how to make the most of your small space

i'm excited to tell you guys about a partnership that i'm doing with Apartment Guide. whether you're living, looking or moving, Apartment Guide offers tips on how to decorate your apartment and make the most of your space on the Apartment Guide blog. they contacted me and asked if i'd be willing to share some tips about apartment living and making the most of a small space. below are 5 tips to help you use the space that you have, no matter the size.

1. use furniture with compartments
i'm a huge sucker for compartmentalized furniture. in fact, i have 4 different pieces with compartments in my apartment at this moment. what i love about them is that they serve their purpose (for me, a desk, bedside table, and dining room storage), but also can be decorative. functional and pretty? yes, please.

Ikea Expedit Desk, Ikea Expedit Bedside Table, Target Organizers 1 and 2 

[for more information on this topic, read this article]
2. repurpose
i'm a firm believer that furniture doesn't need to only be used for the purpose it was designed for. in fact, i think that people should intentionally try to use furniture for different purposes. for example, a bookshelf doesn't have to just hold books:

Ikea Laiva Bookshelf

[for more information on this topic, read this article]
3. use decorative storage 
i love baskets. there, i said it. i use storage baskets in just about every room in my apartment, which you can see in the photos above. if you're lacking in closets and closed-off storage space, go out and buy some wooden or metal baskets to put your things in. they're prettier than having a stack of random knick-knacks somewhere and they're super functional.

4. get creative with your closet
for me, small closet spaces are the hardest to work with. i only have a small dresser from Ikea for my clothes, so space to hang and stack my clothes in my closet is key. hanging organizers, like this, are a great way to make the most out of a small closet. also, storage boxes or shoe boxes can be handy for holding socks, tights, or other small things in your closet
[for more information on this topic, read this article]

5. think outside the box for kitchen storage
i don't know about you, but no matter how big my kitchen is, there's never enough storage. when i first moved into the apartment i'm living in now, i was so excited about the kitchen because it was about double the size of my last one. but, once i started unpacking all of my dishes and other kitchen utensils, i quickly realized that i was going to have to get creative if i wanted to fit everything in. things like a hanging mug organizer can free-up cabinet space for other things that you don't want seen:

this mug organizer is great because it's both decorative and functional, and was the perfect "filler" for an otherwise empty wall in my kitchen.

so, there you have it. my 5 tips to making the most out of your small space! If you’re ready for a whole new space or looking to move, Apartment Guide has the photos, floor plans, features and tips to help you settle into your new place. “Like” Apartment Guide on Facebook, tweet at  them @AptGuide on Twitter, “circle” them on Google+ and follow them on Pinterest for real-time tips and updates on how to make the most of your small space.

Disclosure Statement:

Apartment Guide and owner Consumer Source, Inc. partner with bloggers such as me to participate in blogger programs.  As part of that program, I received compensation.  They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about any products and believe that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Consumer Source’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.