Many of us choose to live in apartments because they are often more affordable, and because they are often closer to the shops, cafes, and nightlife as well as museums and other attractions, that we love.
That being said, apartment living is not always perfect. Apartments might be closer to the action and cost you less than the average house, but of course, they are not always quite as spacious as you would like.
Most of us would love to have plenty of space around us so we can do our hobbies, exercise, and home, and even just chill out, without feeling too cramped or hindered by the closeness of the furniture, for example.
The good news is, it is possible to make your apartment look and feel bigger by using self storage and a few other tips and tricks that you should definitely know about if you are living the apartment life.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at what you can do to make your apartment look bigger right now:
Self storage
For those of you who are not familiar with it, let’s first take a look at what self storage is.
Basically, self storage is a sector that enables you to rent storage spaces, typically referred to as storage units, where you can store just about anything you like providing it does not break the rules and regulations of the storage company, and providing that it is safe and legal to do so.
Storage units come in a wide range of sizes from 25-300 square feet, and sometimes bigger, so no matter how much or how little stuff you have, chances are you can find a self storage solution to meet your needs.
How can self storage be used to make your apartment look bigger?
There are a number of ways you can use self storage to make your apartment bigger including the following:
- Store seasonal items
Most of us have a number of items in our homes that we only use in certain seasons. For example, we might play tennis in the summer, but not in the winter, which means our rackets and kit are taking up a lot of unnecessary space, or we might use a lot of heavy clothing and bedsheets in the winter, but not in the summer, which again, means they are taking up more space in our homes than we can maybe spare. By packing them away, when we do not need them, and leaving them safely in self storage units, we can claw back some much-needed space and get rid of some of the clutter that makes our apartments seem even smaller.
- Store occasional furniture
If you are someone who loves to entertain, chances are you have managed to squeeze a big table and chairs, and maybe some other pieces of furniture, into your apartment for special occasions like Christmas and birthdays when you may want to have friends over and ensure they have a comfy space to enjoy the party.
However, these pieces of furniture, can cramp your style and make your apartment look and feel much smaller if you have them there all of the time. That’s where self storage comes in. If you rent a self storage unit, then you can ensure that you have all of the furniture you need to entertain when you need it, while safely packing it away in your unit when you do not, so that your apartment can be as spacious as possible.
- Store bulky sports equipment
If you are someone who loves to ride your bicycle at the weekends or you’re fond of a round or two of golf, but your sports equipment is big and bulky, and gets in the way a lot, then storing it in a self storage unit is a very good way of ensuring you can continue to keep fit and enjoy your sporting endeavours without it having a negative impact on your living quarters.
- Store your library
Books can look amazing when they are displayed on big, heaving bookshelves in the home, but if you are living in an apartment, big bookcases full, of weight times can make the spade seem closed in and often darker than it would be without them. Luckily, most self storage companies will enable you to install shelving units inside your storage container, so you can store your library safely away there. Have a clean out and store any books that you do not plan to read in the near future, and just have your favourites on display, and you will be amazed at just how much lighter and open your apartment feels.
- Store your clothing
If you are someone who hates cleaning out your wardrobe because you simply cannot stand to part with that dress you wore on your first date 20 years ago, even if it does not fit you anymore, then self storage could be a lifesaver for you and your apartment, You can declutter your wardrobe and take back some much-needed space by simply packing away anything you do not wear, or which is not in season and leaving it in your unit until such time as you do want to wear it.
Most self storage places are temperature controlled, so you do not need to worry about your clothes degrading over time in storage, but it is a good idea to seal them in vacuum packs or plastic storage bins with lids before storing them anyway, just to be on the safe side.
- Store those pesky appliances
Many of us cannot resist a household appliance, even if we know in our heart of hearts that we are probably not going to use it much if ever after the initial excitement wears off. The thing is if you have lots of ice cream machines, slow cookers, high-speed blenders, and lord knows what else, cluttering up every surface imaginable, your apartment is going to look a lot smaller and a lot less tidy. You can make it clean and bright again by storing those appliances until you actually feel like losing them. If you don’t use them much, then it won’t be much of an inconvenience to collect them when you do feel like cooking up a storm or whatever.
