Minimalist tips for creating space in a truly tiny home or apartment

Murphy bed and built-ins (public domain photo)

Minimalism is inherently green. Living in my tiny garden level apartment sometimes made me feel like a hobbit in a hole. I laugh when reading magazine articles on tiny apartment troubles. Those places look like castles compared to my old basement apartment. Those of you who may have a similar problem might welcome my green tips for creating space in a truly tiny little home or apartment.

Get rid of unnecessary furniture.

There are always those special pieces you want to hold on to. Still, it's best to keep it simple. Table and chairs, basic furniture for the living room, bookshelf, bed, desk, chair and a place to put clothes is all that's really needed.

Assessing the type of furniture used is another way of creating space.

Size down to fit the space. Using a love seat rather than a sofa is a start. Think functional and comfortable, down sized. Some of the new modern futons are quite attractive. There are also small sling chairs and recliners now. Think sleek. Say goodbye to bulky and puffy. Creating space with lightweight, portable items will make it a whole lot easier to move out too.

Clutter and disorganization must be addressed.

Get rid of anything that's gone unused for more than a year. In a tiny home there should be a place for everything and everything in it's place. Items that can't be parted with should be put into storage. Cleaning is essential to creating space in a tiny apartment too. Clutter and mess can make a tiny place look even tinier. Plus, having all that stuff is the opposite of green. It's a waste of resources.

Consider adding high shelves for nick-knacks and such.

This leaves room below for furniture and appliances. They don't have to compete for needed space this way. I used this tip for creating space in my tiny apartment kitchen. We had high shelves above the stove for spices and other dry goods. There's more space than a conventional spice rack. Shelves also create much needed cupboard space for other items.

Hidden storage is a fantastic way of creating space in a tiny apartment.

Rather than bringing a huge dresser, into our bedroom, all our clothes were hung up. We had a long shelf above the clothes rod with little baskets we could pull out. That's where we stored our underclothes and other things. Our coffee table was a chest. We used it to store games. The little stool I sat on while sewing in my tiny apartment had a lift up lid. That's where the scissors and such were kept. I once saw a bookshelf used as a working door and a small office under a staircase. What a great space saving idea!

Keep furniture out of the traffic flow.

Avoid the use of dividers and screens in tiny spaces. The idea is to keep the flow as open as possible. Large furniture creates clutter when placed in the middle of a room. Make it hug the walls instead. This goes against traditional decorating, but in a small apartment it can be a space creating lifesaver.

Proper use of color goes a long way toward creating space in a tiny apartment.

Use light or bright colors to give the illusion of a larger space. Avoid the use of heavy draperies and somber decor. Opt for bright cheerful curtains and happy spring or summer colors. Creating real or artificial daylight is important in a tiny basement apartment. Use natural daylight bulbs to keep away depression.

Portions of this post were previously published by this author on a closed Yahoo! property.