When you live in a small apartment, you end up getting really good at utilizing space. Everything has multiple purposes, and if it doesn’t, it has to go. Take it from these tiny living experts. They are masters of making small areas feel big and creating new storage areas in unexpected places. You will likely be both impressed and amazed by the sheer ingenuity of some of their space-saving ideas.
From the couch that pulls out into bunk beds to a countertop that slides out to make a giant kitchen table, these 75 ideas will give you a lot to think about. Fitting your life into a tiny space doesn’t have to be burdensome. In fact, there is a whole world of exciting possibilities.
Placing the sink overtop of the base of the bathtub is a great way to free up some room in a bathroom. Your head goes at the other end of the tub, so it’s not like the sink is really going to get in the way. Plus, it’s still easily accessible when you need to use it.
Student dorm rooms are often crowded. One of the worst parts is that you don’t get your own space. However, this one is divided in a really unique way that helps to maximize privacy.
This tic tac toe art piece isn’t just to look at. It also serves as a storage rack for toilet paper. It’s both beautiful and functional.
This space combines a study and a sitting area. It includes a desk and a bench to relax on. The two furniture pieces seem to flow right into each other.
Toiletry items can be stored on a rack over top of the toilet. It’s much easier than installing a hanging shelf but provides just as much functionality. Additional shelves can be removed or added on depending on how much space you have.
These shelves are very creative. They divide the room while also creating some additional storage spots. We love how they painted the wall different colors on each side.
Here we have another great spot to place a sink — above the toilet reservoir. It is a two in one item made by Athena. The toilet is small enough that the sink is still easily within reach.
This bed is essentially hanging from the ceiling. It’s one of the coolest little lofts that we have ever seen. If you have a tiny apartment, but tall ceilings, something like this could be a great fit for you.
These shelves are a little unconventional. However, that’s the point. They will make your home really stand out while providing a place to store decorative items, wine, and flowers.
This desk opens up into a makeup station. It even has a built-in mirror on the underside of it. Whenever you need to study, it folds right back down.
A side table doesn’t have to be boring. This one is a true work of art. It has a solid top, but can still be moved around. Plus, there is a lot of space underneath for storing additional items.
Caesura brand furniture is modern and transformative. This piece starts as a bed but folds up to reveal a couch underneath and a shelf above it. Everything fits together flawlessly.
All of the cleaning supplies are hidden in the side of this kitchen cabinet. It’s a great idea. There isn’t a lot of depth in the compartment, but it’s big enough for brooms, trash bags, and cleaning chemicals.
At first glance, this just seems like an empty room. However, there is a lot more going on than meets the eye. There is a ton of storage tucked underneath the floorboards of the room.
There was a small amount of wasted space on the side of this kitchen countertop so they built a little area for storing spices and grains. It’s only about four inches deep, but that doesn’t stop it from being very useful.
In a tiny apartment, all space should be utilized. Instead of just having a bench, why not build cabinets into the underside of it? There is even a power outlet inside this one.
Designer Atelier Chang created this beautiful slide-out dining table. It’s classy, sophisticated, and simple. It looks fantastic when juxtaposed against the hardwood floors.
This nightstand has so much storage hidden inside of it. There are side drawers and a main top one. In addition, there is an open compartment at the bottom for holding books or towels.
A lot of bathroom mirrors have storage behind the mirror. However, this is the first time that we have seen one with slide-out side compartments. It’s a very neat idea.
This little picture ledge can be purchased at Ikea. If you are short on space, it can even function as a nightstand for your bed. It will give you a place to put your phone and other items while you sleep.
Here we have a space-saving corner desk. It pulls out of the cabinet on a swivel. Your laptop and other devices can still be stored on it even when it is pushed back in.
It’s a wall bed and a table. They both fold up into the wall when not in use. Not only is it extremely practical, but it’s also really cool.
In this image, designers at Icosa showcase how a loft can create a lot of additional space in a room. That’s just one of the features they’ve highlighted though. Another fun part is how they converted a wall into a whiteboard.
