If you haven’t done so, watch the skit about “Stuff” by the incomparable George Carlin. Though produced almost 30 years ago, the genius of its underlying message still holds true today! In an effort to scale back and simplify one’s life, more people are choosing to live in smaller homes or apartments. Doing so has its advantages: smaller footprints make for easier management and maintenance. Yet, it can also be easier to decorate, all without feeling as if you are compromising on taste and style. So, who needs a 5000 sq.ft. “McMansion”? See how using multi-functional furniture, round dining or kitchen tables, platform beds, and other clever ideas and products can maximize versatility in your small apartment. Here are 10 smart tips to help you get started…

1-Understand How Traffic Flows Through Your Apartment

Define the traffic flow through and around your small apartment with clearly defined pathways. Avoid placing furniture in areas that require awkward or potentially dangerous maneuvers.

2-Incorporate Multi-Functional Furniture

Designers and engineers have been busy in the last few years coming up with clever new ways to take multi-function furniture to a whole new level! Sofas that become beds and coffee tables that double as dining tables are just two of the creative ways people can now maximize space usage in small apartments.   

3- Make Your Walls Useful Storage Areas

Shelves can perform two roles at once, especially helpful in small apartments. First, their obvious role as storage areas. But their second role is that of display case for items you’d like to share with guests, sort of like space-efficient curios!

4- Utilize Round Dining or Kitchen Tables

Round dining tables and kitchen tables are a great way to maintain a proper eating area in a small apartment without having to resort to eating on the couch all the time… Especially important when entertaining guests! Their shape creates warmth and unity. Always space-efficient, many types can be expanded with foldable leaves.

5- Downsize Your Current Furnishings

Large sectional sofas may be able to accommodate five sumo wrestlers, but they simply won’t work or fit in small apartments. Furnishings that look good in small spaces are typically abbreviated, streamlined and efficient.

6- Consider Platform Beds

Platform beds are incredibly versatile by virtue that they do not require box springs. This frees up a lot of area typically occupied by one for storage space underneath the mattress. Drawers or shelves running lengthwise along the bed, as well as in the footboard and headboard, are not uncommon design elements. It’s like having a dresser where you sleep! 

7- Make Efficient Use of Light, Both Natural and Artificial

Thinking one lamp or fixture is going to save you a bunch of space in your small apartment is only going to keep you in the dark! Light window treatments and cellular shades allow natural light in without compromising privacy, while track lighting fixtures that plug directly into wall outlets offers good illumination and pulls the eye upward, making your ceiling look higher and the overall space appear roomier.

8- Control Clutter

Decorating a small apartment requires more restraint compared to larger dwellings, and with that in mind, controlling the clutter of decorative items like candles and centerpieces is paramount. Provide open spaces where the eye can rest, and be selective about the objects you display. Ideally, choose one distinctive piece over a large collection of smaller pieces.

9- Decorate With Artwork

All homes look great with some artwork on the walls. It can help small spaces by tying furniture together, providing color and depth to an area, it can conceal flaws in the walls, and draw attention away from unattractive elements. Plus, it allows you to announce your style to all the world!

10- Once organized, stay organized

We know it can be difficult to organize your items, and continue to do so on a day-to-day basis, especially in the hectic lives many of us lead. But when space is limited, remaining organized is crucial to the perception that you are not being crowded out by stuff. Doing so will make you feel great about going home each evening and keep George Carlin’s beliefs alive!

With some careful planning and some discipline on your behalf, furnishing and living in a small apartment can be a tremendously rewarding experience that will bring pride and satisfaction each time you open the door!