Apartment Hacks

If you are renting an apartment, your ability to make massive changes is limited. This takes some of the pressure off, but it also ensures there will be at least one moment during your rental lease in which you sit around and think your apartment looks tired and tiny and that, well, you should just move. Wait! Before you pack up everything and go hunting for your next place, there are a few improvements that can be made which do not require a complete overhaul.

IKEA provides some nice DIY options, but for even easier hacks try some simpler fixes like making your bed, washing your windows, lining your pantry shelves with nice paper and getting rid of unwanted things. A small space can go from cluttered to airy if you get rid of old possessions you do not use anymore. A lot of tips also rely on finding a place for everything you do want to keep in your apartment — storing suitcases behind your sofa or under your bed and constructing built-in bookcases. These fixes can go a long way toward making your apartment feel and look bigger. If you have a studio, it might also be helpful to partition off space and create a “bedroom” by hanging translucent curtains around your bed. Trulia has some great tips for maximizing your space further.