Instead of placing a bulky coffee table in front of your couch, consider using a small end table. You can still eat off of an end table and place things on it, but it takes up significantly less space.
Big mirrors placed on the walls give the illusion that a room is larger than it is. They can help to make you feel less claustrophobic, even if your living space is very tiny. It’s a very useful technique.
Originally, it was an open floor plan studio apartment. Adding a sliding barn door into the space helped to provide some privacy in the bedroom. It was an easy upgrade that made a big difference.
Using a mini-fridge instead of a full-size one can help you to save a lot of space. Even if you have roommates, it’s still doable. You just have to be more conscious about your food choices.
Here we have another person who installed a sliding barn door in the bedroom for additional privacy. It looks amazing. It has a very rustic feel to it.
If you use light colors, it can make an area seem more open. Dark colors have a closed-off feeling. However, the space in this photo is extremely inviting.
Another smart idea is to select a smaller bed. A twin or full-size bed for one person is probably sufficient. Unless you are extremely tall, you don’t really need a queen or king-size one.
This spice organizer can hold up to twelve spice containers. It can be installed on the side of any cabinet. The spices just clip right in.
Plastic storage containers can be tucked underneath a bed. It’s a great way to utilize the space under there while still keeping everything organized. Without containers, things can get cluttered very quickly.
33. Driftwood Jewelry Organizer
This hanging driftwood is both artsy and useful. The woman uses it to hang her jewelry up. One of the rules of minimalism is that all art should have a secondary purpose.
This product can be found at The Container Store. It’s a dorm bed riser. It lifts your dorm bed a few feet off of the ground so that you are able to store stuff underneath it.
Having organizers in your drawers will bring some sanity back to your life. If you let your apartment get too cluttered, it can cause unnecessary anxiety. You might not even realize it.
This product is super cool. It is designed to squeeze into the space between your cabinet and refrigerator. It rolls right out whenever you need to access it.
Hang a box or magazine holder on the inside of cabinets to create a new shelving space. It can be used to hold cleaning supplies or other items. That way you won’t have to dig through everything in the cabinet to find what you need.
The chairs and desk of this design project actually fit into the cracks of the shelves. It’s really incredible. Unless you are already aware, you wouldn’t even know they were there.
This solves one of the most annoying problems people have when mounting a TV — what to do with the wires. All of the wiring for the TV and cable box fits into a cabinet behind the mount. It’s really well done.
Pegboards attached to the wall open up a lot of possibilities for hanging things. You don’t necessarily have to use them to create your own personal crafts corner like this person did, however, you definitely can if you want.
Wooden headboards have a much nicer look to them than metal ones. The headboard of this bed containers slide-out drawers on the sides of it. They can be used in place of a nightstand.
If you are going to place a coffee table in your tiny space, you might as well make it a really cool one with a lot of storage space inside. This one definitely fits the bill. It opens up from the top.
Hanging your pans can save a bunch of cabinet space. Pans are both clunky and large. However, when they are hung up, it gets them out of the way, while still keeping them within reach.
The blinds of this window fold down into a drying rack for your clothes. It’s pretty ingenious. Not only does it save space, but the air from the window can dry everything naturally too.
The door of the cabinet folds out into a Murphy table. When not in use, it folds back into the wall. A practical setup like this can help you to make the most out of your tiny kitchen.
A lot of people have a corner in their home that isn’t being utilized currently. Why not place some floating corner shelves there? That’s what these people did.
Toys often have a tendency of ending up in giant piles. Kids just aren’t great at organizing. However, by using a mix of shelves and labeled containers, you can encourage them to clean up after themselves.
Most people have never thought about turning their bathtub into an extra storage space. Although, this photo proves that it is definitely possible. Just lift the bathtub off the ground a little bit and install a cabinet or drawers underneath it.
There is never a great place to put produce. A lot of individuals just end up letting it sit on the counter. A better strategy involves using tall mesh containers. It will free up more counter space for when you are actually cooking.
