After living in four different apartments in NYC through the years (most recently with roommates in Brooklyn), I finally have learned a few organization tips and tricks. New York City is not necessarily known for its spacious apartments so to live here you need to get creative. Small rooms, limited space and unique layouts make organizing difficult. If you find yourself struggling to crack the code when it comes to organizing your small space, today I’m sharing my favorite apartment organization tips and storage ideas to help make your space stress free!
MY FAVORITE APARTMENT ORGANIZATION TIPS:
1. Lift Beds To Make Under Bed Storage
One of the easiest ways to add extra storage to a space is to lift your bed or choose a bed frame with lots of space underneath. I store SO much under my bed, from extra beauty products to craft supplies, my printer and more! You can also utilize this hidden storage space to store out of season clothes, workout equipment, or anything you don’t want to draw the eye to.
I use these black canvas bins (similar to these) with lids underneath my bed to store everything. What I love best about them is they hide everything but you can still see what’s inside. It keeps the space looking organized and clean, while still allowing me to fit a ton underneath! I think storage with wheels could also be super handy if you’re constantly grabbing things from beneath your bed!
2. Organize By Color
If you’re displaying things (or in a deep closet organization project) organizing by color is one of my favorite tips. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing to look at, it also helps me easily find things which keeps my closet cleaner! Another organization idea is to organize your coffee table books and bookshelves by color as well – I think this makes bookshelves so pretty to look at!
3. Purge, Purge, Purge
The biggest game changer for me is making it a point to try and purge every few weeks. I have a subscription to ThredUp so they send me a new label every six weeks as a reminder to send in things! Things I haven’t worn in forever, things that don’t fit, or anything that no longer feels like “me” goes in the bag and off to a new home!
I also love to do a deep clean of my bathroom cabinets and get rid of old beauty products or consolidate items. I’m always shocked how getting rid of a few things can make such a difference in keeping my apartment clean (and stress free!). Get rid of all those almost-used-up bottles, it will make your space feel so much tidier and clear up much needed extra space!
4. Choose Multi Functional Furniture
Another one of my big tips in small spaces is to never let space go to waste! Choose furniture than can be multi functional, such as storage benches, TV consoles with cabinets underneath, bins and baskets under furniture, etc! Keeping smaller items out of sight keeps the rest of your space streamlined and a relaxing place to be. Hidden storage or furniture pieces that can pull double duty are your best friend! Like this entry way table that’s also shoe storage or this coffee table that’s also a desk so you can work from your couch if there isn’t room for a dedicated home office. I’m also a big proponent of storage ottomans and storage benches.
5. Get Vertical
A great storage solution if you find yourself low on space is to go up instead of going out. What I mean is, don’t discount your wall space once your floor space starts to fill up. Maybe you don’t have enough room for a bookshelf but can you hang floating shelves instead? Perhaps there isn’t enough kitchen cabinet space to store pots and pans, but can you hang them on the wall as an alternative? If there isn’t enough counter space for cookbooks, is there room for a cookbook shelf (we did this in my last apartment and it was so cute!) No coat closet? No problem! Hang some cute hooks on the wall to have a place to drop your coat and bag. Small living requires creative solutions!
6. Think Smaller
Think about size and scale when purchasing furniture pieces for your apartment. Instead of a full size couch in the living room, opt for a loveseat or chair-and-a-half if space is at a premium. Instead of a full size table, something more petite may better suit your space. You can still have all the pieces you want, but maybe at a smaller scale.
7. Utilize Mirrors
Utilizing mirrors in your apartment is a great decor trick to make the space feel bigger, lighter, and airier. I think adding a floor to ceiling leaning mirror in the living room or bedroom is fun. Mirrors are also a good opportunity to infuse a little personality into the space depending on your style. I love this one from Jonathan Adler.
8. Take Advantage of Additional Storage Opportunities
This is certainly not the case for everyone, but there are a lucky few whose apartments come with additional storage rooms. The dream! If you have other storage opportunities, like onsite storage or maybe family that lives nearby and doesn’t mind holding onto some things, definitely take advantage of it! Yes it may be a little bit of a hassle, but having a living space free of clutter does absolute wonders. I recommend these giant clear storage bins – perfect for stacking.
9. Mount Your TV
I can’t recommend mounting your TV enough. It frees up so much space (so you can use the top of a TV stand for storage or even eliminate a TV stand all together) and it just looks cleaner. I created a gallery wall around my Samsung Frame TV in my last apartment and loved the way it looked. If mounting your own TV feels intimidating (it’s me, hi) I recommend hiring a Task Rabbit!
10. Get Creative With Storage
You might not be a professional organizer, but with the right tools and mindset you can get pretty darn close! Things like over the door storage, shelf dividers, cookware organizers, and purse organizers have completely changed the game when it comes to organizing and storage. Think creatively about every nook and cranny in your apartment and how it can be utilized. Organizing a small space is certainly a challenge but with the right tools it’s doable!
SHOP MY FAVORITE ORGANIZATION ITEMS:
