Studio living doesn’t have to cramp your style. In fact, there are easy and creative ways to make your apartment an amazing abode and utilize space saving ideas for maximum comfort. Whether you’re starting from scratch or already have furnishing you can use, these tips will help you discover how to bring your apartment together.

EVALUATE YOUR SPACE

Studio apartments can vary in size, but most of them have an “open space” where the the living and sleeping area are combined. You may be able to utilize methods to separate the to spaces or  have one a built in partitioned wall. Some studio’s also feature vaulted ceilings and lofts that can be emphasized and add character to your space.

You’ll also want to have a tape measure handy to measure your space and height of your furnishings. For example, you’ll want to take into consideration the height of a lamp or side table. For a side table, you won’t want it to sit higher than the couch. The easiest way to get started is to commit to a style.  In this case, a studio has one room, so you’ll either have to narrow one particular style, or you can try to mix a few together.

Mid-Century Modern – This is a great place to start if you want to mix styling over a span of four decades! Thrift shops are always utilize vintage finds and fill in the gaps with The Midcentury Design movement started in the late 1930s and continued to inspire designers through the 1970s and they are back with some modern touches. This particular style would be a great way to mix

GET RID OF CLUTTER

Nothing makes your home look smaller than clutter. As they say, “more is always more,” and that certainly holds true in a 300-square-foot apartment. When you have stuff crammed in every nook and cranny, it will make your apartment look busy and cramped. Even if you don’t have a ton of stuff, trying to fit it in such a small living area might make you look like a hoarder.

Clean out your closet and get rid of the knick-knacks you’ve been carrying around for years. You’ll only have room for the essentials, so anything that is non-essential needs to go!

ORGANIZE 

It’s time to find a good place for everything. Since you’re working with a small space, you need to make the most of it and organize your belongings.

Identify a place for everything and make sure it all fits neatly. If you have shelves or open areas above cabinets or below tables and chairs, use bins that match your décor so you can hide what’s being stored but it will still match your décor and style.

Avoid storing lots of items in open areas. Instead of having stacks of books on top of your nightstand, keep the surface clean by putting the books in a bin or drawer underneath. Keeping visible surfaces neat and clean will make your apartment look cleaner and open the space up.

DUEL FUNCTIONALITY

You won’t have room for all the separate pieces of furniture you want, so everything needs to have more than one purpose. Some ideas include:

• Use a table as both your workspace and eating area instead of a traditional desk and kitchen table
• Get a storage bench to sit on at the table instead of chairs to hide items you’re not using
• Use a daybed where you can sleep at night and use as a couch during the day, but won’t make your apartment look like a bedroom when you have guests over

Using these functional pieces will cut down on the number of items in your apartment, while still being practical and serving the purposes you need.

KEEP IT BRIGHT & LIGHT 

Darker colors make rooms look smaller, while light colors will make the room brighter and feel larger. Stick with light colors as much as possible, like whites, light grays and pastels, especially when choosing pieces of furniture or larger décor (bedspreads, wall art, etc.). When using natural elements, try going for light woods such as bamboo and birch.

It’s OK to choose décor that’s dark, but make sure it’s the smaller pieces. Use darker colors as more of an accent or to add variation to a section of your apartment that doesn’t have much color.

Avoid storing lots of items in open areas. Instead of having stacks of books on top of your nightstand, keep the surface clean by putting the books in a bin or drawer underneath. Keeping visible surfaces neat and clean will make your apartment look cleaner and open the space up.

ADD A MIRROR OR TWO

Adding a mirror in your main living area will help reflect light and add a little depth to your apartment. You can use one large mirror or a collection of smaller mirrors and hang them on the wall.

Or, if you can’t hang mirrors, try getting a tall standalone mirror and putting it in an unused corner — there are even some standalone mirrors that have storage compartments, so you won’t be giving up valuable storage space.

MAKE IT HOME

Not every apartment needs to have a designated dining area, living area, and workspace. If you eat all your meals sitting on the couch, maybe a dining table isn’t really necessary. If you hardly ever work at home, maybe you don’t really need a desk. Think carefully about how you live, and build a home with the things you really need, as opposed to the ones you just think you need.

For young people living on their own for the first time, studio apartments are ideal because of their affordability. However, there’s definitely something terrifying about cramming everything into 300 square feet. As long as you remember to be creative and organized, you’ll figure out how to live in a studio apartment in no time.