Living in a small space can be an excellent way to build character.

Not only will it make you better at determining the importance of items you surround yourself with and enjoy a more streamlined lifestyle, but it will also awaken your creativity in unforeseen ways.

Living in an apartment does come with its challenges. You want it to contain all of the things that you need and love while needing it to be highly functional too.

If you’re planning on moving into an apartment, especially from a bigger place, you’ll need all of the tips for maximizing space you can get.

De-clutter, De-clutter, De-clutter

It’s time to watch an episode of Marie Kondo’s show - something that will get you in the mood to be thoughtful but ruthless. Ask yourself whether something sparks joy in your life, if not, then toss it.

If there are things you simply cannot do without but know you won’t be able to fit them into your new place, think about renting a storage unit close by.

When you’re moving and looking for a moving company, bear in mind that many of them, offer storage services as well. Deciding on a company like that, you will be able to kill two birds with one stone.

You will have much less to worry about.

Using Clutter for Good

If you didn’t manage to shed too many of your belongings, there is a way to maximize your space in an apartment that makes use of your clutter.

You will need to get a little creative here but think of your belongings that are easy on the eyes. Consider how you could organize them in ways that will almost turn them into décor.

If you have too many books, maybe you’d like to color coordinate them on your shelves.

If you have lots of small knickknacks, you can scatter them strategically around your place wherever you find space.

Another solution is to get some nice-looking bowls or boxes where you can gather them so they won’t get in your way.

Maximizing Space with Partitions

Privacy is hard to come by, especially in a studio apartment.

Lots of people decide to use a kind of partition to at least somehow separate their living space from their bedroom.

One tip for maximizing space in a studio apartment, that can be applied elsewhere, is not using anything solid as a partition.

If you use some hollow shelves, for example, and fill them up, you will still get your partition while simultaneously allowing light to flow freely, giving the illusion of more space.

Maximizing Space with Light

If you have an apartment with lots of windows and natural light, you’re in luck.

Natural light makes rooms feel bigger and airier. If your apartment doesn’t get enough natural light for your taste, consider using brighter colors, mostly whites, when decorating. Whites used make a room feel more open.

If you like colors, you can always add pops of color through the rest of décor. Some of the ways to do this are adding throw pillows or artwork.

Another good trick for maximizing space is using mirrors. Reflective surfaces in general give the space a feeling of depth and this can help a lot where you haven’t got space to spare.

Out of the Closet

This goes along the tip about using your clutter for good.

If you have lots of clothes, bags and shoes, there is a way to organize them in such a way that will actually look great and spare you from worrying about closet space.

The main thing to be careful with is keeping it organized. Otherwise, it will look messy and start taking over your space.

Much like color-coding your books, you can do the same with your clothes in any way that makes sense for your particular taste.

Unique Furniture

Use furniture that will serve several functions - that makes use of your space.

You have probably seen desks whose upper parts serve as shelves as well. Something like this checks off both the aforementioned boxes.

Getting a loft bed is also something that can help with space. If you don’t have your bed covering all that space, you can use that space for a cozy reading nook, or working space with a desk and additional shelving for storage.

Another good double use of a bed is provided by dresser beds. They are usually slightly taller than regular beds and contain several rows of drawers underneath the bedframe. This could solve a lot of your closet troubles.

The easiest way to maximize bed space in a studio apartment is to have a sofa bed. This, however, can be a pain in the neck. Most people love to have separate sleeping quarters. Eventually, they stop bothering to turn the bed back into a daytime sofa after a while.