Many renters encounter one common issue when it comes to renting: poor space management. When you rent in New Jersey, you’ll often encounter smaller apartment sizes because of availability, demand, preference, or budget. Whatever the reason for choosing a smaller apartment, it will be up to you to adjust your lifestyle to make the most of your small apartment life.
However, you don’t need to despair at this reality because you can employ several apartment living hacks to maximize apartment space. In this blog, our team at Country Classics, specializing in building rental communities like the Somerset at Montgomery and telling renters how to make a small apartment feel bigger, has shared small apartment hacks.
You’ll want to know these hacks to get the most out of your apartment space!
Before exploring apartment hacks for renters, you might want to learn more about renters' typical space organization and utilization issues.
Knowing more about these challenges can help you identify your apartment space optimization issues and prompt you to learn how to fix them and get the most out of your living environment:
Limited storage options: Many renters find that smaller apartments have the added challenge of limited storage options. Unfortunately, a lack of customizable storage space can make it hard to store your belongings.
Furniture layout challenges: Although there are many different furniture shapes and sizes, many renters find it harder to fit traditional large furniture items into compact apartments. If you don't choose a thoughtfully designed smaller apartment like one of the Somerset at Montgomery rentals, this is another issue you may need to address.
Limited counter and kitchen space: Small kitchens often lead to cluttered counters and inefficient use of cooking areas. To make it work, you’ll need to get creative with storing kitchen appliances, crockery, utensils, accessories, and other bits and bobs.
Cluttered living spaces: If you rent a smaller apartment with limited square footage, it's far more common for your possessions to spill into areas they shouldn’t. For example, you could find your bedroom items spilling into your lounge or study. This can make it challenging to keep things tidy.
Making your apartment more spacious isn’t as difficult as you might expect. In fact, Montgomery Township, NJ, apartments can be made more spacious as long as you keep in mind a few of the best storage ideas for small apartments that we’ve shared below.
Armed with these space-saving tips, you’ll find your smaller studio, one, or two-bed apartment significantly more livable and enjoyable.
Utilizing your wall space is one of the easiest Montgomery Township living hacks you can implement after moving into a smaller apartment. If you have wall space, you have storage space.
With wall space, you can hang items like shoes, perfumes, jewelry, belts, clothing, and other items using organizers. Hanging these items on your walls frees up storage space on your shelves and drawers, so you can tidily keep more things in one place.
If you want a quick, inexpensive, and flexible storage option, you’ll want to consider wicker baskets. The baskets act as excellent decor items and are helpful for storing everything from seasonal accessories and shoes that would sit in your entryway to children's toys and little-used cleaning products. You can throw them in and hide them under a table or bedroom closet to free up floor space.
We know that people can be fussy about their furniture, and we can’t blame them, but if you are moving into a smaller apartment, you might want to consider multi-functional furniture. This type of furniture serves multiple purposes.
For example, you can buy a bed equipped with under-bed storage or an ottoman that provides additional storage while serving as a footstool. You can even choose a sofa with a built-in pull-out bed that you can simply fold away when guests leave.
So think of functional furniture when selecting what to use for your apartment, as this type of furniture can be beneficial with storage.
You might not realize it, but having your cleaning tools on the floor can make your apartment feel more cluttered. Fortunately, one of the best apartment living hacks for making the most of your space is getting these items off the floor.
You can mount cleaning things like your broom, mop, duster, and cleaning materials to the walls in or near your laundry. Alternatively, you can even mount them inside closet doors to keep them out of sight while making them easily accessible.
Smaller apartments may not have as much space as many would like, but this doesn’t mean you can't make the different zones in your house feel more spacious. One neat trick many renters employ is setting up room dividers.
There are many different types of room dividers, but accordion-style dividers are often the best because they are skinny and can be folded and moved. Since they don't take up much space, you can easily use them to create faux spaces like closets or dressing rooms or to differentiate between a living room and kitchen if you have an open floor plan unit.
The decor is an important part of making a house a home—even when renting. However, when you have a smaller apartment, you need to be more cautious with the decor items you choose to spruce up your home and make it match your personality.
This means it's best to avoid big and bulky decor items. Instead, you should opt for space-saving decor like gilded wall hanging mirrors, picture frames, artistic canvases, and other clutter-free decor that speaks to you and makes you happy without taking up too much space.
As you might imagine, the more organized your cabinets are, the better your space management will be. That’s why one of the best apartment living hacks for smaller apartments is cabinet dividers.
These handy kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom accessories are inexpensive and easy to install. They can be used to divide pots, pans, and crockery in the kitchen, bedroom clothing, and bathroom toiletries. You’ll be surprised by how much more space you’ll have when everything is neatly divided.
The tops of your cabinet aren’t just for gathering dust. You can use the tops of the living room, bedroom, or kitchen cabinets to store items in a clutter-free way. So, if there is space between the tops of your cabinets and the ceiling, treat it as additional space and store appropriate items.
For example, you can use the tops of kitchen cabinets to store pot plants, vases, cookbooks, and other decor items. Likewise, the tops of bathroom cabinetry can be used to store bulk soaps, candles, hair care products, and other accessories. Just remember to keep a step stool handy.
One, two, and three-bedroom apartments can be smaller than traditional housing options, but that doesn’t mean you can't make the most of your space and New Jersey apartment life. Hopefully, the apartment living hacks we’ve shared in this blog will help you maximize space and enjoy clutter-free living.
If you’re still looking for an apartment, consider our different floorplan options at The Somerset at Montgomery, which will soon be available. We have a floor plan to suit every lifestyle.
Our units are modern, luxurious, and equipped with everything a renter could need, including built-in washers and dryers, private balconies, walk-in closets, and incredible amenities like a pet washing station, fitness center, and on-site parking. So contact us at Country Classics today and let us help you connect with your dream apartment.
Sources:
ASPCA: Poisonous Plants
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants
American Humane: Pet-Proofing Your Home
https://www.americanhumane.org/fact-sheet/pet-proofing-your-home/