9 Storage Tips to Optimize Small Spaces in a Rental Flat

Moving to a smaller apartment doesn’t mean that you have to clear out your closets; it just means that you have to learn how to store your belongings in a smarter way. If you’re thinking of downsizing your living space, or just want to clear some clutter, check out these 9 storage tips to help you make the most of smaller spaces.

Slim hangers save space

If you’re dealing with a small closet, then there’s no room for a mix and match of bulky wooden and plastic hangers. The most efficient hangers for small spaces are the slim and non-slip velvet hangers. Not only do these hangers allow you to maximize space, but they also give your closet and organized and professional feel to it.

Find furniture that doubles as storage

Your coffee table, ottoman, and arm chairs don’t just have to have one purpose. There’s plenty of furniture pieces that double as storage spaces, optimizing your storage solutions. Think coffee tables with space under for books and games, ottomans that open up to a blanket storage space, and arm chairs with compartments under the seat for added storage. Make your furniture multifaceted to add both decoration and function to your apartment living.

Look high and low for storage options

You don’t need to buy special storage units to fit all of your belongings. The best technique for smart storage is to make the most of what you already have. Turn the spaces above your cabinets and dressers and below beds into useful empty spaces, perfect for storing items. You can put your belongings straight on top or below furniture to add some personal touches or maximalist decor, or you can even buy some boxes or soft storage containers to better contain the clutter and make everything look organized while maximizing space.

Hang plants

Plants liven up a living space and offer many benefits to the environment, but they tend to take up space, especially in a small apartment. For those who have a problem with finding enough places to balance their plant decor with their other furniture and belongings, consider hanging your plants to free up some ground and shelving space. Use hanging planters to suspend your plant babies from the ceiling, a slanted wall, or doorway, which adds both a fun decorative element and a smart space solution.

Invest in a decorative ladder

What’s rustic, stylish, functional, and great for storage? If you said a decorative ladder, you are correct. Decorative wooden ladders work great for hanging towels or extra sheets and blankets in a bathroom or guest bedroom, and they also don’t take up much space, so there’s no worry about added clutter.

Baskets and containers enclose the clutter

Dealing with small storage spaces doesn’t mean that every nook and cranny is filled with clutter. Using storage containers, such as baskets, clear plastic containers, and storage bins, help to contain items into one clean and organized space. Put a basket in your living room to fill with blankets, pillows, and magazines. Add clear plastic containers to your kitchen to organize ingredients, under the sink to contain cleaning products, or on a desk to give your work supplies a designated space. Baskets and containers keep the clutter from spilling out, and they also get rid of bulky boxes, which saves space.

Double up when possible

Make your existing storage units multidimensional. If you have a hanging shelf, not only can you fill up the top part with decorations and items, but you can maximize the storage space by also attaching a hanging rack to the bottom that can be filled with jackets, pots, pans, towels, or anything else that needs to be hung.

The backs of doors in closets and dressers can be transformed into smart storage spaces by adding over the door storage racks to place shoes, accessories, and other small items. You can also use this space to add a hanging mirror for extra utility. Additional storage can always be found, you just need to look hard enough.

Think vertically with shelving

If you can’t build out, you build up; that’s the secret to your storage solutions. When looking for places to add floating shelves for storage, consider starting at the ground and working your way all the way to the ceiling to make the most of the designated wall space. Keep the items you use most at a comfortable height, and more decorative items at the top, so you won’t have to struggle to reach. There are also thin but tall shelving units available to fit in small areas between furniture pieces or in tight corners of rooms.

Add a cart

Tiered carts are great, compact ways to get additional storage in tight apartment spaces. They can be used in the kitchen for putting pantry items, fresh foods, or dishes, in the bathroom to organize toiletries, or in the office to store work supplies. These carts can be used all around the house, while also adding a cute decorative element to any space.

Storing items in your Ukio apartment

At Ukio, we always try our best to maximize storage space for our guests, from our largest four bedroom apartments down to our studios. We believe that when moving abroad, your comfortability shouldn’t be sacrificed. Your belongings belong wherever you are because they help make your apartment a home.

If you’re interested in living in Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, Berlin, or Paris, find your new home with Ukio. We offer fully furnished and artfully decorated apartments available for a month at a time, and you won’t have to worry about not having enough space for your personal items during the move. Find our apartments on our website, and we hope to host you soon.