marie kondo

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Between unwanted stains and routine cleanings, we spend quite a bit of time in laundry rooms. The average person spends 260 minutes on laundry a week and while this may be shocking, it goes to show the integral part this room plays in daily routines.

Due to the concealed nature of the laundry room, this space is easily neglected making tidiness the first to go. Through multiple loads of laundry, clunky equipment, cleaning supplies and various piles of clothes, it’s easy to feel buried and unsure of how to start fresh (literally). We’ve rounded up our list of fool-proof laundry room organization tips that are sure to return your laundry room to a place of peace and functionality.

Decluttering chaos

The first step in any organizing journey is decluttering, and this is especially true when it comes to laundry room organization. Marie Kondo said it best when she stated, “Keep only things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest.”

This is applicable to even purely functional rooms, like the laundry room. Detergent, dryer sheets, fabric softener and even loose socks collect over time. Going through pre-existing items in your laundry room helps you eliminate unwanted items anyway, so why not start your decluttering here?

Own your organization

Now that you’ve decluttered, you can successfully organize and optimize your laundry room. When organizing small spaces like these, it’s helpful to remove everything from the room to then place it back in every new way you choose.

Use vertical space

Some laundry rooms come with pre-installed shelves that can be utilized for storing laundry-related items. If you don’t have pre-installed shelves, consider damage-free shelf solutions to really make the most of your vertical space.

Invest in sorting bins

Sorting bins are key to keeping things in place. Investing in sorting bins gives you the opportunity to create a home for all your various laundry items, even the miscellaneous ones. For example, random ingredients to DIY stain remover may not have a set home, leading to a disorganized feel. The best categories to start with are detergent, softener, stain remover, bleach — and one miscellaneous laundry item group. It’s recommended to label these containers and bins for even more assistance in keeping things organized.

Take it one step further and invest in clean and dirty bins, if space allows. Two-tiered hampers are small-space-friendly and are great for keeping laundry off the floors and from sitting in the dryer until it’s ready to fold.

Add trays or carts for sorting

For those who may not have a ton of vertical wall space to use, trays and carts are useful options. Utility carts, while small in size, are just large enough to hold all your laundry-related items in an organized fashion. If you’re feeling creative and want to enhance your decor, choose a cart in a fun color or paint over one to match your desired clean aesthetic.

Get creative with over-the-door storage

Door organizers that go over the door can be a lifesaver for those with small spaces and a lot of products. This essentially creates shelf spaces that are off the ground and out of the way of your laundry routine.

Find a foldable drying rack

We’ve all had to deal with the debate over where to place clothing items that aren’t being placed in the dryer. This can eventually create a build-up of clean clothes hanging over random doors and corners in the laundry room and around the apartment. Foldable drying racks create a home for these gentle pieces that would otherwise float around during their air-drying time.

Hold yourself accountable and make sure once the clothing items on the rack are dry, that they’re put away so the drying rack is ready to be used for the next batch. Otherwise, the rack could end up being a piled-up mess, which is exactly what we’re trying to avoid in the first place.

If your apartment allows moderate changes to the rental space, think about mounting drying racks to the wall to further add to the functionality and promote better laundry room organization.

Your organizational dreams are just a load away

Conquering the chaos in your laundry room is not only about creating an organized space but also about regaining a sense of control and peace in your daily life. By following the laundry room organization tips we’ve shortlisted here, you can transform your laundry room from a cluttered nightmare into an efficient haven.

Still in the market for that perfect place? Start and end your search with our list of apartments for rent.

Source: apartmentguide.com

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Do you ever wish you knew the secrets to attract wealth because your 9 to 5 isn’t paying the bills very well? You’re not alone! Today, we’ll talk about the 11 secret life hacks that rich people are doing to make gaining wealth easier.

We’ve compiled the best answers from Reddit, so you don’t have to do it yourself. Read this blog and shift your mindset with these lessons from the wealthy.

1. Organize Everything

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If you’re familiar with Marie Kondo, she specifically emphasizes that organizing and decluttering will have a huge impact our lives. It turns out that’s one of the life hacks of truly rich people.

One person said, “Allow me to ramble passionately about a hack of small consequence. Something I noticed about all the rich people’s houses is they have storage containers everywhere. The pantry isn’t piles of groceries shoved inside, it’s all in tidy bins, often matching, sometimes labeled. Their closets have shelves and drawers, not a single pole to hang items. Under their sinks are multiple bins and containers, sometimes on a pullout shelf/drawer. Their spices are ALL on racks, not just the few that fit in a singular rack with the rest piled on top or haphazardly in an adjacent cabinet.

“Their jewelry is organized like a utensil drawer and not shoved in a single box. There are trays or giant bowls by every entry door to toss your mail and keys instead of cluttering every flat surface. Imagine how much calmer your brain would be if you didn’t have to hunt through what feels like a disorganized garage sale everywhere you turn. You don’t have to bend over to rife through objects, you can bring a bin to you.

“I’m just a povvo, but I started ramping up my organizational game and it’s made a subtle but impactful difference in my daily life. Started with matching-sized Amazon boxes in the pantry and Dollar Tree fabric collapsible boxes for toiletries under the sinks and the closet floors, and built up from there. I’ve been slowly converting all my bathroom and kitchen shelves to pull-out drawers (this one is expensive).”

2. Buying in Bulk

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This life hack may not be applicable to every body because, in order to save a lot of money on purchases, particularly groceries, you must have the money to shell out first.

One user shared, “Rich people can afford to save money on purchases if they want. I guess if you are rich and don’t care about saving $ it doesn’t apply to you, but it’s definitely a big benefit if you’re a frugal rich person. If that makes sense. A small tiny example. Most would categorize me as wealthy. I buy high-end groceries but aim to do it for as cheap as possible. When our Whole Foods has a sale on our favorite frozen pizzas, normally $12.99 and on sale for $7.99, I buy 10 of them and load up my deep freezer. The fact that I was able to save $50 is only possible because 1) I have enough money to shell out $80 for the upfront cost on the pizzas, and 2) I have a deep freezer to store it in. Neither of those things would be possible without money.”

3. Semi-Permanent Cosmetics

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Beauty, in whatever form, is expensive—and only the rich don’t think twice about spending such a huge amount on beautifying themselves or their surroundings.

“…I think a lot of beauty at that level is faked, just like the lawns are faked. Spray tans, teeth caps, really expensive hair extensions and plugs, professional makeup, tailoring, even surgery, etc. etc. I was shocked when I learned about caps for teeth. I didn’t even know that was a thing. Feels like a total cheat code. Can even avoid the expense and discomfort of braces. There are a lot of beauty ‘hacks’ that are not accessible unless you have $$$,” someone shared.

4. Hacking Expensive Purchases

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One person commented, “I’ve worked for a rich family and learned a couple hacks. Everyone else is correct. They just hire things out. If you’re genuinely curious, then I’ll share two things I learned in my job that are specific to the wealthy lifestyle. First, moths love real cashmere so you have to keep cedar in your closets to keep them away from eating your sweaters. Second, if you are flying private and only medium-wealthy not truly a fan of throwing money down the drain unnecessarily, it is actually more affordable to ship your luggage via UPS than pay for the additional fuel it will take to carry it in the plane with you.”

