How to live & decorate in a small space
First blog post in two years makes for the best First blog post of January 2020! So many aspirations and goals set for this new year. Before I go on with the rest of the post I feel like I need to take a second to recognize the new year and speak on goals, aspirations and manifesting our dreams into existence. I feel like It’s the beginning of my time. Not doing things out of fear and me being my own worst critic has turned out to be my worst enemy. I have so many ideas consistently going through my mind I feel myself always having to jot down notes either on my iPhone app or literally writing it down on paper. I’m making 2020 the year for me to do my best and put all those ideas out to the world. Whether that be on this site, Instagram, Youtube or any other platform!
Making realistic goals for yourself is a start. Not getting into your own head. Going easy on your body and mind. Taking the time to do things that you enjoy doing or having relaxing self care nights at home. Small things like taking a little longer in the shower, putting fresh eucalyptus in the hot shower and making hot tea before bed in a cute mug. It’s in the smaller things. I have realized finding joy in the very small things in life make it much more enjoyable. Making the bed, cleaning your space and lighting a candle for me is a big one!
Do the things that help you feel good no matter what it may be! for me a calm, relaxing, creative and clean environment to come home too and live in is so huge. Decorating my space is number one. I need to visually see my space the way I envision it in my head. I want it to be a reflection of me and all the things I love. It’s all in the details! every little detail combined into one to make the space a put together home!
Me and Robby moved into our second apartment together this past summer. It was definitely a challenge move due to the limited time we had at the time. We were lucky to find what we needed in just two weeks. Which leads me to this post! We originally agreed on a studio apartment. We both liked the vibe and thought it would be something different. Come to find the unit we wanted was actually the only one of it’s kind in the whole complex. It’s considered a “mini one bedroom”. Studio apartments are known for it being one big open space and no walls with the obvious exception of the bathroom. Our apartment has a wall separating the living room and bedroom making it a mini one bedroom. Think of it as a little hotel suite. I call it our thumbalina apartment because it is so mini!. With the unit being under 500 sq ft we had some work on our hands for sure. We really had to get creative with how we were going to fit all of our things and on top of that making everything look and flow nice. After living in the apartment now for five months we have tips and tricks on how you can live in a tiny space but still having fun decorating and creating a space you love!
For starters the Kitchen!
Kitchen
Bins, Bins, Bins!
I’m in the kitchen a lot so for me this was a big one. I want to be able to enjoy cooking with pretty accessories and tools yet still be able to access all of what I need easily. One of the things our apartment does not have is a pantry. So we knew instantly bins were going to be our best friend. We got a bunch of these plastic bins from Target as well as Homegoods. The Container Store is also an amazing place to find stuff like this. Even if you do have a pantry putting bins inside and separating food is such a good way to keep everything organized, in it’s place and easy to find. One thing that is crucial to me is keeping everything the same color and size. Being cohesive with things will make a huge difference, especially when you’re working with a small space. You want to make sure things don’t look cluttered and chaotic.
Tip 1.
Get organized
The Container Store is my favorite place to go when getting organized. The have a specific section for every area and room in your house!
This bin of course is the snack one! It holds all our chips, popcorn, pretzels and other goodies! I was lucky and had this extra little nook space that perfectly fit my cook books. Really love being able to somewhat display these since they really are beautiful hardcover books that finally deserved their moment while not taking up space!
I took full advantage of the situation and immediately bought the Mini 5” Keurig. Hey, anything to save space! Robby did not support this purchase. He’s a true coffee drinker and feels some type of way against Keurig. I’m always out the door early in the mornings and I need my coffee quick on the go! This Keurig is the smallest they have ever come out with and would be perfect in doom rooms or even in your bedroom on a desk. It literally fits anywhere! In the coffee canister I keep the Keurig pods since our actual coffee grounds keep most fresh sealed in the bag.
tip 2.
purge
Grabbed some of the Chrissy Teigan X Target collection. Love that it is stainless steal and the gold accents sold me! I got the remainder of our pans from Homegoods, they have amazing high end brands for their cookware.
We actually got all new pots and pans right when we moved in since our last ones were all non stick. There are sooo many chemicals on those types of treated pans to make them non stick. It was something we had been wanting to replace so we took this opportunity to do it. We had to keep in mind our limited cabinet space and that helped me narrow down the exact pots and sauce pans as well as the different sizes we needed. I kept in mind which pots/pans we naturally use the most and which ones are most versatile. We got these “corner inserts” from Homegoods to stack our pans for more space and easy accessibility. On the bottom level I actually have a huge iron casket skillet that lays flat with my pots on top.
