Learn brilliant hacks to make your small apartment look bigger with very little effort (and not construction work needed). Keep reading to learn 10 proven ways to make a small apartment appear much larger.
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Genius Ways to Make A Small Apartment Look Bigger
Hi girls, how are you today?
I don’t know about where you girls live, but the living costs in Barcelona are getting crazy high.
Being a millennial ain’t easy and, in these times of high-cost living and small pay work, a lot of us cannot afford the spacious room that we want (and deserve).
With the population of cities snowballing and the ever-growing globalization, space is increasingly becoming a premium commodity (Honk Kong people would tell you all about it).
This unfortunately means that many of us can’t afford to move into a bigger home.
However, small homes don’t equate to terrible. Quite the contrary, my friend.
In fact, if you know what you are doing and with a little bit of planning, small apartments can become exceptionally cozy and welcoming in a way that bigger apartments would only dream of being. Fortunately, that is not the case with these affordable apartments for rent in New York, NY!
Yes, there are some great ways to make your small home feel a lot bigger.
If this idea excites you, then you will thrill over these 10 brilliant ideas on how to make your small apartment look bigger.
RELATED: The Best KonMarie Hacks You Should Know if You Want to be Organized
10 Proven Ways to Make A Small Apartment Look Bigger
Less Stuff, More Space
We all acquire clutter.
It’s one of those facts of life – such as taxes – that is quite simply inevitable. And I bet you probably own more things than you actually need.
The problem is when we simply can’t let go of things (be it because of nostalgia or attachment), and we end up living in a daily hell of clutter.
Action Item
Go through your home, room by room, and get rid of all the bits and pieces that don’t have a use or purpose or any value to you.
It’s amazing how much space this will save you!
A great way to go on about it is by applying the KonMarie method and ask yourself:
‘’Does this item bring you joy’’?
If the answer is negative, you know what you gotta do.
P.S. Marie Kondo has changed my life for the better. I’ve watched her entire Netflix show and read both her main books and the results are mind-boggling. Cris, my OCD boyfriend, couldn’t be prouder.
If you’re completely oblivious to Marie Kondo, or if you want to know more about the KonMarie Method, I’ve written an entire detailed post right here.
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White is Light
I had to do a bit of convincing to Cris about this one.
When it comes to preferences, Cris and I are Yin & Yang: he will always pick black and I will always pick lighter colors (usually cream over white).
However, if you have a small apartment, I urge you to side with me on this preference. Lighter colors have a seemingly magical way of transforming small spaces, while darker tones ‘’close down’’ the ambiance.
Bear in mind that it doesn’t have to just be white. As aforementioned, light colors will open up any room and make it feel like you have a lot more space.
A great way to go on about it is by contrasting colored throws, curtains, or soft furnishings.
Get the paint out and breathe new life into your home.
Does painting seem like too much work?
I get it…. (ain’t nobody got time for that).
Start smaller and change your pillows, carpet, linen, and even your home decor (we made a switch from a dark lamp to a cream one and the results are crazy impacting).
Mirror Mirror on the Wall…
Everyone knows mirrors have magical powers to increase a small space but do you have any mirrors in your living room?
It is time to buy some mirrors, girl!
Mirrors are brilliant at giving the illusion of depth to a room where perhaps there wasn’t depth before.
Get a couple, (maybe in different shapes), and experiment with them in different positions.
I am confident that you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the effect that these can bring to a room of any size. Try it out!
Three is the Magic Number
This is a cool tip my designer friend has given me and has done wonders for my life.
Try to limit the color scheme of your room to no more than three colors. It is said that any more than that has the potential to stress out your eyes and even make your brain feel overworked.
It’s crazy how our body works, right?
P.S. Remember that lighter colors help make a small apartment look bigger.
RELATED: How to turn your bedroom into a sanctuary that you’ll never want to leave.
Storage Systems
Another great Marie Kondo lessons that keep on giving to make your small apartment look bigger: storage spaces.
Having a storage system in place does not necessarily equal spending money, it is all about strategy.
In fact, Marie Kondo has many times exemplified that shoe boxes are one of the fantastic free/improvised storage systems we can easily create ourselves.