Another one shared, “I knew a lady who was, let’s just say she was in a different tax bracket. She and her late husband never took a road trip. They flew everywhere. He was a pilot, and they owned their own plane. They would fly somewhere, and if she ran out of clean clothes, she would just buy more. She’d ship her dirty clothes back home, and the maid would have everything dry-cleaned by the time the lady got back. I can’t imagine how many clothes this lady had. Or maybe she donated them on a regular basis?”

5. Networking

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We’re familiar with networking, but it really is one of the life hacks that truly rich people are doing. They leverage the people they know who are also rich and powerful, and that’s what makes them too.

One person shared, “Networking. Powerful people have a large network of connections to get what they want. If you aren’t going out of your way to build ties with people who have things you want like wealth or power, the alternative is working very hard and hoping you get noticed—which doesn’t work most of the time because, unfortunately, the meritocracy is a lie. Learn to meet people and maintain professional connections, not just friendships. And no modesty, that’s a killer.”

The second person replied, “The best network—Politicians, Thieves, Police, Money Laundering—Mafia. Exist all around.”

6. Know What’s Worth Your Time

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“When you are good at what you do to make money, you hire pros to do things that you need and get them properly done. That’s classic economics of the division of labor. You focus on what you do well and make more money. That’s the opposite of downward spiral. The concrete example is that I unblock my toilets and fix leaks. I also change my engine oil. Because it’s cheaper for me to do it. If my pay rate is higher than the pros, if course I’ll hire someone. That saves me money,” one person said.

“Sure… but I kind of hate how many people try to apply this to a typical salary worker. No one is gonna pay me to work overtime on a Saturday at my hourly rate (and I don’t want to), and it’s easier to work on a house project for a few hours than find a 2nd job. Many people point to your example, but they either don’t have time for projects cause they work 60 hours a week or prefer to use their disposable income and do something else with their free time. They are not financial wizards, they just make other choices based on circumstances, and that is fine,” argued another commenter. 

Another user added, “Yeah, not every minute of my day is monetize-able. Someone once said Bill Gates is so rich that he loses money if he stops to pick up a penny in the street. No, he doesn’t. He didn’t cease to earn money for doing it. Rich people hire others to change their oil because it gives them back time for leisure.”

7. Buy Quality the First Time

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One person said, “I was taught to always buy the best of anything I can the first time so I don’t waste my time, money, or efforts on junk. That bled over into everything. Relationships. Experiences. It becomes a mindset and lifestyle. I think that’s what you’re seeing when you look at that neighborhood.”

Another one replied, “This right here. If you want to buy a new piece of furniture, TV, car, etc… Buy nice things and buy quality. It’ll last for years and years. Also, pay cash. Don’t bother financing it. That’s just more wasted money.”

Another user quipped, “Buy once, cry once.”

8. Weigh your Options

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“Not really a hack but spending dollars so they count. If there’s a gym that’s $50 a month but is 20 mins away and they’ll only go once a week, and there’s one 2 mins away that’s $200 but they’ll go every day, spend the extra money. The $50 option is a waste. This can be applied in many circumstances,” one person shared.

9. Elegant Appearance

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One person shared their experience while working with truly rich people, “A few things I’ve noticed when working for wealthy people. They look rich even in casual clothes because they get everything tailored, even simple white shirts and jeans so they look expensive even when they aren’t.

“A lot of accessories like shoes, bags and jewelry are custom made which can be a better option if you’re going to spend a lot on designer brands anyway, and they will be unique. They don’t just go to the gym, they have a personal trainer who focuses on that toned without being too muscular look, so they look naturally hot without trying.

“Getting blow dry right before an event makes you look polished. I worked for a woman who never washed her own hair, and she always looked amazing. I saw people spend a lot of money on wardrobe staples like jackets and classics, but they would only buy high street seasonal pieces to keep them in style.

“They sell designer pieces to concession stores after wearing them a few times and basically get 50-80% of the cost back depending on the designer. Having lunch at a Michelin-star restaraunt can be slightly more affordable than dinner but you still get the experience. Having drinks at the restaurant bar so you can be ‘seen’ and mingle but don’t have to buy dinner. Going to clubs and events on weekdays means you are more likely to get in, get a table/ticket and it can be less expensive.”

10. Excellent “Talkers”

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One person shared, “When I was doing my first startup I saw ‘new money’ people. In school I saw ‘old money’ people. There are all types of rich people and these types have their own ways. They do live in the same areas though. They recognize each other by their watch, type of clothes and behavior. And you can see if they are new rich, old rich, dem or rep by these things too. Their kids go to an endless amount of extracurricular activities. Here it is hockey and tennis, sometimes baseball. The parents do it so their kids build their network (I mean 5year olds).

“Rich people have some skills, but the main skill is talking. They are great at talking. It used to put me off. So and so became the director of yadayada. Why? The only thing he can do is talk. And that is precisely the point. They don’t get so stressed. They just talk for a living. Everything comes from their network. People like listening to their stories. But they cannot do anything of value other than talking. They hire people for that. Duh. Don’t be apologetic. Don’t do stuff worth 10$ an hour if you can make more. Do lots of self-care. And be a professional talker. Listen to people, look at their behavior and clothing, and copy that in your own way.”

Someone added, “I agree with this comment but will extend it further. You call it ‘just talking’ to anyone that will listen, but what they really are doing is ‘selling.’ They are selling their latest ideas, pitches, schemes, problems, solutions, whatever, etc. And their audience (other rich people) love to talk too, so the audience then adds on to those ideas, sometimes with money or introductions to other people with money. And it snowballs because of the network effect.”

11. Etiquette and Mannerisms

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“You have a lot of time for personal maintenance and improvement if you don’t have to worry about cooking dinner or doing laundry. Some things, like good etiquette, are made very important from a very young age (hence the napkin folding, knowing what course to use which fork, how to properly address folks in a formal setting, etc) it’s a social code that helps identify who is and who isn’t,” one person stated.

Another one added in agreement, “Exactly. It’s very subtle and says a great deal.”

Source: Reddit.

Image Credit: Shutterstock – Denis Makarenko

Who is one actress you can never stand watching, no matter their role?  After polling the internet, these were the top-voted actresses that people couldn’t stand watching.

10 Actresses People Despise Watching Regardless of Their Role

These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People

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We’ve all heard the famous adage that “no publicity is bad publicity,” and while it tends to be accurate, there are certainly exceptions. But what about those few stars who stay out of the limelight and get along without a hint of trouble? 

These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People

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Have you ever known someone and thought you liked them—until you learned about their hobbies? Then you get to know them and then you’re like, “Wow, red flag.” Well, you’re not alone.

These 10 Activities Are an Immediate Red Flag

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Some celebrities definitely seem to enjoy the limelight and keep working to stay in the public eye. While others quickly move out of the spotlight. Many of these actors and actresses stepped out of the spotlight to live a more private life without constant media pressures.

10 Celebrities That Made the Big Times Then Disappeared Off The Face of the Earth

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We’ve all been there – sitting through a movie that we can’t help but cringe at, but somehow it still manages to hold a special place in our hearts.

