Renters in some of the best bachelor apartments in major cities like Mississauga and the rest of the GTA, can attest to the advantages of living in a more modest space.
Having fewer areas to manage means more time and energy to spend on creating a home that's truly comfortable and functional. But because even the smallest elements can have such a huge impact on a small apartment's ambiance and practicality, it's important to make the most of every nook and cranny.
We've gathered some space-maximizing tips to help you turn your apartment into the ultimate staycation destination.
Storage Hacks
Set up dedicated entryway space or reorganize the one you have. Think of the entryway as the filter between the outside world and the rest of your home.
That humble space beside your door is the perfect place for a designated depository for shoes, keys and other daily items. Besides adding a small side table, you might want to install a few hooks for coats and bags.
Setting up this specific area for everyday essentials will make them easier to find and help to keep the rest of the apartment clutter-free.
Think vertical. Although a small apartment might not have an overabundance of horizontal space, there's always plenty of vertical space.
Take your bathroom for example—you can take the pressure off the floor area by hanging shelves and more towel rods, installing a rack over the door, and using a shower caddy. The more storage options you have, the less cluttered the bathroom, or any room for that matter, will be likely to build up.
Don't forget about those corners. A corner platform can be a great place for items like your favourite photos, plants, and perhaps some collectibles. Whether you're in a bachelor or a 2-bedroom apartment, you might find some corners just waiting to be maximized. And for that, there are plenty of storage units and corner shelving designs to choose from.
Optical Tricks
Choose monochromatic colour schemes for a more spacious atmosphere. A mix of similar colours helps to minimize distractions and encourages the eye to move easily around and across the space. Floors, walls, and ceilings of the same hue create a sense of unity that can make any room feel more generous in size.
Take advantage of good lighting to open up the space. Use light fixtures and open up blinds and curtains to cast light on the darker areas to help soften the shadows and minimize contrast. This is one of the easiest, yet most effective ways to create a harmonious ambiance.
Explore more ways to make the most of available wall space. Besides mounting your TV to free up the media console's surface, consider hanging a mirror or two to reflect natural light across the room. This will brighten up the space and add some much-needed depth.
A blank wall might also be a good location for books and other odds and ends. Placing these items on a wall-mounted shelf instead of a large floor-bound bookshelf will reduce the room's visual weight and bring style, texture and vigour to what would otherwise be a neutral area.
Tips for Sharing the Space
Create a cleaning plan everyone can stick to. Small apartments tend to get untidy and cluttered more quickly, so it helps to follow a regular cleaning schedule for areas that get the most use. Make it easy for everyone to cut the clutter and get rid of the grime by agreeing on a plan that creates accountability and outlines specific cleaning tasks for each day of the week.
Discuss your schedule. Having a conversation with everyone about schedules is especially important when you're sharing a small bathroom. When they know what time you're most likely to need the bathroom for some 'me time' and vice versa, you'll be less likely to hit a snag—in a bathroom's case, this may look like having to wait for someone to finish their routine while you're in a hurry.
How you maximize the space in your apartment greatly depends on your lifestyle and specific needs. We hope that by drawing inspiration from these ideas and tapping into your own creativity, you will get to explore new ways to enhance your space and experience all the advantages that come with living in an apartment.
Check out some of our available suites or get in touch to find out more advantages of living in managed apartments and to start planning your picture perfect space.