Efficient Ways of Furnishing A Small Space

Having downsized to a smaller apartment, you're probably wondering about the best way to furnish it. Fortunately, there is an abundance of furnishing options that can help save and make the best use out of any space you have. Just because you've moved to a smaller place doesn't mean you have to sacrifice comfort or style.

When downsizing to a smaller space, it's important to have a less-is-more attitude towards furnishing. Many would advise stripping down to the bare essentials (a bed, a table, some sort of chair). However, with all of the options for multi-use furniture on the market, it's possible to not only have what you want, but also to have an uncluttered and stylish apartment. Start by thinking about what you most want your new space to provide.

A bed and couch are perhaps the most obvious apartment essentials. However many smaller apartments, particularly studio apartments, waste valuable space by trying to incorporate both a separate bed and couch. Consider instead a fold out couch. Many companies have been making classy versions of this old staple that won't make you feel like you're staying with a guest. If your apartment has a closet to spare, consider getting a Murphy bed, which will sit vertically in your closet until you're ready to use it.

Now, on to the dining room table. Your old place may have had room for a large dining room table and enough seats for dinner parties, but a small apartment simply cannot accommodate that kind of space-eating furniture. Consider instead a hinged, or drop-leaf, table. That way, when you need a big table for guests you can have one, and when you don't, you can drop the sides. Perhaps one of the biggest advantages of using one of these types of tables as a dining table is that they can be unhinged and simply stored in a corner when not in use.

If you plan to work or study from home, there is a wealth of home office furniture ideal for use in small spaces, such as foldable and rolling worktables and desks.

Think vertically. So much available space goes unused in smaller apartments that, often times, have tall walls. By using stackable furniture or even tall shelving units, you can have a place to store virtually anything. Organizing tall shelving units can also help section off a small studio apartment. For example, if you'd like your bed (or fold out couch) to have its own private area, you could hide it behind a taller shelf. You could then even use the back of the shelving unit as somewhere to hang a calendar or somewhere to leave important notes.

The important thing with downsizing to a smaller apartment is being able to do so without sacrificing the basic freedom to be able to move around. After all, what's the point in moving somewhere smaller where you constantly feel like you're living in a chicken coop? By exploring the abundance of options with expandable and multi-use furniture, you will feel right at home in no time.


For more information on everything from interior design to selecting small desks for small spaces, visit my website at http://www.thesmallerhome.com.

Andrzej Kozlowski has written numerous articles on topics ranging from home downsizing to simple living. He is also editor and co-author of the book, "Living Smart: The Money Saving, Eco-Friendly Guide to Downsizing Your Home and Belongings."