These 10 Terrible Movies Are Still People’s Favorites



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Source: financequickfix.com

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We’ve all been there — living in a cluttered, disorganized space, promising ourselves to organize it but finding it a daunting and never-ending task. It’s time to put an end to the cycle of clutter and chaos, for real this time. By breaking down organization tips by room, we’ll show you how to declutter your home and regain control over your living space. From practical tips on sorting and organizing to expert advice on letting go of sentimental items, we’ve got you covered on your journey to a cleaner home.

Benefits of decluttering

Decluttering your home goes beyond just tidying up; it brings along a plethora of benefits that can significantly improve your physical and mental well-being. A clutter-free environment promotes better focus and productivity. A study by Princeton University researchers discovered that clutter can make it difficult to focus on a particular task.

More specifically, they discovered that a person is overwhelmed by objects not related to a particular task, making it harder to focus and complete projects efficiently. Additionally, decluttering is known to have great benefits when it comes to decreasing stress levels and anxiety. Decluttering is an essential step toward improving your overall quality of life.

The time is now

One of the hardest parts of decluttering is knowing where to start. It’s overwhelming to begin a project of decluttering and organizing your space knowing how many areas need attention. However, delaying the process only allows the clutter to grow and worsen the situation. The longer you wait, the more time and effort it will take to tackle the clutter, and it might even become a source of frustration. Starting now, going room by room through our guide, will allow you to break this process down into digestible steps so you reclaim control over your space.

How to declutter your home, by room

When going room by room, we recommend you use Marie Kondo’s KonMari Method of asking yourself, “Does this item spark joy?” If an item doesn’t bring you joy or serve a practical purpose, it’s time to say goodbye.

Bedroom

When starting the decluttering process of your bedroom, make sure to make your bed first. This helps the space look a little cleaner, encouraging you to keep treading on.

  • Nightstands and cabinet surfaces: Clear off nightstands, dressers and any other surfaces of any items that don’t belong. Keep only essential items like a lamp, clock or a few decorative pieces. Put any misplaced items back in their original home and store other items in drawers using organizers. Drawer/ shelf organizers
  • Under the bed: Pull out anything under the bed that doesn’t belong. Between clothes that have fallen, loose storage for items or even trash, this is an area that accumulates mess. By cleaning this space, you can invest in under-bed-organizers to practically store clothes, shoes or miscellaneous items without a clear category.
  • Dresser drawers and closet: Start going through your dresser and set aside a donate pile, a wash/dry/clean pile and a keep pile. Ask yourself with each item if you still wear it, need it or even want it. If it’s an article of clothing in decent condition and you don’t have a use for it (or haven’t worn it in a while), it makes for a great donation. Apply the same process to clothes in your closet. Hang up any loose clothing on the floor as well to tidy up this small corner as well.

Bathroom

Decluttering your bathroom is a rewarding and refreshing process. It’s a good idea to start by picking up any clothes from the floor so you can really tackle organizing the cabinets and drawers. Then, set aside two areas; one for garbage and one for items being kept.

  • Countertops and sink area: Remove all items from the countertops and sink area that don’t belong. It’s ideal, for decluttering purposes, to keep this area clear and organize items within cabinets or shelving. Make sure to add to the discard pile any empty or expired containers, old cosmetics and products you no longer use.
  • Under-the-sink cabinet, drawers and medicine cabinet storage areas: Odds are, there are quite a bit of products and containers to dispose of in these areas. Make sure to check expiration dates to help dispose of space-taking items you no longer need. Use drawer dividers and organization containers where needed to separate items by category and frequency of usage. It’s easier to keep bathroom items tidy in designated spots for them, through dividers and containers.
  • Shower/ bathtub: Remove any empty items from the shower or bathtub area and take note of any necessary refills you may need. Make sure to ask yourself if you need the products before purchasing replacements to keep products minimal in this area. Consider using shower caddies or wall-mounted organizers to keep the products tidy and easily accessible.

Living room

Depending on the size of your home or apartment, your living room may bleed into other areas. Consider any walkways or middle areas between your living room and other areas in this section, especially since there’s typically more space in the living room for more storage when cleaning up these undefined areas.

  • Floor: Start by removing any items that don’t belong in the living room and return them to their proper places in other rooms. Discard any trash items that are present.
  • Coffee table: Clear off any items that are not essential or decorative. Invest in a decorative tray to place on your coffee table to hold various items like remote controls, magazines, candles and other miscellaneous items that otherwise look cluttered on your coffee table.
  • Entertainment center: These centers are necessary but often become cluttered quickly with numerous cables and remotes. Remove outdated electronics, cables and accessories that you no longer use. Purchase a cord cover or holder to keep these cords hidden and untangled for a more polished appearance. Then neatly arrange video games and other media items and consider donating or selling any DVDs or games you no longer enjoy or use.
  • Other decor items: Bookshelves and other wall shelving can accumulate random items over time. Donate or sell any books you no longer read or need and clear out random decor that serves no purpose to the aesthetic of the room.

Kitchen

It’s a great idea to start decluttering this room by cleaning out the fridge and pantry of any expired or stale food. Donate any canned items and non-perishables to local food pantries.

  • Countertops: As they are the most visible and used spaces in the kitchen, remove all items that don’t belong on the counters, like paperwork, keys or other non-kitchen items. Put away small appliances that you rarely use, leaving only the essentials.
  • Cabinets and drawers: This is another great instance to use containers to organize drawers and cabinets by sorting their contents into categories.
  • Under the sink: This area often accumulates various cleaning supplies. Dispose of any empty or old cleaning products and use organizers or caddies to keep everything tidy. Invest in a bag dispenser to keep your reusable plastic grocery bags organized as well.
  • Junk drawer: We all have a notoriously cluttered junk drawer in our kitchen or dining area. While it’s fine to keep this drawer for miscellaneous items, it’s important to dispose of actual junk and only keep essential items.

Face clutter head-on

Conquering the cycle of clutter and chaos in our living spaces is not an impossible task. By taking a proactive approach and breaking down the decluttering process by room, you’ll regain control over the mess. With the urgency to start now, armed with practical tips and a modified KonMari Method, we can bid farewell to unnecessary items and embrace a clutter-free lifestyle. Begin this transformative journey today and experience the liberating power of decluttering in your dream apartment!

Source: apartmentguide.com

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There’s no question that when you move, you’ll pack up a lot of stuff. Clothing will most likely top the list as far as individual items go. From your dressers to what you’ve crammed into that one tiny closet, collared shirts to winter coats, packing clothes is serious business.

But, what’s the best way to get all your clothing items from your current home to your new place without everything coming out all wrinkled? And, how do you save space when you pack clothes and shoes for moving?

Among all the packing tips out there, taking special care with what you wear can save you time during the unpacking process, making it easier to stay organized while you empty out that moving truck. It will also enable you to transport clothes so they stay wrinkle-free and shoes so they keep their shape.

From your favorite pair of sneakers to high heels, from unmentionables to party dresses, here’s how to pack clothes for moving.

When should you start to pack clothes for moving?

Before you even begin to pack clothes up for your move, triage everything you’ve got. What do you no longer want to keep? Donate what you can or consider consigning anything unwanted.

