Apartment living isn’t for everyone. Today, the average size of a new apartment is just 941 square feet. That may not be too bad if you are living alone, but add in a partner, a roommate, or even just a dog or cat and you may begin to understand what feeling claustrophobic is like.

If you live in a small apartment, chances are, you want to feel like you have more space than you do. There are a number of simple things you can do to accomplish that goal. Most of them are quick and affordable and you will feel the benefits right away after implementation.

Somewhere along the way, you may have found yourself visiting an apartment even smaller than your own, yet it felt much bigger. That person knew these apartment hacks and put them into action. Read on and you can too.

Five Apartment Hacks for Small Spaces

Try one at a time or try them all at once. These apartment hacks will change your space, and in turn, will change your life.

1. Keep Things Open

When you don’t have much space, it’s easy for that space to get crowded with your stuff. Do you really need all of that stuff? Minimalism is all the rage these days, so take some time to really think about what you need to keep and what you can toss or give away.

Once you’ve whittled down your stuff quite a bit, consider storing most of it in open vessels. Bookshelves are great, but so are cabinets with the doors removed. When you can see everything you own, you will keep it organized, and it will make your space feel bigger, too.

2. Let There Be Light

If you have a lot of windows, pull up the blinds and let that light shine in. Keeping your curtains open will let the outside in, and will create an optical illusion of more space as outdoors and indoors flows together as one. When looking for apartments for rent, big windows should be one of the first “wants” on your list.

On the other hand, if you don’t have a lot of opportunities to let in natural light, use artificial lighting to your advantage. A small, dark space will look even smaller if you don’t light it well. There are so many bold and exciting lighting options out there, from track lighting to spotlights, to fairy lights. Try a bunch together.

3. Use Mirrors

One of the oldest apartment hacks in the book is to use mirrors to make your space look larger. A few strategically placed mirrors will make any room look twice as big, and if you incorporate light into the equation, your apartment will be brighter, too.

4. Get Creative With Storage

There are so many amazing storage solutions out there today. If you’re going to buy a bed frame, for example, look for one that has drawers in the base or that can pop up for interior storage. You also can find seating that has storage space hidden inside of it.

A trunk adds a classy touch to any room and can be used as a table while hiding less-often-used items inside. If you pull your couch a few inches forward from the wall, you’ll be amazed at all you can store behind it.

5. Consider Stackable or Foldable Furniture

Many apartment dwellers enjoy entertaining, but there simply isn’t enough room for a dining room table and chairs in many smaller apartments. Consider investing in some foldable or stackable chairs and install a wall-mounted, folding table for dining. This way, plenty of room for your friends is available when you need it, but it’s out of your way when you don’t.

Happy Apartment Living

Each of the above apartment hacks will be easy to incorporate into your life and home and will make a huge difference. Soon you will be amazed at how much space you actually have in the same space that felt tight before.  Good luck!