My dream is an all white marble kitchen. I threw marble accents in where I could like the bins, fridge clips and this “fridge mat” I made out of wrapping paper that I was obsessed with.
I have things separated the way I think makes the most since. One bin has all cans and jars, the second has all pasta and grains like rice, quinoa, lentils ect. The third I call my “baking bin” it has all of my different flour, sugars, baking powders and mixes. The fourth holds all of our breakfast type things like granola cereal, oatmeal, bread, Tortillas, and nut spreads. The smaller marble bins hold my sauces and seasonings!
The essentials! Coffee and wine people. Displaying things on accent treys always helps make things look more put together and helps it look like its supposed to be there. Being able to display and make a statement piece with things you use everyday is important and helps the over all flow of the place. By doing this you are able to keep your everyday essentials out on display, having a cute counter statement moment while saving cabinet space at the same time..
tip 3.
get creative with space
I’m pretty OCD when it comes to things that have a pair or a set. If its an out number or only one of it’s kind, it’s out. It is very important to me that my glasses all have a set or pair. This also help with the purging and decluttering of cabinet space.
We actually have the same exact space AND same layout as our last apartment! Unpacking the kitchen was a breeze since I already knew where everything went. I realize this is not a common situation for most. However, We did have a extra little nook cabinet space that our last kitchen didn’t have. It was interesting due to the odd shape of the shelves and the size of the cabinet itself. Normal kitchen items didn’t fit. It took me a bit to figure out how I wanted to use this space and what I was going to put inside. This definitely would have been a perfect spice cabinet but I was pretty set on leaving them in the mini bins. It hit me that this cabinet would fit all of my wine glasses Perfectly! In here fits my wine glasses, flutes and shot glasses. This hands down became my favorite display in the kitchen!
tip 4.
canisters & containers
If It is on the counter, it has to be functional! (but STILL cute!). I recommend a canister set. They are a quick, easy and affordable way to put some character and style in your kitchen while still being functional. The pineapple canister holds flour for quick access since my “baking bin is on the top self and a struggle for me to get. Same goes for the spaghetti! So the spaghetti canister definitely comes in handy. It holds angel hair and spaghetti pasta. We are big pasta eaters so I always need to keep it easily assessable and on hand.
My trusty Kitchen Aid is the biggest and bulkiest kitchen item so I have put it in the corner at both places and it stays nice and out of the way but still accessible.
Always a cute staple kitchen detail. You can never have enough oven towels, but remember you are limited on storage space so choose your towels and mitts wisely.
living room
Another thing our apartment had to spare is space for an eating table. However, it DID come with a two seater bar. Don’t be scared to decorate this area (or whatever area you have) just like you would a dinner table. Just think outside the box! Chargers and mats will jazz up any area. I also got the chrome chargers and mats at Homegoods as well as the crystal and silver candle holders/candle sticks. I chose the candle sticks because they are so skinny and narrow they hardly take up any space apposed to others. It instantly made our eating area a more fancy moment.
tip 5.
use your walls
Regardless of what type of space you are in big or small, artwork is a great way to add life, color, creativity and your own personal style in your space. The best thing is it takes absolutely NO SPACE! It’s one of my favorite decorating tips. One of the other reasons I love this is the affordability. For both apartments I went online to Etsy.com and spent hours (days really) picking out what prints I wanted for each room. On etsy they have ”instant downloads” for you to have immediately and print out yourself. You can go on to either Wallgreens.com or CVS.com to place a photo order that you can pick up same day. They almost always have photo print deals and you can have them print out large sized prints for as cheap as $2 crazy right?! I buy ALL my photo frames from of course Homegoods. They are about $12 a pop depending on what size/style you are going for, but still super cheap.
This Prince picture is definitely my favorite. It was a gift from Robbys mom and is a sentimental piece for us. Not to mention the artwork itself just has the best 90’s chic vibe to it!
On this specific wall I wanted to keep all the frames black, and just mix/match the sizes. It has a very cohesive, fresh and clean look I love.
tip 6.
Curtains!