Out of what you do keep, what’s currently not in season? What don’t you need, clothing-wise, for the next month? Since there’s a lot that you won’t need to wear leading up to your move, this is an easy place to start in the packing process.

Get serious about packing clothing about a month before you move. Do a little every week, saving only a few days worth of clothing on either side of your move. That’s what you should pack into a single suitcase you’ll carry with you during the transition to your new home.

What’s the easiest way to move clothes and shoes?

The easiest way to move clothes and shoes is in cardboard boxes. Even full, packing clothing in a box won’t actually get too heavy as long as the box isn’t too big. Small or medium cardboard boxes are great for clothing. Not only that, they’re really easy to find either for purchase or free.

Cardboard boxes are ideal for packing folded clothing and for keeping shoes safe even without their original boxes. There are also specialty boxes you can use to carry valuable clothing items, those with sentimental or monetary value and/or delicate clothing. We’re talking about how to transport hanging clothes and we mean wardrobe boxes. They’re their own thing and do come with an added cost.

In addition to moving boxes and dealing with hanging clothing, folded clothes and shoes go great in:

  • Reusable plastic bins
  • Suitcases
  • Garment bags
  • An oversized duffel bag (or two)

As an added option for your clothes, try vacuum bags or compression bags.You should also consider grouping things together by type or season to make everything easier to unpack. Don’t forget to label each moving box, as well.

1. Packing folded clothes for moving

Regardless of what you use to pack your clothing for moving, it’s best to use a space-saving folding technique so you can fit as much as possible into a single box, suitcase or bin.

Though everyone has a preference in how they fold their own clothing, for a move, it’s worth it to modify your technique. This ensures you condense clothing items and fit the largest amount into each cardboard box, those duffel bags or even that vacuum bag.

The most famous space-saving clothing folder is Marie Kondo. She has tips on how to fold clothes of every kind. Checking out a video or her consolidated tips could end up saving you a lot of space when it comes to all the clothes you need to move.

Even before you decide how you’re getting your clothing from Point A to Point B, start packing by checking out some best practices for folding. Don’t forget to include those bulky winter clothes, as well, in your research.

2. Tackling the shirts

There are so many different types of shirts out there, but when you pack clothes for moving, it’s best to just fold all these up. And, while a rolled-up shirt saves a lot of space, if you’re working with moving boxes, you should consider the flat fold method. This will let you get a lot more shirts into the same box.

Start by separating shirts by type

To keep clothes organized, it’s often helpful to separate clothing by type. This is very true when it comes to shirts. This makes everything easier to pack.

Gather all your shirts together and separate them into at least these categories:

  • Short sleeve T-shirts
  • Long sleeve T-shirts
  • Sleeveless shirts
  • Dress shirts
  • Casual shirts (the ones that aren’t cotton Ts)

All of these shirts should fit into the non-hanging clothes category, but if they don’t, put them back on hangers and we’ll worry about them later.

Now that you’ve got your groups, it’s time to fold.

Pack clothing items with the right fold

Working with clean clothes only, this fold allows you to create T-shirt stacks that easily slip into boxes or vacuum bags. The flat fold is a fast and easy way to prep your clothing items for moving day.

You know you’re doing this fold right when your shirts look like nice rectangles after you’re done.

For this fold:

  • Start with a single shirt facing down on a flat surface
  • Smooth out the wrinkles
  • Fold one side of the shirt to the middle
  • Cross the sleeve over the fold
  • Repeat the last two steps with the other side
  • Fold the bottom of the shirt up to the top
  • Smooth out any remaining wrinkles

Create a neat stack of these store-quality, folded shirts and place the entire bundle into a moving box. Even delicate items will stay safe using this folding method.

If the size of your shirts compared to the box won’t allow you to fill every nook and cranny, grab some socks or underwear to slip in the gaps and hold everything in place. When the box is full, top it off with some packing paper to create a layer of protection against when you cut the packing tape open later. Don’t forget to label the box, too, so you know there’s clothing inside.

3. Consolidating the pants

Pants take up a lot of space simply stacked on top of each other in a box or bag, and many fabrics can easily wrinkle (yes, even denim). An easy way to address packing pants for moving is with some kind of rolled fold.

Pants on a roll…

The military rolling method, also known as the Ranger Roll, works great when moving clothes of every kind. But for pants, it really lets you get a lot more pairs into a small space.

To roll pants right:

  • Start by fastening any buttons and pulling up any zippers
  • Lay the pants down flat, on a hard surface, so the waist is closest to you
  • Smooth out any existing wrinkles
  • Flip the waistband inside out to create a cuff that’s about four inches thick
  • Fold pants in half across the waist so the legs line up
  • Take the ankles of the pants together and fold up about one inch at a time until you’re able to tuck them into the cuff you created with the waist

This method keeps the roll secure no matter how you move it.

Once you roll all the pairs, tightly line them up in a box or suitcase, and you’re ready to go.

…Or, in a bundle

Pants also work as a great base for a clothing bundle. This is one method to pack clothes for moving that uses all different items. But you need to start with something heavy at the bottom, like your jeans.

Creating a clothing bundle is a fun trick since it also enables you to pack up your sheets. To get this packing method right:

  • Spread a sheet out on a flat surface (flat sheets will work best)
  • Lay maybe three to four pairs of pants in the center of the sheet
  • Add increasingly lighter items on top, starting with shirts and maybe ending with socks
  • When done, grab all four corners of the sheet and tie up the bundle
  • Set all bundles in a box, top with packing paper and seal it up

Remember, a proper bundle always goes from large and heavy to small and light as you move up the clothing stack.

This is a great strategy with clothing you’ve grouped by season since it keeps everything together for faster unpacking.

4. Shrinking down sweaters and bulky items

While you could just pile all your winter clothes into a wardrobe box and be done with it, there’s a better way that will save you a lot of space.

Flatten it all down

Naturally taking up a lot of room, sweaters and other bulky pieces of clothing are best packed up within a storage bag you can compress. With the help of a vacuum, you can fill a normal-sized bag with clothes and suck all the air out, smooshing the bag down to about one-third of its original size.

To keep things compressed, use vacuum bags so you can close things up afterward and keep that air out.

Use as many of these bags as you need to keep clothes organized and then, pile them up in a box. With all the space this method saves, you can fit your entire winter wardrobe into a single, small box.

5. Caring for hanging clothes

For all your professional attire, fancy dresses and delicate materials that wrinkle easily (like silk), your best option is to keep it all hanging up. There’s really no reason for moving hanging clothes off their hangers, but make sure they’re secure when you move them.

Wardrobe boxes

Like garment bags, only less expensive, wardrobe boxes let you pack clothes for moving while still on their hangers thanks to a built-in hanger bar and hanger hooks. A wardrobe box may require a little assembly, but once it’s ready, you can put in at least eight pieces of clothing — more if your hangers aren’t too thick.

This lets you keep your special clothing in a separate box that’s easy to identify.

However, since you can’t put that many pieces of clothing into this special box, you really need to decide what can’t possibly come off its hanger. These boxes can get expensive, and you don’t want to have to buy a ton just to keep your closet completely intact.

Drawstring garbage bags

It’s not glamorous, but a garbage bag actually works great at securing your hanging items without having to ditch the hangers. Think of drawstring trash bags as garment bags you can throw away.

