Scott

The tiny apartment. It’s a rite of passage for all of us, whether we live in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, etc. And, thanks to the rise in micro-apartment developments, figuring out how to really live in a super tiny space is more important than ever. If you’ve lucked into a tiny space all your own, follow these tips to help your matchbox feel like a mansion.

A Quick Word About Security

Before you do anything else, it is important to make sure that your apartment is safe and secure. Do not rely on a secured entry way to keep nefarious types from getting in. Why? Not everybody is going to be as strict about the “no sharing the code!” rule as you are. Word gets out, especially in buildings where most of the residents are used to living in dorms. Installing a security system is just good sense (provided your landlord allows it).

The key to a tiny apartment security system--especially if your building isn’t super secure-- is being able to check on your stuff when you are away from home (which, let’s be honest, will be most of the time). A great way to do this, according to the San Francisco ADT site http://home-security.io/adt-security/California/S/San-Francisco/ is to go for a system with Pulse, which will allow you to monitor your apartment from your cell phone no matter where you are. This way if you get an alert you can call the authorities (and your landlord!) without having to check things out yourself first.

Multi Purpose Furniture

The key to making your small apartment feel big is knowing how to choose the right furniture for your space. You don’t want to smash a lot of giant squashy furniture into your space. Instead, opt for pieces that are slightly smaller than you’d find in a larger apartment. A love seat instead of a big sofa. A double/full sized bed instead of a queen or king sized. A two seater table instead of four. You get the idea.

Another important factor in setting up your small apartment is choosing furniture that has multiple purposes. For example, a steamer trunk makes a great coffee table and you can use it to store extra blankets. Instead of a standard bed frame, pay a little extra for a captain’s bed frame because it has drawers underneath and you can use those instead of trying to cram a dresser into your tiny bedroom.

Make Use of Vertical Space

Instead of trying to find ways to hide everything away, why not make use of your walls and put some of your belongings on display? A great example of how to do this is in your kitchen. Instead of trying to put a lot of pots and pans and cooking utensils into already crowded cabinets and drawers, why not put them up on the wall? Hang your pots and pans on decorative hooks that you install in the wall. If your landlord doesn’t want you to put a bunch of holes in the wall, install a wire (weight-baring) rack--sort of like the kind you’ll see in retail stores--and hang your pots and pans on that instead. Put up small shelves to hold the utensil jar and your spices. You’ll make your kitchenware look like art and clear up cabinet, drawer and counter space all at the same time!

Colors Matter

In small spaces, light colors are best. Even if you hate the idea of white walls, you want to opt for as close to white as you can get. White (and very light) colors create the illusion of space. Dark colors make the space look smaller. When you first paint, that dark burgundy you chose for the walls might make the space seem cozy. After a few weeks, though, you’ll just feel claustrophobic.

The same is true for flooring and furniture. If you have any control over your flooring, opt for light colored carpet or wood flooring. While we’d never advocate for white furniture (especially if you have pets), choose light beige or pastel/muted colors for your furniture. Go for bamboo colored shelving instead of cherry wood. You get the idea.

There are lots of ways to stretch the space you have available. You can put up mirrors to create the illusion of more space. You can point your furniture at windows so you’re constantly looking out instead of in. Obviously you can downsize your belongings so that you don’t have nearly as much to store.

Before you do that, though, start with the bones of your space like we’ve talked about here. Once you’ve got the bones in place you can decide the rest.