Living in New York City certainly has its perks — but generally, space isn’t one of them. In fact, recent studies have shown that the average home size in New York is only 866 square feet. One of the biggest challenges of living in a space that small is finding a place to keep all of your things — especially in a way that is functional, and looks good, too. If you live in a tiny New York apartment, check out the list of organizational tips below. These ideas for stashing your stuff will ensure that you can reach it all easily, and that your space feels livable and looks great.
Use Every Surface
Sure, you probably have a closet or two in your space, but that’s not the only place you can use for storage. Take advantage of every possible surface in your apartment — including the backs of cabinet doors, open wall space and, of course, under the bed. Add hooks to the backs of doors and hang items like towels, brooms and mops on them. Use empty wall space to install shelves. When space is at a premium, you can’t afford to let any of it go to waste.
Simplify, Simplify
Having a lot of things can feel nice — but when you don’t have a space for them all, it can make your life feel cluttered. Go through all your belongings once a year, and get rid of anything that you haven’t used in the last year. Decluttering is a great way to ensure that you stay organized. Once you find items you’re not using, consider donating them to charity — it helps people out, and feels good, too.
Hang Pots and Pans
Find a wall in your kitchen, and use it to hang your pots and pans. This frees up cabinet space, which you can use to stash other items (even if they’re not kitchen specific). You can find a pot rack from a home goods store that is intended to be used for hanging kitchenware, or simply buy a pegboard and hanging hardware from a hardware store, then use them for organizing your cookware.
Raise Your Bed
Under the bed is an excellent spot to stash stuff that you don’t use that often, like holiday decorations and out-of-season clothing. To create more space under your bed, put it on risers. Risers lift a bed up a few inches, meaning you can stack more things there, out of sight. To take advantage of the space under your bed, consider buying storage boxes specifically designed for that space. They will easily slide and stack under your bed.
Buy Multipurpose Furniture
When buying furniture for your apartment, consider pieces that are multi-use. For example, an ottoman can have storage inside of it, where you can keep linens and blankets. Or a coffee table with a liftable surface to offer space to stash remotes, magazines and more inside. Buying multipurpose furniture gives you more space for organization, and cuts down on the need to buy even more furniture for storage (like chests and shelves).
Living in New York can be a challenge when it comes to finding a space that can fit all of your stuff. Luckily, what you sacrifice in apartment size in the city, you make up for in exciting opportunities. Ready to find the perfect apartment? Start HERE.