7 Small Apartment Problems and Ways to Fix Them

7 months ago

Small apartments are always associated with a lack of space. We rack our brains trying to understand how to save precious inches but still have everything we want. All in all, we get rid of some things as we think there isn’t enough space or they aren’t suitable for a small apartment.

Bright Side introduces some ideas that will help you save some space in a small apartment without throwing your belongings away. There’s also a bonus at the end: small (but still cozy and spacious) 2-story rooms.

Problem #7: No space for clothes.

The most frequent question when it comes to a small apartment is “Where to put all my clothes and shoes?” A wardrobe isn’t the best choice as it takes up too much space and it’s not easy to quickly grab what you need from it.

Solution #1: A cloakroom. Even the smallest flats have enough space to place a cloakroom in them. It takes no more space than a usual wardrobe but it’s much more useful and comfortable: you may supply it with rails for hangers, shelves, shoe units, baskets, and so on. You may also install sliding doors and hang a mirror on them.

If you have a small apartment, you may click here to have a look at different floor plans and choose the ones you like.

Solution #2: An over door mezzanine. One more solution that allows you to use as much space as possible: put cabinets on both sides of a doorway and add a mezzanine right above the door.

Solution #3: Open storage systems. If you have no opportunity or time to change the whole room but still need a wardrobe, you may use open storage units that may be hidden behind curtains. It’s recommended to choose a light plain fabric.

Solution #4: Sliding units for small kitchens. A wall storage unit may actually be full of surprises. It’s a perfect way to take advantage of empty spaces: vertical pull-out drawers are perfect for organizing and storing small items.

Problem #6: No place to store bedding.

Here’s one more problem that people living in a small apartment face — there’s no space to store bedding, towels, off-season clothes, and sports equipment (for example, ski-suits, and etc).

Solution #1: Rolling crates. If a bed has no additional storage space, you may use simple and useful rolling crates that you may buy or even construct on your own and place under your bed, sofa, or wardrobe.

Solution #2: A raised floor with hidden storage. To make your room look empty and spacious, put a raised platform that can hide several drawers and hidden storage compartments. You could even have a slide-out bed underneath and then make the top your home office.

Problem #5: No place to iron clothes.

You always have to fold and open an ironing board and it’s really inconvenient, so you prefer to iron clothes on at least a plain surface.

Solution: A construction with a hidden ironing board. A great decision is a wardrobe with a hidden ironing board, shelves, and hooks for hangers.

Problem #4: Things are everywhere.

An entryway dresser is a total mess since it’s always full of various stuff like bills, phone chargers, and several bunches of keys. But what if you don’t have a dresser at all? Then you probably leave all these things lying around.

Solution: Entryway hang baskets. These small organizers will help you keep all your things in one place.

Problem #3: No houseplants.

In small apartments, we try to use each inch of space including windowsills and that leaves no place for flower pots.

Solution: A vertical garden. You may create a wall-mounted green area so that flowers don’t take up too much space.

Problem #2: No place to store books.

If we live in a small apartment, we don’t usually buy many new books as we don’t have enough space to put a big bookshelf.

Solution: Nook book shelves. You may install an easy bracket system and create a cozy corner.

Problem #1: Dark colors are banned.

It’s often recommended not to use dark tones when decorating a small apartment. Light colors reflect light and visually expand the space. So we believe that dark colors make our small apartment look even smaller. But is it true?

Solution: Dark surfaces. In fact, a dark wall, a part of a wall, or a big piece of furniture can make a room look more spacious. All you have to do is to choose the right tone and never paint all the walls a dark color. Keep in mind the 60-30-10 rule: 60% of a light color; 30% of an additional color (bright or dark); 10% of other small details. What’s more, a dark color should always be matte when it comes to small rooms.