can be a great way to save money for other expenses, activities, or it can be the only choice at the moment. Whatever the case may be, it is vital that you know there are so many creative in-home storage ideas for small apartments.

Use the space underneath your furniture

The best possible use of space is one of the most popular features home buyers want, especially in big cities where real estate prices are over the roof. Every square inch matters and needs to be used wisely.

Even though using the space underneath your furniture might sound like an obvious solution, this idea deserves your attention. This does not mean using the space underneath your bed to hide your mess from guests. Conventional beds with built-in storage are very useful, but if you want to be more creative than that, consider some DIY bed ideas.

A bed made of pallets can be practical for small apartments, and can look really charming. Not to mention, it is one of the cheapest ways to make a piece of furniture. The space underneath the mattress is excellent for storing bulky items (some winter clothes, blankets, or extra bedding), while the pallets' outer parts can be used for keeping books and decorative items. With a few small 

lamps or candles lit underneath (be careful with candles), you can create a romantic atmosphere whenever you want to. If the pallets are wider than your mattress, you can even have the area that serves as a nightstand. A skillful handyman can even incorporate a few drawers in the base of the bed made of pallets. The best part about this storage solution is that you can have it entirely custom made.

Here's an idea for shoe lovers - use these pallet-shelves to display your favorites or the ones that you wear most often. That will leave some room in your closet for other items. 

As you can see from our previous example, you can have your cake and eat it too! There is enough room underneath the bed to create the illusion of floating, yet the space can be used for storage. 

Other pieces of furniture that can be used for storing are coffee tables, duvets, some sofas, and balcony benches.

Here's an idea for shoe lovers - use these pallet-shelves to display your favorites or the ones that you wear most often. That will leave some room in your closet for other items. 

As you can see from our previous example, you can have your cake and eat it too! There is enough room underneath the bed to create the illusion of floating, yet the space can be used for storage. 

Other pieces of furniture that can be used for storing are coffee tables, duvets, some sofas, and balcony benches.

Think vertically

When the floor area does not leave you enough room for all of your possessions, it is time for you to change your perspective by finding more vertical solutions. Walls are your best friends, and you should use them wisely.

Living room

You should opt for open shelves in the living area since they make the room appear bigger and brighter. There is no need for lengthy or massive shelving there, as a few smaller shelves can do the trick and store many items. You can arrange them to form a geometrical shape, if that is the aesthetics you go for in your home. Or, you can pick ones in bolder shades to add accent colors to your home decor. Make sure to leave enough room between the shelves, so that the walls do not seem cluttered.

If you are an owner of a small apartment, you have probably noticed how quickly your place can get messy. The only way you can avoid that is by getting rid of all unnecessary stuff and keeping those that are useful and meaningful. However, you need to clean and declutter your apartment more often than you would if you had a bigger living space. Devote about twenty minutes a day to quickly get everything in order, and living in a small space will not seem like an issue anymore.

Kitchen storage ideas for small apartments

The kitchen is the area of the house that can get messy quickly, especially if you use it quite often. Its layout is important, but there are hacks you can try to make it more practical. You can find many space-saving solutions for your kitchen cabinets on the market nowadays, so we think that you should start there. Once your cabinets are used to their maximum capacity, there won't be too many items left to store outside them. Some dishes are too pretty to be kept out of sight, so those are the ones that deserve some space on the open shelves. Including, nice plates, coffee mugs, wine glasses, etc.

When organizing a kitchen in a small apartment, look for narrow spaces between the cabinets or walls. Those could be great for decorative wine racks, or wine shelves can be mounted on a wall too. Those that have places to hold glasses upside down underneath the wine bottles are a storage solution and beautiful decor all in one.

Some creative kitchen storage solutions include:

  • Fruit and vegetable baskets that can be kept in your pantry or on a countertop;
  • Glass or porcelain jars for keeping flour, sugar, coffee, pasta, rice, etc.; Shallow wall-mounted shelves can accommodate many of those. Even a magnetic strip underneath your kitchen cabinet can provide you with a place to store the jars with metal lids - hanging jars are trendy nowadays. 
  • Wicker baskets - they can be home to many pantry items and can be put on a fridge, or even on top of your kitchen cabinets if they do not reach the ceiling. 

Pegboards can be perfect for hanging saucepans and kitchen utensils. Install one on your kitchen or pantry door, and you will save a load of space while making your kitchen look playful.

Bathroom

There are many items that need to be stored in a bathroom, especially when living in a small house or apartment. While cleaning supplies should be kept out of sight, towels and cosmetic products can actually make a bathroom look more appealing and cheerful. Ladder shelves are all the craze these days and for good reason. They can be used to store many items, and yet they occupy little space. Wall-mounted baskets made of wicker, wood, or wire can also be a great storage solution, as well as pleasing to the eye when nicely arranged.  

We hope you liked some of our creative in-home storage ideas for small apartments. Try them out and let us know which are your favorites!

About the Author

Emma Evans is a blogger, born and raised in NYC. Even though she has visited almost every state in the US, she keeps coming back to this magical city where she has a huge family and many friends. While working for U. Santini Moving and Storage she learned a lot about this industry and now she shares her knowledge with her readers. 

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