Smaller apartments can offer many advantages like being in a great location and saving you money on rent each month. However, one sacrifice that has to be made to get those advantages is not having a lot of room. While it may seem hard to feel like you have enough space to comfortably live and entertain guests when they come over, following some of these tips can help make sure your space is properly utilized so you can feel proud of your Ames apartment.

You’ve probably heard this one before, but it is a cardinal rule when it comes to having room in your home. Going through all of your items and identifying what you know you need in your apartment versus what is just taking up space can help create room that was not there before. Get rid of any duplicate things you own or stuff that haven’t been touched or used in a while. In the future, each time you want to purchase something new, think of 2-3 things you would be comfortable parting with to make space.

Trying using as many forms of hidden storage as possible. Use totes or racks to store things under your bed, ottomans or chests in your living room that open for added space, or decorative storage bins that can hold items while still appealing to the eye. Filling this empty space with things that do not need to be seen by you or your guests all the time is a great way to store items without your apartment looking cluttered.

Since you don’t have much room to go out, go up! Using your walls to hang shelving, hooks, or positioning shelving that reaches up towards your ceiling gives off the illusion of more room while also utilizing untouched wall space.

If it’s the middle of August, there is no reason for you to have winter coats, gloves, and boots clogging up your closet space. Before each season begins, make time to go through your closet and remove pieces that you know you will not be using for a couple of months at a time. This will help declutter your closet and remove the overwhelming feeling of having to rummage through all of your clothes in the morning to find something to wear that make sense for the weather.

Using multifunctional pieces in your home can help you save room and increase the functionality of each area in your apartment. Purchase a couch that can also fold out into a bed for when guests visit. Use a table in your apartment that can act as a dining space, or a place to work on homework when you aren’t eating. Finding furniture you can use for various activities can help truly maximize the use of that piece.

You may think that using multiple pieces of smaller furniture will help you have more space in your place, but oftentimes that can take up more room than just having a larger piece of furniture. For example, instead of multiple chairs and a loveseat, purchase one large couch. Consolidate multiple shelves and bookcases and just use one large bookcase instead to show off books, knick-knacks, and more.