To use:

  • Separate your hanging clothing items into small groups — about as much as you can comfortably drape over your arm
  • Pull the trash bags up around each pile so the hangers are outside the drawstrings at the top
  • Secure the hangers all together with a rubber band
  • Tie the drawstrings around the base of the hangers so they’re all that’s exposed

This is a great way to move hanging clothes yourself, in your own car, where you can lie them out flat in the trunk or the backseat.

6. Pack shoes separately

If you can’t get all your shoes into their original shoe boxes the best way to get them moved is to separate them from the rest of your clothing. While there are a variety of tips for packing shoes, always start by cleaning your shoes. Dirt and debris can damage shoes during a move, and mixing dirty shoes with other clean clothing just gets everything dirty.

Next, stuff each pair of shoes with socks or tissue paper so they keep their shape during transit. This makes it easier to pack your socks as well as protects your shoes.

When packing, try to keep shoes separate from anything fragile or delicate, whether that means wrapping them in packing paper, putting each pair in proper shoe bags or clear, plastic shoe boxes.

Packing paper is often your best bet if you don’t have the actual shoe boxes because the paper lets air still get to your shoes. This can prevent mold or mildew from forming if the box accidentally gets wet. Only use clean packing paper and avoid newspaper since the ink can rub off on white shoes.

Using plastic shoe boxes is a great solution to packing up a lot of shoes. They can also make unpacking a breeze since you can just put these boxes directly into your closet and store shoes with them indefinitely. Just don’t forget to label each box so you can easily find whatever pair you’re looking for.

Pro tips for perfect shoe packing

Even with the right container and plenty of padding, there are still a few other ways to make packing shoes even better. Consider these bonus tips as you ready your shoes for a move.

  • For shoes that lace up, tie them before you pack them and stuff the bow into the shoe
  • You can also tie pairs of shoes together with their own laces
  • Use a shoe tree to prevent boots from losing their shape in transit
  • Protect the heel of your heels by wrapping them in bubble wrap
  • Put rubber bands around flip-flops to keep pairs together

Also, remember to always pack shoes from heaviest to lightest. Those clunky boots belong on the bottom of the box, followed by sneakers and topped off with sandals or slippers.

7. Working your way through everything else

This is by no means an exhaustive list of the types of clothing you have. You may already wonder what about shorts, sweats, workout clothes, undergarments and comfy PJs. All of these fit into a clothing category that’s a little more casual in how you pack them. You can deal with wrinkled sweats and most workout clothes don’t wrinkle at all.

You should put the least amount of time into packing up these clothing items.

Use your own furniture

If you’re using movers who are OK with it, keep all of these clothes folded up in your dresser drawers. Movers need to know you’re doing this in advance so they can secure the furniture before moving it onto the truck, but if they’re OK with it, go for it.

To prevent the drawers from sliding open, wrap the whole piece in plastic wrap. Your movers should have an oversized role for just this purpose. If you’re moving yourself, you may need to invest in a few rolls from the store or check a moving supply store.

The only thing to remember when using this packing strategy is the weight. Dressers are already heavy, and when full of clothes, even more so. You don’t want to make the piece too heavy overall, especially if the dresser has to travel down a few flights of stairs to get out the door.

8. If you have a specialty item

While this isn’t a common issue when moving clothes, sometimes, there’s that specialty clothing item you’re not sure how to move. It could be something that’s heavy and huge, like a wedding dress, or even a perfectly shaped hat.

To manage these items, first search for a garment box that fits the item. Hat boxes exist for sure.

For something like a big pouffy dress you won’t wear for a long time, consider having your dry cleaner heirloom pack it for you. This secures the item in a box all its own, preventing any potential for damage and keeping it out of any natural light, which can fade fabrics.

If you need the dress sooner rather than later, the best bet is to move it on your own in a garment bag.

When moving, what is the best way to pack clothes and shoes?

Preparing to pack clothes and shoes for a move requires managing a lot of moving parts. Moving is a very involved thing with so much to take care of. But, among all the fragile items and bubble wrap, your clothing is ready to go straight into boxes of its own. All you need to do is map out the best way to fold it all and seal it up for delivery to your new home.

Source: rent.com

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To avoid some of this frustration and exhaustion, hire professional movers to transport your items from your old apartment to your new one. Hiring a moving company is helpful, yet there are different steps you’ll need to take to prepare for your move than if you were doing it all on your own.

To make the moving process run smoothly, you’ll need to get some things ready before the movers show up to tow your belongings over to the new rental. Here’s our comprehensive list of preparations to help you get your place ready for the movers.

How to get ready for movers

Movers will make things much easier on you, but you’ll still need to do a few things to get ready for them to help. You know your apartment and your belongings better than the moving company does, so they’ll be relying on you to help them navigate!

Have a plan

When you hire a moving crew to take care of the heavy lifting for you, don’t assume that once you’ve made the call and set the appointment that takes care of everything. Moving companies are pretty good about asking questions to get clarification on what you need and expect, but you’ll still need to plan things on your end to get ready for the movers moving day.

Create a basic plan to get everyone on the same page. The main things that you’ll want to include in your planning are the time that movers come and where you’ll be moving. However, any additional details for the plan will be immensely appreciated by the movers.

A few questions to answer as you create your plan:

  • How much stuff do you need to move/how many rooms will you be moving?
  • What time will you need the movers to show up?
  • Will you require packing services, where hired professional packers pack up your belongings for you?
  • Do you have lots of large items?
  • Does your apartment have an elevator or will movers go up and down stairs?
  • How far away is your new place/how long will it take to get there?

As you answer these questions, it can give you an idea of the timing and how long you’ll need to have movers reserved. Plus, it will make moving day much easier and you hopefully won’t feel so stressed.

Clean out unwanted items

We all accumulate a variety of items throughout life, many of which we only use once or very seldom. Before you move is the perfect time to clean out all your belongings you no longer need to keep around.

Cleaning things out before you move versus after means you’ll be packing and moving less stuff! You don’t need to go full Marie Kondo and get rid of lots of items to make your move a little easier. Even cleaning out a few items from each room will make a difference, especially if they’re bigger ones.

Cleaning out can become profitable to you, too! You hold a garage sale or sell used items on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist to pocket a little bit of extra cash while you move. Or, if you’d rather not go through the hassle of posting the items and waiting for buyers, you can donate unwanted items to thrift stores.

As an additional note, you’ll need to dispose of any hazardous materials yourself. Movers won’t handle any hazardous waste or extremely flammable items, so take care to dispose of them properly beforehand.

Clean up

To get ready for the movers to arrive to haul your belongings to your new apartment, you’ll need to clear pathways for them to walk. They’ll be carrying heavy furniture and boxes with fragile items inside, so you don’t want them to trip and get hurt or damage your belongings while they walk through your apartment.

If you’re paying a moving company to do all of the packing and boxing for you, clean up your apartment, but don’t remove items from the rooms they’re in. Professional movers have a system they follow to pack and properly label boxes that will make it easier to move, unload and unpack in the proper room of your new place. So, leave the professionals to their business and keep things out of their way.

