15 Smart and Cheap Ways to Create Space in Your Home

Small apartments and homes can be hard to deal with. If you’re constantly stumbling over misplaced toys or shoes, bumping into a table that’s too big for your kitchen, or struggling with this “where should I put the pans?” thing, we’re here to help you.

Bright Side has collected 15 cool but easy ideas for how to make the house you live in, your personal paradise. The best thing is you don’t even have to buy some of these. Just get creative and DIY the ones you like! Also, don’t miss our bright bonus at the end!

1. Declutter your shelves.

If there are so many cleaning items in your cupboard that they fall down when you open it, and it’s become impossible to find what you need, there’s a nice way out. Just hang some boxes on the doors to keep the extra stuff there. No additional cabinets are needed. Perfect!

2. Hide the cords for a better look.

This wall TV support not only hides your cords, but it can also serve as storage for your DVDs, remote controls, and other little things. This way your home will look neater, which automatically gives a feeling of spaciousness.

3. Find alternatives to bedside tables.

Bedside tables can take up some much-needed space in your room, so it’s a nice idea to have a headboard with everything you need. Besides, your items will be safe from dust in there.

4. Hang your pans to save space and time.

Where do you keep your frying pans? We bet they’re hidden somewhere in the oven or deep in the cabinets. If we guessed it, you probably spend lots of time trying to get the one you need, arranging, and rearranging them. Plus, they take up a lot of space that could been used in a better way.

The simplest and the most genius idea is to hang them on the wall. This way you can easily reach the one you need and that cabinet is free for other things.

5. Opt for multifunctional furniture.

If there’s no place for a permanent table in your kitchen, you can always combine it with something. For example, a cabinet, where you can keep your dishes.

6. Keep toys in order.

It’s not just about your kids’ toys, by the way. If you’re into sewing, drawing, knitting, or any other craft, order should be your middle name. When not organized, all these small items create a real mess that can’t fit into the places it should. So take small, big, or even teeny-tiny containers, organize everything, and enjoy your decluttered space.

7. Organize your veggies.

It’s always hard to find a place for some products. Potatoes, carrots, and other things take up too much space when stored in bags. Try file boxes! Pick ones that provide enough air to keep the veggies fresh, and their design ensures they take up no more space than you want them to.

8. Find your perfect shelf shape.

Shelves come in all shapes and sizes, and it’s not that hard to choose something that’s in your taste. These shelving ladders create enough storage space and don’t look bulky at the same time.

9. Use a non-traditional bed.

Bunk beds are cool, but if you don’t need one, here’s another awesome idea. You can arrange a whole room...under the bed! A study desk, book and toy shelves, and even a small storage closet. The kids will be happy with their new, organized space!

10. Throw the ironing board away...

If you can’t find a place for it, don’t buy it. This doesn’t mean you need to stop ironing — find other ways to deal with the problem. For example, an ironing mat is a good idea. You can keep folded wherever you want and unfold it when you need it.

...or hide it somewhere.

If you can’t live without an ironing board, here’s another idea. Have a built-in board that can easily be hidden in the place it belongs and take up almost no space.

11. Turn your bathtub into another storage space.

If you have a small bathroom, another great idea is to lift the tub up a bit and hide all the necessary stuff underneath. DIY it in your own style and make as many drawers as you want.

12. Use every corner of your home.

Asymmetrical rooms often cause us to panic, and we really shouldn’t! All these corners are just perfect for shelves. Don’t leave them empty — make use of every inch you can reach.

13. Dry your clothes by your windows.

This device is called “Blindry,” and it’s a combination of a laundry rack and window blinds. When you don’t need the rack, you just push it up to block out some of the light in the room. Unfortunately, this is still just a concept, but who says you can’t DIY and make it a reality?

14. Add an original coffee table

Even the pieces we don’t usually consider to be good storage can help us organize our space. There are a lot of different variants: from tables with hidden drawers to those combined with small chairs. Just choose the ones you like!

15. Fill your place with pegboards.

These things are perfect for small apartments! You can hang them everywhere from the kitchen to the bedroom and arrange all your small items however you want.

Bonus: Play Tetris with your furniture.

“As if from nowhere...” is a design project by Orla Reynolds. The chairs and tables hidden in the cupboard can add a brightness to your interior. No matter what, you’ll be able to turn them into — a home office, a dining set, and other useful items — they can save you a lot of space.

What ideas do you use to create more space at home? Which ideas listed above would you like to implement in your life? Let’s share our hacks and discuss them in the comments!