A lot of us are constantly moving cities because of jobs, work, and family. And a lot of us live in rented apartments. I lived in a 2BHK in Mumbai for 11 years in a rented apartment before moving to my own place. But life had some other plans for us. In less than a year, we shifted to Chennai. And I am back to living in a rented apartment again.
“Home is where the heart is.”
And your heart wants all your belongings. It is a fact that having all your belongings around you will make you feel at home and comfortable. This can of course be difficult if you don’t have enough storage and you also don’t want to invest much in a rented apartment.
What if we tell you there’s something that can help you keep your stuff that matters and make your rented apartment feel homely? Well, it’s called smart storage ideas.
We’ve got plenty of storage ideas to share. But before that, let’s sort your belongings so that you don’t end up with anything that isn’t needed in your home. We tend to keep things that we don’t use, and you don’t want to take extra stuff to your new house where you have limited space.
So As I always say Declutter before you start packing.
And Use these ideas to make the best of the space you have in your new rented apartment.
Furniture that serves a dual purpose
Furniture is one of the most essential elements in your house. If you plan to buy furniture for your rented apartment, buy furniture that serves multiple uses. A stylish ottoman with in-built storage can be a fantastic addition. If you don’t have a bed, you can buy one with storage. You can also go for a sofa cum bed for extra bedding space. And in case you have a bed use the under-bed storage options. These functional yet stylish furniture pieces will clear the mess and brighten up your home.
Make sure you don’t invest in something that you can’t move and take around with you.
2. Using up the wall space
Living in a small space can mean that you must get creative and use the vertical space available to store and display your belongings. You can get floating shelves, hanging baskets, adhesive hooks, etc. You can store your books, and put decorative pieces, plants, etc on floating shelves. Floating shelves also make for smart storage ideas – just use them in your kitchen to keep pots and pans, plates, bowls, etc. if you don’t have cabinets.
You may not even have to drill holes in the wall for some. There are self-adhesive shelves available in the market that you can remove and move with you.
Using these ideas, we’ve helped people organize their homes.
3. Revamping and using your old storage trunks
If you have any old trunks, don’t throw them away, they can be of great use and can even be used as furniture with some DIY.
You can give them a fresh look by revamping them. Take some paint and let the artist in you come out. Painting isn’t your thing? No worries!
Just add a nice cloth on top of it, a plant, a candle, or anything that you would like to put on a table. Voila! Your DIY coffee table is ready.
If you don’t want to revamp or use it as furniture, just fill it up with all your extra stuff to use for storage and move them to a corner or to a place where they are not in sight and stack them.
4. Use stackable bins to store stuff
There are plenty of foldable, stackable storage bins available in the market. You can choose a size according to your requirement. These bins can be used by you to store:
· Clothes
· Shoes
· Books
· Toys (if you have kids)
· Laundry
· Kitchen ingredients
· And a lot more
They come with lids, without lids, and zipper ones are also available. As these can be stacked, they won’t take up much of the floor space. Also, it is easy to move them. You just need to put the lid on and move.
5. Using the empty spaces under your furniture
You can use the empty spaces under the bed, sofa, table, or other furniture. The best use of the floor space under the furniture. You can use baskets, bins (closed or open), or any other storage containers to slide under the bed or any other furniture piece. This saves the floor space covered by storage units, especially in small spaces.
6. Using over-the-door organizers
Plenty of smart options are available in the market to make use of the behind-the-door space. You can use over-the-door organizers to store your slippers, toys, extra
clothes, laundry bags, etc.
Be it a rented house or your own, your home is a place that makes you feel the most comfortable and relaxed. Decluttering and organizing your house will make you feel even more relaxed as the surroundings we live in also impacts our mental health.
These smart storage ideas are helpful for anyone who’s moving to a new space or has a small space and not just one living in a rented apartment.
We at Arrange It All help declutter and organize your home with a professional organizer. Connect with us for a free discovery call to know how a professional organizer can help!
BONUS TIPS: With these low-cost storage ideas, you can convert your rented apartment into your homely abode. To make it feel more home-like and give it a touch of your personality, these are my favorite go-to things. :
Bring in your favorite plants
Change those curtains
Change the lighting with floor lamps
Get some new rugs and cushions
Add pictures of your loved ones
I hope these tips were helpful. If you want to learn more about decluttering and home organization, you can attend our workshops and training. Follow us on Instagram for updates, tips, and more.