Living in a studio apartment can be a liberating experience, especially if you’re making the transition from living with people to living by yourself for the first time. Depending on your space’s size, you might also have questions about effectively organizing your space. Where should the bed go? What are some clever ways to optimize your storage? Are there any kitchen items you can skip?
Here are our best tips to transform your living space into one that can be utilized to the best of its potential. Consider the following as general tips that can also be applied to a one-bedroom space in a shared living situation.
Setting up your studio apartment’s layout
Studio apartments usually max out at 600 sq ft, and the smallest variant can be close to 300 sq ft. The average studio apartment’s size has also reduced by 10% in the last 10 years.
Some of the most common layouts include a singular space that serves the purpose of living, dining and bedroom with a kitchen and closet on any one of the sides. The most common design for a studio apartment looks something like this:
Before we move ahead, here are some expert tips on how you can make your studio apartment look bigger!
Creating the illusion of a bedroom area
The easiest way to solve a studio apartment’s lack of a bedroom division is to create your own — or at the least, the illusion of one. The best way to achieve this is by setting up a curtain, a shelving unit, or a traditional room divider, to create a separate bedroom environment. However, if the space isn’t large enough to accommodate a divider, we advise against it as this can make the space feel slightly claustrophobic.
If you opt against a divider, the following steps can be useful:
- One of the best ways to make your space seem less cluttered is to make your bed every morning
- Anchoring your bed on an area rug can provide your space the visual division it may need, without any vertical additions
- Opting for a Murphy bed, like the one shown below, can help create more space and create a functional distinction during the day — especially when working from home
Sharing your studio apartment with a friend or living in a small space with your partner? Here’s how you can establish personal space while cohabiting!
Ensure your furniture choices fit your lifestyle
Taking your lifestyle into consideration when creating your sanctuary in a small space is one of the best ways to make more with little. You want to be able to host friends, watch TV, and work in a clutter-free space.
Instead of getting a bulky couch, a TV cabinet, dining furniture, and a desk, look for multipurpose options. Some questions to ask yourself before getting furniture for your studio apartment include:
- What activity occupies most of my time?
- How can I best ensure I dedicate space for this activity?
- Do I need a desk for work or can the dining table be used?
- How many people would you host for get-togethers, realistically? If you don’t wish to exceed a couple of numbers at once, a large scale two-seater sofa would be just fine. Ottomans and smaller chairs would also make cute and effective additions.
- What would be considered too much? Are there things you could give up completely to make your setup more streamlined? For instance, is there a cafe nearby where you could work instead of your apartment? This can also help manage your work hours and work more effectively.
Here’s how you can create the perfect workspace at (your rented) home!
Organizing your storage
One of the smartest ways to remedy the lack of storage options is by creating your own. Invest in furniture that comes with storage options or create your own. A clothing rack comes in handy when managing a small space. Some people also like to showcase their garments in a way that transforms them into decor. One nifty option is to invest in ceiling mounted clothing racks!
If none of these options excite you, look up capsule wardrobes. They’re one of the smartest ways to curate a functional wardrobe, that essentially involves owning only those clothes that you need.
Another way to keep things from getting cluttered and messy is to keep up with your laundry. Studio apartment living can become cumbersome quite easily if you’re lazy with housework. Doing laundry on time won’t just prevent piles of clothes on the floor, but also ensure you don’t end up buying clothes excessively.
Make de-cluttering your mantra
There are two ways to make this work:
- Only purchase essentials
- Do not buy more food than you need for a week
Yeah, we all love our cooking and the pandemic did scale us all to Masterchef status this past year, but do you really need a 12-piece knife set? Yeah, there isn’t a single Zoom call we want to sit through without our coffee, but do you really need the largest Keurig?
Purchasing only those ingredients that you are sure you will finish by the end of the week is also the perfect way to regulate your grocery bills, minimize trash, and optimize your kitchen’s small space.
This is a great place to start, especially when you’re ready to move into your first ever studio apartment! Studio apartments serve as a great budget option for anyone that’s living by themselves for the first time. Working with small spaces also gets the creative juices flowing — and oh, creative they get.
Need some more Roomi in your life? Have your pick from Roomi’s endless recommendations crafted to your needs. Doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a room to call home, a couch to call your bed or a mate to share these with! Download the app here — and get surfin’