Set aside items you don’t want movers to take

Obviously, there are items you own that you don’t want movers to take in their truck with the bulk of your belongings. These are valuable items that you’re extra nervous about breaking during the moving process, such as jewelry, family heirlooms or personal documents. As well as delicate items like plants that are finicky and need an extra bit of care as you transport them.

Create an “essentials box” for such items and make sure you put them in their own area of the apartment or a separate room and make it clear that you don’t want them taken with the rest of your stuff. Verbally communicate it to the movers and have obvious labels on the items so there isn’t any mistaking whether or not the items go in the moving truck.

Make an inventory of your belongings

It might seem excessive to document your belongings, but you’ll be glad you did! Creating a detailed inventory or comprehensive list of the items you own will help you stay more organized as you pack, unpack and figure out how to box things up to get ready for the movers.

This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to write down each individual item you own. Rather, you can make a general list and combine like items so it all still makes sense. For example, you might just put “makeup bag” as an item since you don’t need to document every little piece of makeup you have for your record.

The easiest way to make a moving inventory of your belongings is to use some type of online document that you can access from anywhere. You may choose a simple note on your phone or you might be the type that likes a spreadsheet. Whatever documentation method you choose is fine as long as it makes sense to you!

Grab packing supplies

Before you start packing things up, you’ll want to get the supplies to do so. Getting everything beforehand will keep you from having to make multiple trips to the store to buy things you need mid-move and it will ensure that you have the proper supplies to safely pack your fragile pieces.

At the very least, here are the basic packing supplies you’ll need:

  • Moving boxes
  • Packing tape
  • Masking tape
  • Permanent markers
  • Bubble wrap

You’ll use these supplies to not only pack, but protect and label your belongings for the movers.

Box everything before movers arrive

Have everything packed up in moving boxes before the movers arrive. When you prepare for movers by putting your belongings into boxes, it makes the process easier for everyone.

If the movers you hire charge by the hour, it will save you lots of time and money by having things already boxed up and ready to carry out. If the movers have to wait for you to finish packing things into boxes, your moving costs will go up and it makes the movers’ job a little harder as they can’t do much while they wait for you.

Packing small items

While packing up really small items like jewelry and office supplies, you’ll want to find a way to keep everything contained so it’s not a mess when you unpack. You don’t want to sift through all of your paperclips or makeup brushes out of the bottom of a big box. Some good ways to keep small items together for packing are:

  • Ziploc bags
  • Rubber bands
  • Travel containers
  • Makeup travel bags
  • Extra small containers

When you pre-pack small items before putting them into larger boxes, it will help each box stay neat and tidy.

Put a lid on

Most moving companies won’t take boxes and bins without lids on them, so keep that in mind as you box up your belongings. Make sure everything you want movers to pack up in the truck has a lid so you can stack boxes and items don’t fall out.

Pack food items accordingly

There’s a good chance you’ll want to take all of the food from your refrigerator and freezer and move it to your new apartment. But perishable food items will thaw and melt or go bad if you put them in normal moving boxes.

Pack cold items into a cooler to keep them from going bad. In most cases, a simple cooler will do the trick if you pack it the day of your move and unpack it the same day. But, if you’re doing a cross-country move, you’ll want to give yourself reminders to add or replace the ice inside the cooler so you can maintain the food.

Leave cleaning supplies behind

When you’re moving out of an apartment, cleaning is usually the last thing you need to do and you’ll need to have cleaning supplies around to complete the job! Set aside your cleaning items so you can clean the place once your belongings are all moved out. This will keep you from having to dig them out of your boxed items or from running to the store and spending a bunch of money on new cleaning items.

Don’t forget about collecting trash before you leave. Keep a garbage bag around to throw away any of the disposable hand towels you used for wiping things down or any extra household items lying around after the movers have taken the big stuff.

Bubble wrap fragile items

For large items that you’re afraid of damaging, wrap them in bubble wrap. This includes things like paintings, picture frames and mirrors that you can’t fit in a moving box and are easily breakable.

There are also small, fragile pieces you might want to consider bubble wrapping before you put them into boxes. You should wrap anything glass and there are some wooden items you should wrap — glass dishes, wooden or porcelain figurines and candles in glass jars are some common items that need a little cushioning to avoid breaking during the mover.

Label everything

Once you’ve got things packed away in their boxes, label everything in a way that makes sense to you and communicate the meaning of the labels to movers. Don’t forget to label all your furniture with their proper rooms, along with each individual box!

Simple labels

One of the most common and convenient ways to label boxes for both you and the movers is by room — simply label everything from the kitchen “kitchen,” bathroom items “bathroom” and the same applies to all other rooms. This makes it easy for movers when they arrive at your new house or apartment and need to know which room each box belongs in.

In-depth labels

If you want to get more granular for your own personal use when unpacking, you can also make note of all the items in each box either on the top or sides of the boxes. For the movers, this probably isn’t helpful as they just need to know which rooms to put boxes in, but it can help you when you’re putting things away.

Ways to label

Depending on the boxes you use and how you transport large items, you may want to change the way you label things. If using cardboard boxes, you can use a marker to write directly on the box. If you have plastic bins, you may want to write the label on a strip of masking tape and apply it to the bin. And, the same goes for bubble-wrapped items — write the label on a piece of masking tape and put the tape right on the bubble wrap.

Make room for the moving truck

Most apartment buildings have limited parking and there probably aren’t many places to put big moving trucks. Some complexes have specific zones for large vehicles, but they can only park there for a limited time or they may need a special permit.

If you communicate with the building’s property management, they can usually help you figure out where to park and load the moving truck. They’ll also let you know how to get a parking permit if needed.

Make sure you figure out these details at least a few days before the moving company arrives or else it could delay things or cause issues with parking and loading the truck. You’ll also want to check with your new place and make arrangements for the movers to park and unload in your new apartment. Inform the movers of the parking details before the moving truck arrives so you can save time and improve the process on moving day.

If you’re lucky enough to have your own personal driveway at your old or new apartment, this makes the moving day much easier as you can simply pull the truck into the driveway without blocking parking spaces or needing a special permit.

Stay out of the way

Nothing is more frustrating than trying to do your job and someone constantly getting in the way of it. Professional movers are not the exception here and if you, your family, your friends and even your pets are getting in the way, it will make things exponentially more difficult and frustrating for the movers as they try to work. Let everyone else know to stay out of the way of movers so they have the space to do what they need.

If you have pets or young children, you may even want to get a babysitter for the day or have an adult family member watch them just to guarantee they won’t get in the way of things. This is for the safety of both your loved ones and the movers.

As you get ready for the movers, remember our tips above! It may seem like a lot in the moment, but it’s well worth all of the planning and preparation for a successful move. So, check company reviews and find the best moving company for you and get moving!

Source: rent.com

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Good times happen in small spaces.

Have you rearranged your furniture countless times in an attempt to create a comfortable and inviting living room in a small space? The good news is that, with a bit of ingenuity, you can enjoy the living room of your dreams regardless of size. From bright and eclectic to minimalist and warm, you can incorporate many of today’s design trends into a small living room.

The most important aspect of creating a space you love is ensuring it aligns with your vision and lifestyle. As Billy Baldwin, an icon in interior design, said, “Be faithful to your own taste because nothing you really like is ever out of style.”