- Store seasonal decorations
If you have lots of Christmas decorations, Easter adornments or scary Halloween props, but you live in an apartment, and therefore do not have a loft in which to store them, then it is a no-brainer to store them instead. Individually, they might seem like they don’t take up too much space, but if you have a lot of decorations for every celebration possible, it can soon mount up and make your apartment seem surprisingly cramped. It’s much more fun to pack them away and make a big deal out of collecting them and putting them up together when ‘tis the season.
- Store baby gear
If you have lots of baby gear, from cots and prams to clothes and toys, taking up space, then you might be unwilling to give them away just in case you decide to have another child or in case the grandchildren might want them in the future, but they can take up a lot of space. Why not store them instead? That way, they’re there if you need them and you won’t have to spend another small fortune if another baby comes along, but you can enjoy the spaciousness of your apartment too.
What if you find it hard to declutter?
As you can see, self storage space really can help to make your apartment look bigger, sometimes much bigger, than it actually is, and make it far more comfortable for you to spend more time at home too, but what if you are someone who finds it hard to declutter?
Here are a few tips and tricks to help you get started on your self storage journey so you too can enjoy a bigger-looking apartment:
- Just do it
Okay, so this sounds too simple, but it really is the key to cleaning away some of the clutter that is making your apartment seem small and cramped. Start by packing away a single item every day or every time you notice something that is more clutter than functional object or much-loved possession, and you will be amazed at how quickly you can clear out the excess.
- Take it one room at a time
Many people find that tasking their house cleaning and decluttering journey one room at a time works best for them, It can feel overwhelming if you think about all of the clutter you have in your apartment in general, but if you start small, with a room like the bathroom, which is typically less cluttered, you can gain some positive momentum and the motivation of having at least one beautiful. Spacious-looking room, will often be enough to spur you on.
- Give it a home or let it go
If you cannot find a home for an object in your apartment, in a drawer or cupboard for example, then pack it up and let it go to self storage, or sell or give it away if you know you will never want to use it again. When everything has its own place, it is so much easier to keep your home looking bigger, and the cleaning is easier too because you have fewer objects to dust and move around all the time!
- Take photos of mementos
If you have lots of mementos, like holiday souvenirs or letters from an old boyfriend for example, and they are taking up a lot of space in your home, but you are finding it hard to party with them due to the emotional ties you have with them, try taking photos of them instead. That way, you can still look back on the mementos of your life, but they will not be taking up any space in your home, and if they’re safely tucked away in self storage, then you can always see and feel them in person whenever you feel like it too.
- Store like with like
When you are packing things away to put into self storage, then it is a very good idea to pack like with like. So, pack all of your kitchen gadgets into one box and all of your summer clothes in the same vacuum pack, for example. That way, it will be easier to find them again when you need them, and you won’t have to spend ages hunting around for what it is you need.
- Use labels
It’s also a good idea to label all of your boxes before putting them in storage, so you can instantly see what it is you are looking for you. Sticky labels are readily available and will cost you pennies, but they will save you tons of time and effort in the long-term.
- Use stackable boxes
Stackable boxes are the perfect receptacles for any of the stuff in your apartment that you want to pack away to give your home more space. They are great because they make use of the vertical space in storage units, allowing you to pack more in without having to worry about upgrading to a blogger unit.
- Get the family involved
It’s always a good idea to get the family involved in cleaning and decluttering you home, firstly because you may need to ask them whether they have any strong objections to certain items being sent to storage, but also because the more hand you have helping you to sweep the apartment, the faster you will be done. And the sooner you can all enjoy your bigger-looking apartment.
Start your self storage journey today
Now that you know how self storage can make your apartment look bigger, and you have some tips for cleaning and decluttering your apartment, what are you waiting for? Start your self storage journey today.
