Looking to Decorate an apartment with no storage space....?

Question

My boyfriend and I just moved into a new apartment. It's a nice size 2 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath...but there is NO storage space. Does anyone have any creative tips or great books to recommend for this problem? It's our first place together, so I want to be sure whatever steps I take to solve this issue are guy friendly as well. Please Help!!!!

Answer 1

One of the hidden storage tricks I have used for years is to buy those 30" round particle board tables and cover them with fabric skirts to the floor with a round glass on top of the fabric. I use these instead of end tables in the living room and instead of nightstands in the bedrooms. Underneath the skirt is a wealth of hidden space and in the bedroom,instead of using the legs that come with the tables,I put the round tabletop on a large metal trash can and store out of season clothing inside.....completely dust free! Double duty furniture like trunks or blanket chests for coffee tables or seating at the foot of the bed are another possibility. Hiking the bed up an additional 6" using commercially available bedrisers or large blocks of wood will give you lots of space under the bed for clothes, books, and any seldom used items. In the kitchen, a tall microwave cart with shelves and cupboards will hold extra dishes or even serve as a pantry. A ceiling hung pot rack over or near the stove will probably hold all your cookware. Magnetic plastic shelves that stick to the fridge or the stove can hold your spice collection. With so many really beautiful baskets available, you can store all kinds of things out of sight in them on wall-hung shelves in any room,even the bathroom.

Answer 2

It's always good to buy things that are decorative with built-in storage. Like an ottoman that opens, or a coffee table or end tables that you can put baskets under to keep things in. Try to use vertical space as much as possible. Lots of shelves and tall bookcases. Good Luck!

Answer 3

A medium size trunk can be used for a coffee table and smaller size ones for end tables or even a night stand, all provide lots of storage. In the bathroom the over the toilet shelves provide some storage space.

Answer 4

Depending on what it is you need to store, you might want to consider shelving. IKEA, for instance, has some very sturdy shelving units that are both very inexpensive and quite wide.
Failing that, there are always decorative storage boxes that can double as coffee tables. You could even try storing some items under your bed. We store air mattresses under our bed.
One temptation is to acquire as many things as possible over time which will make storage problems much bigger. So, you will want to keep your things to be stored down to a minimum. If nothing else, it'll make any subsequent moves a lot easier and a lot cheaper as well!
Hope that helps!

Answer 5

For one thing you might want to consider renting a small storage space to keep the seasonal items and extra furniture in.Closets aren't actually that hard to create. Can you afford to hire a carpenter or is your boyfriend handy with tools?You can actually build a free standing closet out of 3 sheets of plywood if you make it tall it enough. It would be a closet that stands up against a wall but wouldn't have wood on the back side. Just a top piece and two side pieces.Add a spring tension rod or shower curtain rod to the front and curtains hung with those clip on rings and there you have it.Insta closet with storage.It'd be a great place to store tall things, and other things that you have stored in plastic containers. You can also add stackable cubed suqares to store items that you use frequently.When it's time to move you dismantle the sides and top and take your closet with you!