Whether using decor tricks to create the illusion of a larger room or designing a cozy space for relaxation and entertainment, these apartment small living room ideas can take you there.

Let’s explore the many ways to make your small space shine!

1. Furniture to fill your space

While it may seem contrary, integrating larger furniture, such as a sectional, can make the room appear more expansive. The key is choosing a color that blends in with the walls and opting for low-level, armless pieces. Another innovative option is selecting a couch with raised legs, creating a sense of space.

From there, carefully consider each piece of furniture, enhancing negative space while ensuring a living room designed for your lifestyle. Do you need a side table? Would nesting tables work as coffee tables and double as side tables when friends are over? Placing furniture in a close, conversational layout creates a cozy atmosphere for entertaining.

2. Cleverly placed mirrors

The strategic use of mirrors is one of the best techniques for making rooms look bigger. Placing a large, beautiful mirror opposite windows brings in more natural light and brightens the entire room. Unless you’re going for a vintage look, simpler frames are generally a better choice when creating a sense of spaciousness.

You can also add dimension and atmosphere by placing a mirror close to a light source, like a table lamp or candle. Even mirrored furniture, such as a side table, reflects light, contributing to the illusion of more space. You can also go big with mirror panels. According to Architectural Digest, mirrored walls are in, yet again.

3. Color to the rescue

Image Source: Rent. / Bahama Bay

You’ve probably heard that painting walls white creates the illusion of a bigger room. Any lighter color, however, such as soft neutrals and pastels, can have the same effect. You can even go bold if you stick to a limited palette.

From natural wood tones to deep greens or blues, rich hues offer a cozy, enveloping feeling, and complementary shades provide a cohesive look that can make a room look bigger.

If your rental agreement doesn’t allow painting, you can still add bursts of color with pillows, throws and artwork. One large painting creates a focal point, drawing the eyes upward while adding intrigue and contrast. Add a sizeable color-coordinated area rug big enough for all your furnishings to sit on, and you have the anchor that ties the room together. Need some inspiration? Check out these popular paint colors and decorating styles that range from art deco to bohemian and Japandi.

4. Lightweight window coverings

Floor-to-ceiling window coverings add height and dimension but can make a room look smaller when made of heavy material. On the other hand, sheer fabrics provide a light and airy feeling while letting natural light infuse the room.

5. Layers of light

While layered lighting is important in every room, this approach is particularly critical in small spaces. It combines ambient, task and accent lighting, drawing your attention to specific features while creating depth and intrigue.

Consider wall sconces, hanging pendant lights and strategically placed lamps. LED strips under shelving provide light from an unseen source, setting the mood by changing colors with one touch of a button.

6. Go vertical

Are you having trouble finding space for your bookcase and much-loved artwork? Consider a shelf at a height you can just reach that encircles the room.

This shelf can appear to float when painted the same color as the walls. Deliberately placed books, plants and artwork offer texture and functionality while drawing the eyes upward and making the room appear larger.

7. Purposeful living

A small living room gives you the opportunity to embrace purposeful living. One way to achieve this is ensuring large pieces provide multi-functionality. An ottoman can double as a coffee table, hidden storage space and a footrest. A bench may offer storage for blankets. There are even bookcases with fold-down tables you can use as a desk.

8. Pay attention to the corners

Image Source: RENT. / THE LINK

Adding houseplants, a beautiful lamp or strategic shelving to a few corners brings attention to every area, making your living room seem bigger. Not only do plants enhance your living space, but several studies show they also improve air quality, boost productivity and even reduce stress.

Some good options for darker corners include peace lilies, Boston ferns, philodendrons and spider plants. With indirect light, lush parlor palms and monstera plants can fill a corner.

9. Clutter-free

Marie Kondo, developer of the KonMari Method for decluttering and star of two Netflix series, suggests that “Life truly begins only after you have put your house in order.” Tidying also creates a minimalist, clutter-free zone that does wonders for increasing a sense of space. Consider a few baskets or decorative boxes to hide remotes and other random items.

10. Bring the outdoors in

Image Source: APARTMENT GUIDE / MAA Gardens

Natural light offers many gifts, including reduced energy usage and improved sleep. It also makes a space feel more expansive and filled with life. Installing a curtain pole extending past the windows allows you to draw curtains fully back, revealing more light and making your windows appear wider.

11. A space for book lovers

Creating a cozy reading nook is often a top priority for book lovers. Fortunately, a window seat or corner chair with a soft blanket and throw pillows is often all it takes. Add a wall sconce or pendant light that saves space, and enjoy.

Are you ready to create a comfortable, more spacious living room where you relax with friends and family? Use these design tips to steer you in the right direction.

Still looking for your own cozy space to decorate? Start here.

Source: rent.com

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Just because you live in a small bedroom, doesn’t mean you need to skimp on style. Here are 7 small bedroom ideas to liven up your space.

When living in an apartment, you might be a little short on space. However, you do not need to be short on style! While you can’t magically expand the parameters of your bedroom, you can add some pizzazz with these seven small bedroom ideas.

If you’re craving some feng-shui and want to update your tiny room with a new decorating style, here are several ideas that will be sure to optimize your space and make you feel like you’re in your own personal haven.

7 small bedroom ideas to freshen up your space

Regardless of your decorating budget, you can utilize any or all of these small bedroom ideas to jazz up your space. Let’s get started with the transformation!

1. Paint a wall

Color is one of the best ways to liven up any space, regardless of size. On one side of the color wheel, you could go with neutrals, like white or beige, to create a blank slate. The fresh white walls can add a clean look and brighten up the space. It also leaves room for you to add a statement piece of art that really stands out.

On the other side of the color wheel, you could go bold and paint one wall a signature color that will add a splash of color. If you choose to go with a color, choose it wisely. Sometimes, dark colors on all four walls could make the space appear smaller. You can find a paint finder tool to choose the right color for your room.

2. Hang some art or a decorative mirror

A picture is worth a thousand words, right? If you’re looking for small bedroom ideas to spice up your space, consider going art shopping and finding the perfect piece of art to add to one wall. You could buy a large statement piece or purchase several prints and make a photo collage. The idea here is to use art to make a statement in your small space.

Another thing to consider is adding a mirror to a wall. This could be a wall mirror or a standing mirror, but make it big! The mirror can help amplify the space and make it seem larger than it is.

3. Get some greenery

You don’t need a green thumb to add some greenery to your bedroom. Go to your local nursery and find a cactus, succulent or even a small tree to bring home to your room. You’ll want to consider things like how much light your room gets and how often you need to water the plant, but there is a plant for almost any situation. Greenery adds life, literally, to your space and that can make your small bedroom feel like a retreat.

4. Become creative with storage

One of the biggest problems with small spaces is the lack of storage options. Don’t fret, though! You can and must get creative when living in a small space. First, make use of the available storage you do have. Add boxes or bins to any shelf to reduce visual clutter. Next, consider propping up your bed to add more under-the-bed storage to hide and store items. You can also add furniture — like a dresser, bookshelf or desk — to decorate and organize.

Remember, clutter makes any space look smaller. So, you need to be organized and get in touch with your inner Marie Kondo to make your small bedroom appear larger.

