feel free to post your tips on how to organize my small studio apartment. I'm in dire need of support & advice.

background story:
i commute long hours (4 hours per day) going & returning from work daily.
normally left home at 6 morning & arrive at 10 evening feeling super hungry although I already ate dinner at 6 o'clock at the office cafetaria.

arriving home, I have no energy left to clean this place & organizing it.
i used to live in a bigger place before moving to this studio, so the small space is now packed with my belongings.

lots of hotspots everywhere,clutter & too much stuff.
i really need help & motivation to organize this place.
thanks in advance

I'm not much for decorating but I'm well experienced in organizing small spaces lol some ideas...

-Ottomans with storage in them. Great for storing things like extra linens
-Under the bed storage containers for seasonal clothing
-Over the door shoe storage are great for hanging on doors in bathrooms or closets to store cleaning supplies, extra soap, shampoo, conditioner, Etc and of course shoes lol
- Baskets for all your odd and ends!
-Shelves to put those baskets on, if you're able to put stuff on the walls
-You can make an end table or bedside table out of a large trash can with a round piece of plywood on top and a tablecloth to hide it. Store stuff inside the trash can.

Also, you can use area rugs to "separate" sleeping and living areas in your studio, along with bookshelves or screens to make "walls"

Hope that's helpful. Good luck! I know how stressful it can be when you're busy and your house is a mess.

nonameslob
thanks for the tips! so happy to get feedback
what about cooking area? i don't have a kitchen, but i use a small table at the corner to put my rice cooker, electric cooker & microwave. the cooking area sometimes get messy..

I have lived in a lot of small places! I find going to the IKEA catalog (or an actual store if you have one nearby) gives me lots of inspiration. They always have some crazy 250-square-foot or so space to show how everything can fit.

Love nonnameslob's ideas! Do as much double duty as possible (like the storage ottoman, the bedside table). I used to use a small cedar chest with a flat top for a coffee table, with bedding stored inside.

Matching opaque baskets or boxes that fit in shelves are great for storing a lot of small things without looking cluttered. A bookshelf open on both sides holds a ton of stuff and can be a room divider. Apartmenttherapy.com has some great ideas, for example this.

You can also elevate your bed with lifters to get even more storage space

Vacuum bags are a great idea in principle to reduce the size of extra bedding, out of season clothing etc (though I have had some serious problems with the bags ripping; it's a horrible waste of plastic in that case)

Hang as much as you can - a three-tier basket and pot rack (if you have any pots)in your kitchen area, hanging lamps instead of tabletop or floor lamps save precious space. Also hang shelves where you can (google "floating shelves") and hang photos instead of having them clutter surfaces. Hang a couple of plants in the windows if you can Those 3M hooks that stick to surfaces without damage (and are removable) are amazing! I have them everywhere, even on the sides of bookshelves.

And lastly - have you considered a kitchen cart for your kitchen supplies? You might even have a flat cutting board surface remaining if you can store everything on the shelves. Most have wheels so you could pull it away from the wall when needed... Here is a random link to Bed Bath and Beyond (might be able to use that 20% off coupon!) - wow they have some that look like real furniture, with closed-in cabinets, which would give you an even less cluttered look. Those are $300-400 though... simpler ones are less than $100. Also a small kitchen rug might help define that kitchen area...

Could you mount your microwave on the wall or build a shelf for it? I know my microwave took up a lot of space when I had a small apartment. I kept it under the table!

If your place is too small for a kitchen cart, what about a corner baker's rack to put your appliances? Something like


or




Good luck to you and have fun! The main key is hiding things and avoiding looking cluttered.

Hi,

I just moved into a teeny apartment, it's like a big efficiency, small studio. I got rid of a lot of my furniture when I moved here, but I have everything that I need. I try to use the wall space by using a hugely tall and narrow bookshelf, I'm thinking of shelving units too. I have a storage bin downstairs which helps with winter clothes, Christmas things, etc.

Maybe consider The Container Store, or try to maximize your space, especially wall and closet space.

Good luck!

Amy

I love houzz.com...you can just search organizing small spaces or some other search. You'll get some great ideas.

pinterest.com

My fiance and I made a pull our pantry that goes right next to the refrigerator once. Looks something like this:


Ours is a bit deeper as we had a lot of room next to the fridge. It only took a few hours to make, and everything was purchased at the home depot (probably easier as well as we had tools like a drill and hammer all ready) but spent maybe $100 on the materials. This little pantry is a space and LIFE saver.

Get rid of things and use certain items for double duty. WHen I lived in a studio I found a dresser that was a good height and put my TV in it.

I also used a night stand as a side table in the "living room area." I also got a full bed instead of a queen.