The Most Clever Storage Solutions for Tiny Living

Looking to minimize your space to maximize your life? A tiny home or a smaller condo in the city might be just what you’re looking for!

A lot of people these days just don’t want to deal with the ongoing maintenance of living in a huge house, and a lifestyle that allows you to “live light” and focus more on “experiences vs. stuff” is becoming more and more popular, especially with younger generations. But once you DO find that tiny home or apartment to live in, you’ll still likely need to figure out ways to maximize your space.

Here are a few simple pro tips with a BIG impact that will help you maximize your square footage: 

 

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Pro Tip #1: Get a bed that has extra built-in space.

Your bed might be the largest piece of furniture that you have, so you need to make it work for you and serve a few different purposes. Consider lofting your bed so you can use the space below for an office, or get a higher bed that has tons of drawer space underneath. If you have a loft space where you can put your bed, even better! Investing in a Murphy bed or a sleeper sofa is not a bad idea either.

 

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Pro Tip #2: Use furniture that does double duty. 

You don’t ALWAYS need to be using your bed, your sofa, or your dining table. So why not try to find pieces that are multi-purpose? There are some truly innovative ideas out there, and one of our favorite places to look is ResourceFurniture.com. They have some beautifully clever (and space-saving) options, but just browsing their website will also help you get inspired as you start your furniture search. 

“Penelope 2 Dining” by Resource Furniture. “Penelope 2 Dining is a queen-size wall bed featuring an integrated dining table that can seat up to four people.”

Tesoro Picnic Table by Resource Furniture. This coffee table instantly transforms into a picnic table, giving you the option to host guests for dinner.

 

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Pro Tip #3: Make sure you have some type of organization/storage system.

Maybe this means a desk with sets of drawers on each side, or a simple filing cabinet that doubles as a night stand. Either way, you need to have some place where you can organize important documents, clothing, household supplies, random personal items, etc. Having these items out in plain sight will clutter up your space real fast, so figuring out an organization system will be a top priority when you first move in. 

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Pro Tip #4: Take advantage of wall space.

The walls are your friends! You can install shelving, hang things (like pots and pans, your hat collection, your snowboard and skis, etc.), and make that record collection do double duty as decor by installing ledge shelving.

 

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Pro Tip #5: Use room dividers to break up the space.

Pretty curtains, accordion folding walls, or an open shelving unit are just a few of the ways to divide up a room without completely separating the space. You’ll probably still want things to feel open, but you may want some kind of visual barrier for extra privacy.

 

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Pro Tip #6: Get a tall bookcase.

Whether you actually fill it with books or use it to store other odds and ends, a bookcase that’s as tall as possible is an excellent way to maximize space. Pro Seattle tip: Secure it to the wall to make sure your home is as earthquake-proof as possible when and if “the big one” hits.

There are also tons of clever ideas for Ikea hacks out there—here’s one of them (below). Yep, that’s the Billy bookcase with the style factor taken up a few notches:

 

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Pro Tip #7: Use mirrors for both fashion and function.

Mirrors can make a space seem bigger, and you’ll also probably need a full-length mirror anyway. You could totally embrace the mirror idea and create a statement wall of mirrors, or just use mirror pieces here and there for a more subtle approach. 

 

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Our latest condo listing in Queen Anne offers the opportunity for worry-free, low-maintenance living! In addition to a smart design, this urban retreat has a huge patio, a big storage unit, parking, and even its own washer dryer. Click here to see it!