5. Upgrade to multi-purpose furniture

Make your furniture multi-task! If you have the budget to buy some new furniture, invest in multi-functional furniture. For example, can your shelves double as a desk? Or can you buy a bed frame with built-in storage? Multi-purpose furniture is cool and it helps save on space, which is key to upgrading a small bedroom.

6. Add some height

It might sound counter-intuitive to add large furniture to a small room, but sometimes, larger furniture in a small space actually makes the room seem bigger. For example, we mentioned adding a mirror to your room earlier. Why not make that mirror tall and large to add some height and dimension to the space? Or, consider adding a piece of ladder furniture that adds height and doubles as storage?

7. Make use of tight spaces

The seventh small bedroom idea for decorating is to think of tight, small spaces in innovative ways. For example, do you have an extra closet in your room? Consider taking down the closet doors and converting that space to a mini office complete with a desk and chair. Do you have tall ceilings? Add a high shelf and use that for boxes and bins.

General tips for small bedroom living

Living in a small space can be frustrating if you aren’t organized. But, you can make it work and live in a fabulous small bedroom by following these three tips.

Stay clean and organized

Clutter is distracting and stressful and makes any place, regardless of size, seem smaller. If you live in a small apartment or have a small bedroom, make it part of your daily or weekly routine to clean and organize regularly. By keeping an orderly space, you’ll have a cleaner house and head.

Live minimally

Less is more, right? One thing to consider is the “one in, one out rule.” For example, if you purchase new clothes or a new piece of furniture, donate something old instead. This makes it so that you aren’t adding more stuff to your space but remain with the same amount of items, creating less clutter.

Add light and fresh air

Dark spaces can seem dreary, so make sure to turn on lights, add lamps or open window shades to bring in light. Likewise, prop open a window or add a fan to avoid a stuffy, cramped feeling in your bedroom.

Create your dream small bedroom

By incorporating one (or seven!) of these small bedroom ideas, you’ll create the cozy room of your dreams. Friendly reminder to check with your landlord and lease, though, before making any permanent alterations to your apartment. Once you get the green light, grab your paintbrush and paint away!

Still looking for that dream apartment to decorate? Start here.

Source: rent.com

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Are you thinking of designing a smoking haven in your house or apartment where you can retreat to after a long day?

Not only can a personalized smoking room be helpful in reducing the exposure of smells and smoke throughout the rest of your living space but creating your very own smoking sanctuary can also add character and a high-ly unique style to your residence (see what we did there?)

Plus, you get your own personal space to dedicate to an activity that brings you joy — you get an extra thumbs up from Marie Kondo for that.

While brainstorming your in-home dream lounge, there are a few key points to keep in mind.

First, you will want to decide on the best location for your set up. Second, you’ll want to focus on the furniture and décor of the room.

Lastly comes the selection of smoking accessories. These are often the most important in that they are what you’ll be passing around and consuming with, ultimately completing your overall smoking experience. 

Location, Location, Location

Choosing an appropriate location for your smoking room is half the battle.

Whether you plan to designate an entire room, basement, attic, or shed, you will want to make sure that the location you choose is not exactly smack dab in the middle of your main living space.

Smoke has a tendency to spread quickly through a home (and, let’s face it, weed stinks), so allocating a relatively remote place will grant smokers the freedom to enjoy their cannabis consumption without any negative impact on non-smokers, or additional members of your family or household. 

If ventilation is of any concern, you can consider installing an exhaust fan (which can be as simple as a wall mount, or as complex as a professional-grade air ventilation system).

Let’s be honest, we’ve all spilled, or been in a room where someone has spilled, bong water and it is less than pleasant (to say the least), especially when not cleaned up quickly or properly.

To get ahead of these, you can use candles, incense, or essential oil diffusers to reduce unwanted odors while also creating a relaxing ambiance. Otherwise, incorporating trees and large plants in and around the room will help to clean and recycle the air while also adding to the overall atmosphere.

Furniture & Decor

When laying out your smoking room, you’ll want it to match your own personal style.

Whether you decide to design a psychedelic, retro, modern, or traditional stoner-style space, there are a few key things to consider in regards to furniture and décor. 

Comfortable seating is an absolute must. Floor pillows and bean bag chairs are often a rather cheap and comfortable way to provide seating for multiple people, while also making it easy to add, reduce, or rearrange your seating set up.

Hanging chairs are more costly, but also provide a more unique look, while a loveseat, futon, or couch can always do the trick and can seat several people at a time for those larger sessions or parties. 

By hanging some colored LEDs or black lights around the room, you can reduce harsh lighting and help achieve a relaxing vibe in your area.

With black lights, you can add some reactive wall art, such as tapestries, decals, or paintings, and further set the mood. If you want a more energetic feel, look for warmer colors with hues of red, yellow, and orange with matching LEDs (which are very energy efficient). 

For a more chill and calming feel, utilize more soft colors like blue and violet. For the animal lovers out there, consider adding a fish tank with neon reflective fish!

Decorate the tank as you wish and enjoy zoning out on your new beautiful swimming companions. Just don’t forget to feed them and clean the tank regularly. 

Blankets and pillows of different fabrics will not only add to you and your guests’ comfort, but the different materials will also be fun to feel and cuddle up with when your sessions conclude.

Having different items around like musical instruments, games, speakers for music, picture/activity books on the coffee table, and other tactile objects will also add some fun to your smoking sesh, whether you are sparking up alone or with others. 

Smoking Accessories

Perhaps the most important feature of your newly designed room will be the equipment you use to consume.

As with most pieces you use to smoke, you’ll want to have somewhere to trash the ash, especially if you prefer to use rolling papers like our Rowll All-In-One Rolling Kit. 

It might seem obvious, but it isn’t uncommon for people to ash in whatever they can find, be it a water bottle, on their leg, or the floor. 

We recommend our Glow In The Dark Cup Ashtray, or our Silicone Ashtray. Silicone is great for those who prefer to smoke out of pipes or bongs, since you won’t break your glass against silicone.

If you are looking for a full setup, without having to shop around for each individual piece, you will be relieved to know that at everythingfor420.com/ we offer several bundles to cover everything you could need! 

Our Green Herbalist bundle, which includes rolling papers, hemp wraps, a rolling tray, 3-layer kief-catching grinder, and a beautifully crafted 10-inch tall Highlander Bong, is one of our best.

This bong features a tree percolator, diffused downstem, and an ice-catcher to filter, cool, and deliver the super smooth and super potent hits. 

There is an endless amount of ways to personalize your smoking room.

Once you have your location selected, the rest is simply personal preference. Whether you are the type to prefer black lights and glow-in-the-dark decorations, or a more simplistic vibe like tapestries and LEDs, the world of design is your oyster. 

Regardless of the style you choose to go with, it’s always fun to have a poster, book, chalkboard, or whiteboard that can serve as a stoner guest book where all who enter can leave their mark and keep the memories alive.

But, more importantly, making sure you get the highest quality smoking accessories on the market is where we come in. 

More tips for your fancy home

Top 4 Safety Hazards Around the House and How to Address Them
The Benefits of Massage Chair Recliners and Why You Should Get One for Your Home
3 Things to Consider When Buying an Air Filter for Your Home
How to Safely Light Artwork in Your Beautiful Home

Source: fancypantshomes.com

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