Our last apartment had high ceilings so I went to IKEA to buy the extra long drapes. I reused them at this place as well. A tip you can try is getting a longer pair of drapes and hanging them closer to the ceiling for an elongated look. This will help make the ceiling taller!
One thing I have noticed is many people overlooking curtains. Do not underestimate the power of some drapes peeps. Such a great way to add some style to your place. I get this from my mom and grandma. Not only does it add instant style, it’s good way to warm up and make the space have a cozy feel. I have a pair in the bedroom as well!
tip 7.
find your vibe & make a list!
Found this gem of a clock at of course Homegoods. It’s a great statement piece.
Champange snakeskin mirror from Homegoods. It is the center piece for my gallery wall. Also getting a big floor length mirror and setting against a wall will work wonders on making a space look big.
Lamp from Ross, I put a Bluetooth speaker bulb in and its my favorite thing in the world!
This all comes down to your own taste and style. It can be overwhelming going in a store blindly, something I never recommend. After we moved in to both apartments I went through and jotted down a list of the exact items we needed for each room. MAKE A LIST. This is so crucial. Going in a store with no list leads to unnecessary spending, you leaving with things you don’t need and forgetting the things you DO need. Learn from my mistakes! With that being said you need to have an idea of what vibe or look you are going for. I love the modern glam/chic style . I am obsessed with mirrored furniture and my color scheme for the majority of the apartment is silver, white and a little champagne with black accent pieces. Aside from that once you know what your decor taste and vibe is, it definitely makes the rest easier when shopping. A clear and coherent flow is key, especially when in a tight space. it helps things look less chaotic. When you are in a tight space you need to consider the size of furniture you are buying. Wayfair.com was where we got our side tables and bar stools (I didn’t get a photo of the stools!). I made sure to get unbulky pieces so we had more room in general. Instead of a sofa we opted in for a love seat for the additional room. The tufted sued bench above can be used for either a coffee table bench which is what we used it as in our last place. Or could be used as a bench for additional seating which is what we opted for since it fit perfectly in front of the window! Find inspiration from anything and everything! Use Pinterest and take snapshot of latterly everything. Fortunately now websites like Zgallery and Restoration Hardware have pages on the site separating different styles and layouts for inspiration!
powder room
We have a pretty decent sized bathroom for the size of the apartment but it still lacked a few things. Less cabinet space and a towel rack. Odd right? I found this glass mirrored hanging rack at Homegoods and it works perfectly for our damp towels.
tip 8.
double up your space
I wanted to have my products match my decor. I thought this Chanel perfume print for perfectly! This helps tie the bathrooms decor vibe all together.
Two tiered trey from The Container store.
If you are a product lover like myself, you are going to have to find a way to make more space. Plain and simple! Luckily we have places like the Containerstore.com which can be your best friend! I am a skincare junkie as well as perfume, clearly. The built in open cabinet on the wall was just not going to cut it. I decided to cut that and use this two tiered holding tray for both my skincare and perfume. Both fit perfectly and each tier has it’s own product moment! This also allowed for a pretty display instead of hiding it away in the glass cabinet. COCO Chanel should never be hidden!
Glass jars from Michaels and Homegoods. Best most fancy way to display your skincare/self care essentials!
Champagne bar cart from Homegoods.
This is the same concept as the two tiered holding trey just bigger! We had this weird large empty space in between the sink counter and the toilet. I ended up using my bar cart for a “bathroom product bar cart” since I no longer had room for a bar cart in the living room. This cart is SO beyond perfect if you are able to fit one in. It has so much space! On the cart holds hand towels, a cute display of cotton pads, yes more skincare and toilet paper on the bottom. On top of it all, it is the cutest bathroom statement piece!
The bathroom gave me vintage French vibes once I started seeing everything together and I took that and ran with it! From the Chanel perfume bottles and prints to the bath trey. I love it all. The hardware on the sink (not photographed) had a natural mercury feel and look to it. I added these mercury glass goblets on the sink to help play on that feel and tie it all in. That Mirrored frame and photo is one of my favorites in the whole apartment! I actually pulled it from a Kate Spade coffee table book. remember, find inspiration everywhere!
bedroom
tip 9.
make your bed
Throw pillows from at home & Hobby Lobby. “Why hello there” pillow from Paper Source and is my favorite of all time.
These neon lighting bolts are so fun and the best night lights. I got them from Nordstrom Rack. obsessed with neon signs, so chic and fun!