If you store your things well and organized, your home will look decluttered at all times and, as a result, larger
RELATED: The Best Marie Kondo Organization Hacks You Have To Know
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Light Up Your Corners…
The corners of rooms are shadows pools and this can give the feeling of the walls being closer together than they actually are.
This can be easily solved by lighting up these corners.
How you may be wondering?
Floor lights or lamps that angle upwards are ideal for this. If you’re in a funky mood opt for creative lamps or something with some trendy design.
Don’t Overcrowd Your Walls
A fantastically easy way to make a small apartment look bigger is to leave your walls minimally clean.
Yes, granted, we all like pictures, posters, photos, and prints, however, be careful not to over-crowd your wall space.
A further tip on wall decor is to mix up the heights and sizes of whatever you like to hang on your walls so that your eye doesn’t sweep along the length of the room in one go.
RELATED: How to be a more minimalist woman in 6 easy steps.
Keep Things Tidy
A no-brainer way to make a small apartment look bigger is by giving everything you own a home!
Not only will this stop you from losing your stuff, but it will keep your rooms looking trim and spacious too! (yep, you guessed this… I also learned this from Marie Kondo).
For example, when you arrive, instead of leaving your bag on the couch or the dinner table, have a set place to always place it (and make a habit out of this).
I give this particular example because this is one thing that I struggled and Cris had to remind me daily that ‘’the dinner table is not where a handbag should go’’ (I’ve warned you about his OCD, didn’t I?).
Tidy Away Those Wires
I’m so glad that we are going towards the direction of wireless life.
Honestly, buying AirPods was a small yet significant purchase that only reaffirmed to me that wires are indeed terrible
In fact, wires are seemingly everywhere; computers, televisions, stereos, hairdryers, lamps, and the rest of modernity.
So keep these wires tidied up and tucked away. I’m sure you will be impressed at how much cleaner your drawers and counters look and, by extension, how much more room your smaller spaces have.
4 Best Space-Saving Hacks to Make Your Small Apartment Look Bigger
Looking for extra space in a studio or one-bedroom apartment?
It might seem like there’s no space to be had, but there’s more than you’d think!
With a few adjustments and additions, usually at little to no cost, you can set up storage and display areas that will give your place a bigger feeling.
Here are several space-saving hacks you need for a small apartment.
Make Use of Perimeter Shelving
Out of space?
Are you sure?
Look overhead! There’s an entire level of storage space around the perimeter of the room or rooms.
Mount wall shelves closer to the ceiling and either decorate them or store things out of sight.
Perimeter shelves can simply hold things like books and tchotchkes or accommodate drawers and boxes for extra storage possibilities.
Adding hooks underneath provides another means of suspending odds and ends that you’d like out of the way but within easy reach!
Get a Multifunctional Bed
Your bed should be more than a place to sleep. If it’s a futon or folding bed, it can provide seating during the day and a place to snooze at night and naptime.
Buy a bed with storage capacity in its base, and you don’t have to add a bureau or cabinet for much of your clothing.
Make the footboard or headboard a table or shelving unit, and the options for space open further. Your bed is doubtless your biggest piece of furniture.
Make it earn its keep!
Gotta Keep ‘Em Separated
Want a bit more privacy in the bedroom part of your studio?
Create a separating wall with a stack of stackable storage cubes.
Not only can you store darn near anything in them, but it also provides a personal space separate from the rest of the studio.
Are stackable cubes a bit too blocky for you?
Hang gauzy curtains in strategic spots that allow light through but still give the illusion of individual “rooms.”
Turn a Closet Into an Office
Here’s the last of our space-saving hacks you need for a small apartment.
Do you have a closet but not enough clothes to fill it?
Measure the space and see if it’ll accommodate a small desk and chair or a similar setup.
The recessed nature of the closet makes it an ideal space to work, write, read, or surf the web, and it should be able to accommodate a file cabinet or two as well.
Adding floating shelves can provide extra room for stationery and other office supplies, putting them within easy reach.
Use your imagination to come up with other ways to turn the closet into an extra “secret” room.
RELATED: Smart Tips That Make Your Small Home Feel Huge
Other home organization posts that you’ll like:
- Clever Ways To Organize the House in 1h
- Habits of Women Who Always Have a Clean Home
- How to Instantly Be A More Organized Woman Daily
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