Ironing boards take up a lot of valuable closet space, even when folded up. However, this one fits right into the wall. It can easily be put away and pulled back down when needed. The drying rack behind it in the back is retractable as well.
Try picking shelves that are the right shape for the room. Some people prefer rectangular shelving. However, this ladder shelf looks fantastic in the corner of the bathroom.
Sleeping on what is essentially a bunk bed might not be appealing to some adults. Although, it is a great way to make room for other things. This person was able to fit a work station and a closet underneath it.
If all of these spice containers were placed on the counter, they would take up a massive amount of counter space. When placed on the wall, they take up vertical space instead. It’s much more ideal.
Folding shoe drawers are something most people have never heard of. However, every apartment could use one of these. You can fit a crazy amount of shoes in them.
Food doesn’t always have to be stored in pantries and cabinets. This photo shows how it’s possible to store things like nuts and grains in a drawer instead and still stay organized. You just need a bunch of containers or jars.
Here is another smart hack for storing shoes. You can build a PVC pipe shoe rack. You can make it as tall or wide as necessary.
A dish drying rack that squeezes into a corner can save a lot of space versus the bulky rectangular kind that people normally set next to the sink. The creative design means that it can still fit just as many dishes too.
It’s pretty surprising how much space can be recovered by placing shoes on angled shelving versus flat shelves. The v-shape is perfect for the job. Plus, the shoes are still displayed very nicely.
They sell divider boards that can be inserted into drawers. Of course, it’s also possible to make your own. You could easily create some by cutting up sheets of cardboard.
This wardrobe was built right into the wall of the room. It proves that even in a small apartment without a walk-in closet, you can still make do. You just have to be more creative.
Using opaque glass doors for your bathroom helps to allow more light in and make it feel more spacious without compromising on privacy. The same goes for opaque windows and skylights.
There is a lot packed into this tiny room including a bed, a study, and a wardrobe. The mix of good design and color choices makes it feel very open. It doesn’t seem crowded at all.
63. Bathtub With Cabinets
A bathtub takes up more space than a shower and is kind of a luxury item. However, if you build cabinets and other things into the bottom, it can be easier to justify the splurge. This one looks amazing and is well worth the space.
This room has a bed, closet, and desk all packed into one small corner. It’s pretty amazing. We just hope that no one trips and accidentally falls off of the studying area. It seems a little dangerous.
Some shower curtains actually have pockets built into the side of them. They can be used to hold towels, wash cloths, soaps, and other bathroom items. You won’t need to install any additional shelves.
One of the greatest benefits of having your bedroom upstairs on a loft is that it will give you more privacy in your studio apartment. The bed won’t be immediately visible when someone opens the front door.
You would never even know that there was a bed hidden in this wall. That’s how great the design is. At night, when it’s time to sleep, the bed folds down and is ready for you to jump in.
You could have all of your friends sleepover with this setup. Two additional beds slide out from underneath the top one. It is a great idea for a small kid’s room.
Many beds these days are being built with space-saving features in mind. For example, drawers that are built into the base. The drawers are very easy to access and much better than just throwing things under the bed.
You can use shower rings to hang up multiple scarves on a coat hanger. It is much more efficient than putting one scarf on each hanger. Plus, none of them will get tangled up.
This chest is full of drawers and is extremely narrow. It is the perfect choice for storing toiletries in your bathroom. It even has a top compartment for medicines or other small items.
The pots and pans not only hang up on hooks to save space, but the whole rack actually slides out of the kitchen counter. It’s a two-for-one space-saving technique.
Instead of leaving your wires strewn around on the ground haphazardly, consider putting them in toilet paper tubes to keep them organized. It’s much smarter than tossing them in a drawer or bag where they can get tangled.
Magazine holders aren’t just for magazines. They can also be used to hold things like hair straighteners and other hair styling tools. They will save you a lot of space on your bathroom counter.
Installing shelves in your pantry or refrigerator will allow you to store several times as many items. Sure, you could just stack a bunch of cans and bottles up on top of each other, but it wouldn’t be very easy to access them then.
