Having too much stuff is something that just happens to us out of the blue.
One day we are fine, and the next we realize we have to navigate a maze of junk to make it from the living room to the kitchen. It isn’t just a bunch of trinkets and baubles either. Beautiful furniture takes up space, and if you like to cook, your pots, pans, and kitchen gadgets can eat up cabinet space. Unless you’re an A-List celeb, chances are your apartment isn’t exactly sprawling, and you need to make every square foot of space count. This is particularly the case if you rent one of the downtown West Palm Beach apartments, where if you want to live where the action is, you might have to settle for a smaller place. Still, there are steps you can take to make the most out of the space you have.
- Do You Need All Your Stuff
It’s one of the rights of passage everyone goes through in life. We collect all sort of things from our lives that may have had significant meaning to our past selves but are now just collecting dust and taking up space. Ask yourself, are you holding to it, or is it the ghost of who you did not want to let go? More often than not, we keep junk because of blind sentimentality. Get rid of it. Donate it to charity, give it to a friend, sell it on eBay or craigslist, or toss it. Your apartment will thank you. Just don’t go crazy and throw away the real heirlooms and priceless memories.
- Hang Your TV
Wall mounting your TV will save space. You still might need a small tower for things like game consoles, a Blu-Ray player, or a cable box, but that will take up far less room than a full blown entertainment center.
- Multi-Function Rules
Some of your things can serve more than one purpose. One prime example is using your kitchen table as an office, in between meals. Using your living room as a sleeping area, as in having a daybed instead of a sofa, can be an excellent way to free up a whole other room.
- Use Those Empty Spaces
Most ceilings are around eight feet tall, which translates into a lot of extra room that often isn’t being used. Do something with that extra space. Buy things like shelves that reach to the ceiling. Another bit of free space that can be employed is behind furniture. Placing a chair in the corner, and then having a basket to store stuff behind it will add space. Space can even be created. Raise up your bed, and store boxes and items under it. A couple of inches might be all it takes to clean out a room’s worth of clutter effectively.
- Make More Space
It’s a simple matter to add shelves to stow things like on the walls and above the toilet and bed. These shelves can be included in a closet making it easier to organize. Depending on the design of your kitchen, a hanging pot rack can free up a lot of space, and the same goes for integrated appliances like a microwave installed under the cabinet. These shelves and racks keep your stuff out of the way, but still easy to get to. It may even eliminate the need for a couple of tables or bureaus.
- The Right Furniture for a Spacious Look
Sometimes the key to having a spacious apartment is to make it look the part. A home can never have too much style. Bulky looking furniture will make a small place look cramped and crowded. Instead, go for elegant looking pieces with thinner legs and edges. Glass tables and stands also help create an illusion of space.
- Get in the Zone
A bookshelf or two can create a wall that divides two parts of your apartment. While this doesn’t exactly add space, it does give the feel that your place has more form and function than it originally did. It also makes your mind more willing to utilize those spaces to their utmost. Curtains and divider screens can do the same thing. This is a great option for people living in a studio style apartment.
