I want to share with you my  small space design tips for apartments and dorms. I just took a crash course in small space design. Last week I moved my oldest child into her first dorm room. See my post on dorm room design, before and after. Here are my top 5 small space design tips:

 

1. Bed Risers

In a small space, the area under the bed is very valuable real estate. If you place your bed on risers, you can gain a whopping extra seven inches of storage space under the bed. Bed risers are available at Bed Bath and Beyond.

 

2. Under Bed Storage Drawers

These oversized drawers are perfect for a dorm or an apartment. If you use the risers for your bed, you will have room to stack 2 drawers.  If you stack the drawers under the bed lengthwise, you can fit 6 drawers. This is like having an entire dresser under your bed. If you are moving, a great tip is to pack the drawers with the items you plan on storing in them. My daughter packed her clothes in the drawers, we transported to school and simply slid them under her bed in her dorm room. Easy, peasy!

 

3. Over the Door Shoe Organizer

An over the door shoe organizer is a brilliant space saving tip for any small closet. The inside door of the closet is an often overlooked space for valuable storage. Not only can you free up storage space on the floor, but you have an easier way to see your shoes.

 

4. Slim Line Hangers

Slim Line hangers can add quite a bit of extra space on your clothes rod. Why take up valuable real estate with a bulky hanger? Nothing makes a closet seem more organized than using all the same hangers-No WIRE hangers please!

 

5. Double Hang Closet Rod

A double hang closet rod will double the hanging space in your closet. It simply hangs on the existing rod, and voila, you have doubled your space.

 

 

I used all of my top 5 small design tips in my daughter’s dorm room. I also cleverly covered the bed risers and under the bed drawers with a linen bed skirt. With a little planning, any small space can be functional and beautiful!