Definitely my favorite room in the whole place. If you don’t take back anything from this blog, please take this… Make your bed. The task itself may not be the most fun, but the outcome is priceless. Nothing looks better than a freshly made bed (another thing I took from my mom). Especially when in a tiny space doing steps like this helps keep the place looking clean and put together. Trust me. Invest in some bedding and throw pillows, don’t be scared to mix and match as well as playing around with textures! have fun with it! You can get such great affordable comforter sets from yes, Homegoods, IKEA, Marshals, At Home and so many more places. Tip! I like to “hotdog fold” a thick blanket at the foot of the bed for that hotel feel and look. I actually have a faux fur on bottom and a jet black faux fur on top. Also, the more throw pillows the better. Remember to get different sizes. Biggest pillows in back, smallest in front.
I call this my Self Portrait and I can’t get enough of it.
More artwork and curtains. The bedroom is the one room that has the most black. I wanted to incorporate more black into the bedroom for more of a sultry feel. Still keeping the silver and glass glam vibe, just more black. Adding it into the art work was a big way as well as the bedding with the black faux fur blanket and pillows. I also added a black faux fur rug in replace of my white one to tie it all together.
The Himalayan salt lamps are really everything. We each have one on our night stand. Not only do they have great benefits, they just look so awesome! I have “healing stones” like Selenite for decor in the bedroom and I feel like the salt lamps help tie the two together. Keeping things symmetrical is such a huge thing for me. Everything must have a pair!! so of course each of our nightstand set ups are the same. Matching tables and lamps with the exception of some “his/hers essentials” on each.
tip 10.
Work with what you have!
Hat boxes from Target X Sugar Paper Co only available in the holidays.
The apartment may be under 500 sq ft, but it came with one of the cutest bedroom layouts! Definitely my favorite part in the whole place. In the bedroom we have built in shelve that go from top to bottom and I can’t get enough of. Right away I knew I wanted to use the shelves as a way to display my boots, handbags and other items. It is such a great statement area. Since our closet was the biggest struggle with next to no space, I needed all the extra space I could get. My last closet was a walk in and I displayed these hat boxes by stacking them on the top shelf of the closet. I was excited to know I would still be able to do the same since the hat boxes are so pretty. They give me a Paris vibe that I’m very into.
My coffee table book collection went perfectly on the built in “book case”.
Along with the boots, handbags and hat boxes we had Robbys record player I got him a few Christmases ago along with his vintage vinyl collection. The record player itself is such a good statement piece and definitely needed it’s moment. The records fit perfectly upright which is the proper way to store them. The shelf is actually just tall enough for the player to be fully opened. So here it is, front and center!
Tip 11.
Use mirrors
I really wanted to make that top shelf above to be solely for decor. Not going to lie it was tricky and I battled with what was fitting in and what wasn't. Finally I decided to put a mirror we used to have above our dresser (which now was holding our TV) against the bare wall on top of the shelf and everything INSTANTLY came together. Using mirrors, preferably big mirrors will naturally make any space look much bigger. Our huge snake skin mirror in the living room is my favorite piece. Try and get your hands on good sized mirror pieces and thank me later!
More statement pieces and more black! When trying to set up the top shelf for decor, finding big statement pieces were key. Different levels when working with one flat level is key to making the focal point look “right” vases like these help tremendously when decorating spaces like this.
Another score and second favorite feature was the built-in desk and top shelf in the bedroom. Thank goodness because I had to give up my makeup desk due to there literally being absolutely no room. This desk saved me. Utilizing it as my makeup and work/editing desk.
tip 12.
keep it clean!
I feel like this should have been number one, but saved the best for last!. One that I can guarantee when living in a tiny space, keeping clutter to a minimum and keeping your environment clean is key. It’s so easy for things to get out of order quicker because of the limited amount of space. So because of this, picking one day out of the week to make your deep cleaning day will help out tremendously! Vacuuming, mopping, dusting, laundry. With all of my glass furniture it’s easy to see dust build up. Clorox wipes are my best friend. This will help you have a lighter load during the crazy week. Tip: Clean as you go so your deep cleaning day doesn’t get overwhelming. And last but not least, light candles!! this is one of my favorite things do to right after a nice clean. Lighting a candle is like the final cherry on top. Remember to have fun! this is your own space and no matter where you live or how big or small home is what you make it. So make it!