One of the major benefits of living in a smaller home is that they're a lot more budget-friendly – but the trade-off is that you have less space to work with and need to be a lot more careful and creative with how you furnish and decorate.

Fortunately, there is always a way around this, and you can still make your tiny apartment feel like a personal mansion if you employ a few simple strategies.

Here's what you need to know about making the most of a small space.

 

Plan Your Layout Carefully

First of all, remember that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Consider the amount of space you have before moving in, and how you might best fit your furniture into the room. If you don't already own a sofa, coffee table, etc., you'll be able to purchase items that fit the room and figure out if small sectionals will fit better in your space or if you should stick to a loveseat and a tub chair.

However, if you already own all your furniture, you might need to play around with different layouts or even consider selling what you have.

 

Keep it Light and Bright

Lightness will help add space to your rooms. A dark room with dark furniture and décor can easily feel smaller and more cramped than a room filled with natural light and bright décor.

Opt for lighter neutrals for your main furniture pieces (sofas, TV units, bed frames, etc.) and try to make the most of the natural light available to you. If your apartment or a specific room doesn't get a lot of light from windows, try to ensure that you use bright, white lighting to brighten up the space.

 

Remove the Clutter

A cluttered room will always feel more cramped and chaotic, so it's important to remove the clutter and keep it out of your home.

The first step to take here is to have a major decluttering session – this might take a few hours or even days if you're really thorough and intentional about it. Get rid of items that don't need to be there – especially items that lie around on shelves, tables, and countertops for no reason.

The next step is to be intentional and minimal with your decorating. Don't clutter your space with hundreds of photo frames, trinkets, vases, candles, and other functionless items. Keep a few décor pieces that really contribute to the space or mean something to you.

 

Get Creative with Storage Solutions

Finally, make sure that your stuff is all packed away and off your countertops by using smart storage solutions. If your apartment doesn't have a lot of cupboard space, see what items you can add to each room to give yourself more storage and make use of the space you have wisely.

You can find loads of additional tips online that will help you come up with innovative storage solutions.