apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I would say the most helpful tip about living small is: a place for everything, and everything in its place.

This means first - edit, edit, edit. The single most challenging part of living light is getting to the 'light' part.

The second part is making a home for what's left. That way when it's time to clean you can easily/quickly put things away. If you have lots of books - get a bookcase. Then you don't have a stack of volumes sitting on the floor, the table, and your easy chair.

Being clean is also imperative to small spaces. When your kitchen table is also your work table you learn fairly rapidly to keep it free of clutter.

Where can I find that sofa? It's beautiful!

what is the font used on the wall? it's cute.

we have huge windows and have been thinking about spanning them with a bookcase. How is it done? I worry about the whole thing coming down. Im no carpenter but I can follow instructions.

If that's a 'small' space i think i need to reclassify our place as microscopic.

My major small space solution is petite but double duty furniture. No coffee table or end table may exist unless it has a drawer (or more than one) and a shelf underneath. Console tables, ditto. No ottoman or bench that doesn't include storage. Beds must permit under bed storage, too -- behind dust ruffles or in visible containers (mainly baskets) or in special drawers. Sometimes I am temporarily led astray because I really love something that won't help out, but I make myself find the best compromise that does contain storage or fits the space better or whatever. (All of which complements the 'a place for everything...' concept already mentioned.)

Yeah, that living room looks bigger than my entire apartment!

Edit, edit, edit. This is the hardest part, but also the most important.

I live in a HOUSE that I think would fit in that massive room pictured. And I moved there from a studio apartment that would fit in that officey space behind that bookcase with room to spare... Please can you put posts about small spaces with pictures of actual small spaces?

Other than that I would agree with the other posters, do micro clearouts on an ongoing basis, have hidden storage and keep surfaces clean. Oh and if you live in a studio then always make the bed, 'cos it takes the least time and makes the most difference :)

Let me make this plain - stop writing words on walls. It's like walking into a child's classroom all over again.

I like mirrors, keeping things vertical, raising things up off the ground, keep things organized and neat, and always go multi-use.

Mirrors are becoming very overrated. I don't get this whole thing with mirrors - how many does one really need in a place? We only have two ourselves - one in the bathroom and one in the hallway just outside of the bathroom for times when we both need a mirror. I kinda get the point of one by an entryway too - but beyond that it's mostly ridiculous.

It looks very fitting for this room, but really, who has nine globes? It looks like a big waste of space.

I love the globes but i kinda agree that the globes caulkboard green paint words on the wall..make me think im in a classroom. (but the prettiest one ive ever seen if that counts lol)