Apartment living has its perks. It is usually not difficult to find a perfect place close to work, shopping, or entertainment. Many complexes come with amenities like workout rooms and swimming pools. However, apartment dwellers face challenges too. Here are some apartment hacks to make your living situation a little easier.
The Teeny Tiny Bathroom Situation
Let’s face it, most apartments do not use much space for the bathroom. You may be lucky to get a single cabinet to store all your supplies. Hopefully, there is a hall closet, but if that is not the case, here are some hacks that can help:
- Hang woven baskets to store towels and washcloths: Shop for decorative woven baskets and hang them facing out on a wall in your bathroom. Roll up towels, hand towels and washcloths and store them in these baskets. Not only will this free up space in your bathroom cabinet, it will add a designer look to the room.
- Attach a slotted shoe bag to the inside of a bathroom cabinet: These shoe bags are a great hack that can be used to store anything. Use one inside your cabinet to hold hair products, combs, and brushes, lotions, and anything else that will fit inside!
Plan Your Trips Up and Down the Stairs
Unless you scored an apartment on the first floor with parking just outside your door, you probably have to trek a bit with groceries and laundry. Use these tips for more efficient trips:
- Use a Carabiner to Carry Groceries: Try to shop frequently and stick to your list. There is nothing worse than returning home and realizing you are going to have to make multiple trips to get everything upstairs. Reusable bags can generally hold more items, but if you forget to take them with you, make sure everything is double-bagged. When you arrive at home hook all the bags on a carabiner for one trip up those stairs!
- Create a Laundry Plan: If your apartment does not have its own washer and dryer, create a plan for that trip to the complex facility or laundry mat. Try to wash often to minimize those trips up and down the stairs. And sort before you go. Keep a jar of quarters handy so you aren’t scrambling for change at the last minute.
Storing Shoes and Accessories in Your Closet
Most apartment closets are small. It is hard enough to find room for all your clothes. Try these tips to maximize your space:
- Use shower curtain rods to hang hats: Snap shower curtain rods onto a hanger and use these to store baseball caps and sun visors.
- Pant hangers can store tall boots: Clip tall boots onto pant hangers to free up floor space in your closet.
- Repurpose a Cardboard Wine Box: Not only do you get a discount on wine by buying in bulk, that six-slotted cardboard box that came along with your stash makes the perfect shoe holder! Attach wrapping paper to the outside of it for a more decorative look.
Use Your Living Area as Extra Storage Space
So you have maximized your closet space with creative hacks and you still need more space. Either it is time to get rid of some things, OR try these storage hacks:
- Trunks can have multi purposes: Place a trunk in your living room to serve as a coffee table. Store your off-season clothes or extra linens inside for extra storage. And when you have more guests than seating, you can use the trunk as a bench.
- Maximize the wall space behind your couch: Place your sofa about 10 inches off the wall and store space-consuming luggage and suitcases behind it.
With these tips and tricks, you can make living in an apartment a bit easier. Try some out and let us know what works versus what doesn’t! Happy living!
