Apartment storage is a tricky thing to manage! Often, we’re dealing with a lack of space and poorly designed layouts. When Kemper and I first got married, we lived in a 702 sq. ft. apartment for almost two years. Recently, we moved into a 907 sq. ft. apartment. We are no strangers to the joys of apartment living, that’s for sure!

So, what do you do with such little space? Today I’m going to share my top 3 tips for apartment storage to help you maximize your square footage and actually enjoy living in it!

Apartment Tip #1: Own Less Stuff

Okay, okay… so maybe that’s not what you want to hear. But, give me a chance to explain. Chances are you simply own too much stuff. Do you *really* need all of your yearbooks from elementary school? The t-shirts you haven’t worn in years? What about the toaster you got in college that sits in a cabinet collecting dust?

When you declutter all of the items that aren’t serving you, you instantly free up a TON of space! Apartments are notorious for their lack of storage, but the issue might be your stuff…and not the apartment.

Do a deep declutter. Get honest with yourself, and let go of things guilt-free. Just because you spent money on it or someone gifted it to you does NOT mean you have to keep it. Seriously. List items on Facebook Marketplace or Poshmark if you need to, and donate/trash the rest. Be free, my friend! I promise it feels amazing.

Apartment Tip #2: Maximize Every Piece of Furniture

IKEA just became your new best friend! Their furniture is inexpensive, but still good quality and it’s intentionally made for small spaces. If you’ve never been to IKEA, it’s a must. Take your time touring all of their sample spaces. They’ll likely give you a ton of inspiration and ideas for your own place. Two pieces of furniture that we have and love from IKEA are our bed and couch.

The couch is the FRIHETEN and let’s just say I’m OBSESSED with it. It’s only $600, it functions as a sleeper sofa, and there is built storage. It’s on the smaller side, too, so it helps the living room look larger. We often pull out the sleeper section just to lay down while we watch a movie. Inside, we store extra pillows for guests and misc. office items in a bin (think computer paper, stapler, extra pens, etc.).

Our bed is the MALM high bed frame with 4 storage boxes. The storage boxes underneath are ah-mazing and hold so much! In our first apartment, we did not have a linen closet so two of the drawers held all of our towels and sheets. We store some of Scarlett’s items in a drawer, and even kept our favorite collapsible drying rack in one. It’s truly the perfect way to storage items away without it being an eyesore.

Apartment Tip #3: Get Creative

Just because a piece of furniture or a closet was designed a certain way, doesn’t mean you have to use it that way. Get creative! For example, our coffee table and side tables aren’t the most “storage-optimized”. When we moved into the new apartment, I didn’t have any place to put the grey bins that previously lived on a built-in shelf. I *could* have bought another shelf, or I could get creative. I chose the latter! The grey bins work perfectly in the open space of our tables.

Another example is to use all of the space in a closet. Go vertical, y’all! This closet is designed to be a coat closet, but we don’t need one. Our coats work perfectly in our existing closet. Instead, it functions as a multi-purpose space for dog food, cleaning supplies, and outdoor items. This hanging organizer works great for closets like these!

Our laundry closet holds all of our Christmas decor. Seems random, but it works! The same is true for a pantry space. If you don’t have one, use a cabinet! I have an entire post on our cabinet pantry organization, here.

Use the top of your fridge, hooks on walls, over-the-door organizers, collapsible tools (another kitchen favorite linked here), and just get creative! I promise, you can make any size space work for you.

Apartment Life is Awesome

Living in an apartment may not be ideal for everyone. But, there are some perks (hello maintenance and lawn care!). If you find yourself in a temporary situation, make the most of it. See it as a challenge, and tackle it head on! Just because the space is small doesn’t mean you’re doomed.

Have any specific questions? Comment below or shoot me an Instagram message. I’d love to help!

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Disclaimer: Some of the links in this blog post are affiliate links. That means I get a small commission if you purchase through the link. However, I make it a point to only share tools and resources I truly love and use.