The average one-bedroom apartment in New York City is somewhere between 694 square feet and 890 square feet, but limited space doesn’t mean that it can’t be accommodating, organized, and unique with personalized touches.
Here are some tips on how to make the most of your apartment and live large within your space.
Keep Things Visible and Accessible
Don't spend extra hours digging through boxes trying to find things. Clear containers and labeling systems are ideal for everything from long-term clothing storage at the top of your closet, to baking supplies in your kitchen cabinets.
Additionally, store your often-used items in easy-to-reach areas and make sure they’re not too far away from where you use them.
Decorate With Dual-Use Furniture
Furniture with hidden storage is a genius invention and practically required for a one-bedroom apartment. A hollow bench, trunk, or ottoman can give you extra space to place to stash items like your cleaning supplies, so they aren’t an eyesore. They can also provide additional seating when you have guests over, or double as a table.
StuyTown classic finish living room
Maximize Vertical Space
Your apartment probably has more space than you think—on the walls. Adding extra shelving space can help you organize your apartment by keeping your belongings off the floor but still in sight.
High shelves are perfect for storing hardly-used keepsakes and decorative tchotchkes, while shelves within reach can hold any items you want to keep accessible and visible. Rather than cluttering up your entryway with a coat rack or table, consider hanging hooks on the walls for your keys, jackets, and umbrella. You can also hang floor-length mirrors to give the illusion of more space.
Control Your Cables
Electronics come with unsightly cords and cables. They also pose a risk of tripping over them or even just gathering dust in the corners of your apartment.
Reduce tangles with cord zippers and cable ties, and go the extra mile with some labels, so you always know what you’re unplugging.
Experiment with Room Dividers
Many apartment dwellers embrace the open floor plan look, but you can also make the most of a small space by dividing the open space. Room dividers can help you create a designated area for a home office or dining room or keep clutter hidden.
Practice Regular Decluttering
Keeping your one-bedroom apartment from becoming a storage unit means doing more than just spring cleaning. Decluttering is as simple as taking stock of your apartment every few months and noting where your belongings have ended up over time.
Being aware of your habits—like leaving your shoe rack in the bedroom empty because you always leave your shoes by the front door—helps you make small adjustments over time to keep your apartment organized in a way that works best for you.
A decluttering routine, whether you focus on a different area of the apartment every day for a week or pick up all visible clutter once a month, will make apartment organization a less daunting task over time.
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