Life changes can prompt a move into a smaller space, and you may find yourself having to swap your house for a studio apartment. This move can significantly shift your lifestyle and bring a new state of simplicity, leaving you unsure how to furnish your new home. These tips will help you decide what to pack, what to pass on, and how to adjust your day-to-day to fit your new space.
1. You May Need To Reduce the Amount of Stuff You Have.
When downsizing from a house to an apartment, especially a studio, you may need to reduce your furniture and belongings.
Your smaller space necessitates less stuff — of all kinds. From your shoe collection and bookshelf to your dresser and living room furniture set, every aspect of your home may need paring down.
Categorize Your Belongings
Downsizing is a great opportunity to be critical about what you do and don’t use and what you really want to hold onto. Take full stock of your belongings, and seriously consider what you actually need to bring to your new apartment. Separate your belongings into three categories: things you have to have, things you’re sentimentally attached to but don’t necessarily need, and things you can freely give away.
Bring in Reinforcements
A helpful strategy when downsizing is to have a trusted friend or loved one be “the bad guy” and help you decide what you should let go of. Having to justify how an item will fit into your new home can give you clearer insight into what should be sold or given away. Focusing on the most utilitarian and irreplaceable items will help keep your new space from feeling even smaller than it already does.
It’s Okay to Say Goodbye
Be prepared to let go of some sentimental items. Downsizing can be emotional, and it’s natural to feel attached to certain possessions. This is especially true if you’re going through a major life change. However, it’s important to remember that memories themselves are not tied to physical objects. Take photos of sentimental items and create a digital memory book on which you can look back.
2. You’ll Have To Get Creative With Storage.
You will likely need to get creative with your storage solutions when you downsize. Where you may have had a full laundry room in your home, you may now have a simple closet or no in-unitlaundry machines at all. You may be used to having dedicated storage closets and garages for items like cleaning supplies, coats, linens, or bicycles. However, you may be limited to your bedroom closet and kitchen cabinets in a studio. You may also be used to a full-sized kitchen, but need to figure out how to maximize the usefulness of your studio apartment kitchen.
Utilize Wall Space
Don’t underestimate the storage space offered by your walls and ceiling. You could hang your bicycle from hooks in the ceiling so it’s out of the way when you aren’t riding, but easily accessible. You could also use wall-mounted bookshelves that don’t have a footprint on the floor. Another easy wall-mounted solution would be to mount your TV to the wall, and hide cables with a wall cord concealer.
Invest in Organization Systems
Maximize your square footage with organizing tools like boxes, hanging storage in your closet, and under-the-bed storage. Even bed frames with storage built in can be helpful.
Get a Storage Unit
If you’re reluctant to let go of larger items such as exercise equipment, and your move to a smaller space is temporary, investing in a storage unit could be worth it. However, in many instances, a storage unit is not worth the monthly cost. Do some quick math to figure out if the cost of replacing those items is higher than the cost of renting a storage unit.
3. It Can Help To Find Flexible Furniture.
While your studio may not have a Murphy bed like in the movies, flexible furniture can still be the best furniture for a studio apartment. What is flexible furniture? It’s pieces of furniture that serve multiple purposes, and for budget studio apartment design, it means fewer things to purchase!
Flexible furniture could be:
- A bed with drawers and bookshelves built into it.
- A sofa bed that can be pulled out for guests
- A coffee table with drawers
- A kitchen table that you can use as a work-from-home space
- A dining table with leaves that can be expanded when needed
- A storage ottoman that you can stash your books, movies, pet toys, etc in when you’re not using them
Studio Apartment Furniture Rental Can Help.
Preparing to downsize? Whether you opt to bring a few things (or nothing at all) from your old space, it’s important to recognize that function is everything in a studio-sized space. From room dividers to multi-purpose furniture, CORT Furniture Outlet has you covered. Shop our expansive selection online or in-store to find furniture and decor that suit your space and your style and enjoy up to 70% off original prices on new and gently used furniture.
