Apartment Living 101

Apartment Living 101

It doesn’t matter if it’s your first apartment or you’ve lived in apartments your whole life. These tips are good for that studio apartment in your college town, your high rise in LA or your trendy loft in Brooklyn. Make your apartment feel like a home in no time with our Apartment Living 101 Guide!


Keep it Organized

Most people’s issue with apartments is the size and lack of storage. Keeping your apartment clean and organized will help it look and feel bigger. If your apartment lacks storage you might have to get creative or shell out a couple extra bucks for a storage unit or storage locker in your building.

Step 1: Get rid of any useless junk. Go through your things and really think about what you want and what you need. If you haven’t used or worn an item in the last 6 months and have no plans to use it in the next 6 months, it’s time for it to go. Donate old clothes, shoes, books, and electronics. Go through your papers and scan anything important into your computer for safekeeping, recycle the original or get a file box for documents. Use this guide to help you declutter your kitchen.

Step 2: Now that you’ve decluttered and gotten rid of everything you don’t need, it’s time to organize. Utilize the traditional storage you have as much as you can. If you find that you’re lacking closet space, consider storing seasonal clothes in bins under your bed or use this handy double handing trick. For more closet organization tips check out these small storage ideas.

Step 3: Get everything all cleaned up. It’s time to really dive in and get everything sparkling clean. Use this cleaning list to help you get every inch of your home in tip-top shape.


Minimalism is Key

The key to a small space is to hone into the minimalist aesthetic. You don’t have to go full minimalist, but keeping that idea in mind when decorating and purchasing items will help you help keep your small space looking and feeling wonderful.

Don’t buy things you don’t need. Contemplate each purchase and don’t buy things without a specific use. Additionally, don’t buy things that won’t have a home. No place to store it? Look for a smaller option or find a way to go without. No surface to put that knick-knack on? You probably have enough then.

Keep the minimalist mindset while decorating as well. Don’t overcrowd your walls, instead pick a couple of pieces you really like and showcase those. Keep trinkets to a minimum and instead decorate with plants, which will keep your space looking fresh and inviting.

 

Utilize the Space Wisley

When you live in a small home, you have to use your space to the fullest of its extent. Having a huge sectional sofa is not practical and a dining table that seats 12 is going to take over your eating space. Opt for smaller furniture that can be convertible, such as a pull out couch for guests or an extendable table. Tall bookshelves can be great for storage and take up very little floor space. This article has some cool tips and tricks for fitting things you may need in small spaces.

 

Upgrade Your Temporary Space

When you own a house, you can change things as you wish. Hate the wall color? Paint it. Want a new backsplash in the kitchen? Head to the hardware store to start your weekend project. When you live in an apartment or other rented space, it’s not so easy to change the things you don’t like. Here are 5 ways to upgrade your rental space to make it feel more like a home:

Add temporary wallpaper - temporary wallpaper has become huge in the last couple of years and that’s because it’s every renter's dream. It allows you to change the look of your walls without paint and for a decent price. Add an accent wall or do your whole apartment! You can even get wallpaper that looks like tile for kitchen backsplashes. With temporary wallpaper, the world is your oyster.

Window coverings - most apartments come with ugly plastic or metal blinds that break easily, get dirty and look sad. If you can, remove them from the window and add curtains. Store the blinds in a closet, but don’t forget to put them back up before you move out. If you cannot remove them, consider opening them all the way up and adding curtains to cover them

Rugs - most apartments have carpet and it’s not always very nice looking. Consider layering throw rugs over the carpeting. It will cover the ugly beige and you can customize it to match your aesthetic. Click here to find some tips on picking and styling your rugs.

Contact paper - contact paper, similar to removable wallpaper can help you change the appearance of things without causing damage. Contact paper can be used on appliances, cabinets, and countertops. Check out this post for some marble countertop inspiration. 

Swap out your shower head - many apartment showers and quite lackluster. Can you get clean? Sure. Does it look nice and have high pressure? Probably not. Shower Heads are quite easy to swap out and can make a world of difference both in look and experience.

*Make sure you always check with your landlord or apartment community manager before making home upgrades.

Check out these articles for more ways to make your apartment feel more like a home.

41 Easy Ways to Upgrade Your Rental

13 Simple Ways to Make Your New Apartment Feel More Like Home

20 Designer Ways to Upgrade Your Rental

Apartment Decorating on a Budget: How to Make Your Apartment Feel Like Home

Apartment Guide: Room-by-Room Organization Tips


Head to www.diihomestore.com for high-quality items that will help you cultivate a cozier home! DII Home Store offers on-trend storage, cozy throws, tasteful kitchen and dining accessories and much more.

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