No matter how much square footage or storage space your apartment has, you can almost always use more. Apartment living can require a bit of creativity and use of some simple apartment storage hacks to ensure your space is stylish and functional.
Of all apartment organization tips, the idiom attributed to Benjamin Franklin is the most basic, and thus a great place to start: a place for everything and everything in its place. Meaning, make sure every item has an official “home,” and when that item isn’t in use, store it there.
Now, this tip is a simple one, but making it happen isn’t always easy. Start by identifying items that seem to just float around your apartment – things like remote controls, magazines, paper bills, small electronics, etc. Designate a single place to keep each of these items, and make it your mission to put everything where it belongs by the end of every day. Once you’ve accomplished this, use our list of apartment organization ideas to take your organizational abilities to the next level.
The Best Apartment Organization Ideas
- Utilize the backs of doors. If you’re not using the space on the back of your doors you’re missing out! With a few over-the-door hooks, you can create additional storage that previously didn’t exist. This inexpensive apartment organization tip provides homes for items like towels, bags, and coats. Don’t forget the kitchen cabinets. They have doors, too! Hooks on the inside of your cabinets doors can be used to store cookware, cleaning supplies, cutting boards, etc. And a bonus – you’ll keep these items out of sight for a less cluttered look overall.
- Take advantage of the space under your bed. No, that doesn’t mean shoving miscellaneous binders, camping equipment, or that random mismatched shoe under there with the dust bunnies. To effectively maximize your under-bed space, purchase long, flat bins that slide underneath it. The most impactful apartment storage hacks take time and consideration. In this circumstance, it means filling these bins with items you either don’t use often or rotate seasonally. Think bedding, winter jackets, extra towels, wrapping paper, etc.
- Use a key holder. We don’t know about you, but nothing makes us feel less organized than scrambling to find our keys as we are trying to walk out the door. Using a hook by the door ensures you’ll always know exactly where to look for your keys when you’re headed out. If you want to take our apartment organization ideas a step further, use an entryway shelf with hooks and a letter holder as a catch-all space for coins, keys, mail, and other miscellaneous items that tend to clutter our spaces.
- Invest in a shoe organizer. You’ll never have to search for a stray shoe again if you use this apartment organization tip. There are so many different options when choosing a shoe organizer, but our favorite is an over the door shoe rack (a la tip #1) that hangs on the back of your bedroom or closet door. Bye-bye piles of shoes, hello neat, orderly, off-the-floor shoe storage!
- Don’t forget about the corners. If you have a bit of extra space in a corner of your apartment, you can create a cozy nook with tons of bonus surface area. Small triangular shelves can easily be installed to turn empty corners into extra storage. If you’ve got unsightly items to store, consider a tall corner cabinet with a door instead.
- Use a room divider with storage. This apartment organization idea is a must for studio apartments, but it can certainly be utilized no matter how many rooms you’ve got. Whether you decide to repurpose an open bookshelf, purchase a piece of furniture with built-in storage, or take on a DIY project, this idea will help you make the most of vertical space in your apartment.
- Outfit the pantry with stackable, sealable containers. This serves many purposes. First and foremost, it will keep your pantry organized and your food fresh. Additionally, if you don’t share food you’re your roommates, labeled containers are a great way to designate what belongs to whom.
- Utilize a television stand. Your living area is most likely a space that serves multiple purposes. Because a television stand usually has extra storage room, this functional piece of furniture provides a place for many of your other corded devices. The benefit? You can corral those cords together, leaving your space with a less cluttered look. Don’t have lots of electronics to store? That’s cool, too. Use the storage space provided by the television stand for board games, blankets, magazines, or anything else that needs a home.
Organizing your space can be tedious, but it’s well worth the effort. As you decide which of these apartment organizing tips you want to use, you may want to research additional ideas for decorating a new apartment. Many of these ideas incorporate multipurpose items that double as storage solutions.
Get Unpacked And Get Organized At Southern Management
At Southern Management, you’ll see why organizing an apartment doesn’t need to be expensive or stressful. We understand that available storage space can be just as important as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms we have to offer. For this reason, many of our communities and floorplans incorporate additional space, just for this purpose!
If you’re reading up on these apartment storage hacks because you plan on moving in the near future, then drop into an open house event at Southern Management. You’ll get an all-inclusive tour to see every inch of the floorplan you’re interested in making your new home.
Ready to make a move? Contact us online.