You moved to a great city, but housing costs are expensive and all you can afford is a little studio apartment. You have a lot of stuff to store, and you’re looking for ideas. Whether you’re living in an expensive city like Chicago or a place in the suburbs, we’ve compiled a list of seven great DIY storage tips to help with your new, small studio apartment.
Multipurpose Furniture
Check out this great piece, and although you may have to find a smaller unit that fits your little studio, you get the idea. Empty space underneath beds is wasted space, and although you could stuff some things under a conventional bed, it makes a lot more sense to get a bedframe unit that is made with storage in mind.
Mounted Wall Units
Ok—we know CDs and DVDs are just about dead but think about all of the other items you could store in something like this. Also, there are many open rack-type storage units that you can easily install. Your blank walls may have been cool in your previous large residence, but with almost no space available now, you need to utilize any available surfaces for storage.
Plants
Instead of using up the valuable table and floor space for plants, consider one of these. Vertical storage units are key in a small studio apartment, and there are many varieties available. These are certainly DIY projects as a few anchor bolts are basically all you will need to secure simple vertical shelves.
Closets
Those closet companies may have the right idea, but an upscale closet remodel is not necessary, especially if your closets are tiny. That said, you can make good use of the space that you do have by installing things like attachable in-closet ironing boards for example. And if you just take your ironable clothes to the dry cleaner and don’t even have an iron—all the better!
Room Divider
If your room divider is a plastic vertical bead contraption, that’s not going to save you any storage space. You can, however, use a floor to ceiling shelf as your divider and if you get one wide enough you can store a lot of objects there.
Wall Mounted Table
This is one of our favorite items. You use this table only when you need it, and when you are done, it folds up into itself and is gone. Of course, you can always leave it in its open position, but when folded it up it will create a load of space and make your small studio apartment look much bigger. This is an awesome way to work cool interior design ideas into your small place.
Off-premise Storage
Here’s the situation: You have used all of the small studio apartment storage techniques you can find, and you still have important stuff that you just are reluctant to throw away. Now is the time to consider an off-premise storage unit. These can be convenient and can be rented on a month-to-month basis. In some bigger cities like Austin, TX, a 10×15 storage unit can be leased for about $150 per month.
When considering self-storage, make sure that the operating hours of the facility fit your needs. And be careful that you don’t end up paying a lot of extra charges for insurance when you already might be covered by renters’ insurance.
Also ensure that the facility is rodent and insect-free, that it is well-lit and secure. If your items do get stolen, know in advance whether it’s the storage company’s responsibility or whether your only recourse is to make a claim on your renters’ insurance policy.
Bonus Tip
Before you downsize and make a move to a much smaller residence, take careful stock of all of your possessions and get rid of the items you don’t really need. Do you really have to keep that guitar with a broken neck, all of your CDs that you never listen to anymore, an array of old computer monitors, books you will never read, and those two broken bicycles? Do you really need two garden rakes and 150 feet of leaky garden hoses?
If you are not willing to begin to throw things away, you will have a difficult time in your new apartment. Much like if you don’t know how to pack a suitcase, you’ll have trouble fitting everything in a bag for your trip!
Start with a yard sale, then an estate sale and then give items away to places like Goodwill. If you have a lot of stuff that is basically junk, pay a service to come and pick it up. The fewer items you travel with, the easier it will be when you have to find room for everything.
Downsizing can be managed and studio apartments can be great. Use our tips listed above, and you’ll have a good organizational start as you try to fit your stuff into a smaller space.
Zazzle’s Lifestyle Expert is here to help create life’s best & most important moments. Discover unique ideas and endless inspiration to create meaningful memories with family, friends and your community.
A lot of great tips here. I like the idea of an off premise storage space for larger items and things you do not need as often. Real space saver! Thanks!