Yup – we signed up to live in New York City, but the lack of storage can be challenging at times. Don’t throw in the towel in frustration — it really is possible to figure out storage for your tiny NYC apartment! Getting everything tucked away just takes some clever ideas and having a few professional organizer tricks up your sleeve helps as well.
Start by thinking outside the box — or closet. If you’re lucky enough to have a closet, you’ll need it for your clothes. Don’t waste precious space on sheets and towels when you’ve got other options. In some cases, it isn’t just where you put something, but how you store it. All you need is a fresh look on what you own. Here are some professional organizer-approved small space storage tricks.
How to Store Your Bedding
- Reduce inventory. Go minimal. Consult this guide from Homes.com to figure out what you need, then invest in one or two great sets and donate the rest. Fold the sheets flat and one pillowcase flat, then tuck them into the other pillowcase, so everything is stored together.
- Cover up. Enjoy changing your bed for the seasons without having to store extra bedding. Use a duvet cover on your comforter. You can easily switch them from a winter to a summer look. In fact, you can slip one right over the other, so you don’t need to find storage for it. The same goes for accent pillows. Instead of having extra pillows to deal with, simply switch out the covers to change looks. You can put one cover over the other so that you won’t have to give up storage space.
- Stay warm. A heated mattress pad keeps your bed toasty without adding any layers. In the summer, it can stay on the bed even though you won’t be turning it on. Likewise, an electric blanket can be a space saver. Instead of adding several blanket layers that you need to store in the summer, just use one electric blanket that can keep you as warm or cool as you want.
- Get rolling. Both towels and blankets can be rolled to reduce space. Blankets tend to puff up and unroll, so use a length of string or ribbon to tie up your stored blanket and keep it small.
Tuck Them Here
Try some of these locations for storing extra bedding, blankets and towels.
- On the wall. Take a cue from hotel rooms, which are also small spaces, and install a wall-mounted shelf and towel rack (above). You will be able to stack six bath towels or more and hang a couple, too, in a space that is going unused. This keeps bathroom cabinets free for toiletries and medications
- Storage bench. Use a bench with a lid that lifts to reveal hidden storage as one of your furniture pieces. Replace a traditional furniture piece with a storage bench to make a great coffee table, ottoman or extra seating.
- Under the bed. Bed risers can elevate your bed so you can use every inch of space. A pull-out tote can hold extra bedding.
- In the bed. You can store your spare set of sheets between the mattress and box springs. Fold them flat and place them at the foot of the bed between the two parts of the bed. Likewise, if you have a sofa bed, leave the bed made when you fold it up, so the sheets are stored in the bed. If you keep spare bedding in case a guest crashes on your couch, place the sheets, folded flat, under the sofa cushions. Tuck them inside a plastic bag to keep them clean.
- In plain sight. Instead of using a throw-size cover folded over the back of your couch, use a beautiful twin blanket. It’s just as warm when you snuggle up on the sofa, but it’s still big enough to serve as guest bedding.
It’s not always easy to find extra storage, but it is doable. Think how each space in your tiny apartment might be adapted to do double duty. For example, a side table could be skirted with cute fabric, creating hidden storage underneath. Keep in mind that when you get stuck, you can always go vertical and use wall space.
Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Lea Schneider, a professional organizer who provides great tips for finding storage in tiny spaces. She shares creative ideas such as rolling and tying your linens and using towels as a decor accent.
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