For those who live in small places, do you have any creative decor/storage ideas? I'm looking for some new, easy, cheap ideas and am curious as to what kind of stuff others are doing.

Yes. I have LOTS of shelves and wall cabinets. Very great design pieces and storage spaces for everything. My bed also has cabinets underneath.

Yeah, I've been looking at lots of shelving options. Trying to keep it somewhat cheap. I just have very little storage in my apartment. There were no cabinets in my kitchen at all and I finally got some for there. Next up is the living room.

I had shelves and cabinets built in almost all spaces above. Some you can design to make it look like part of the wall or a wood frame. Also, I would recommend sliding doors, so you are able to utilize every inch of your rooms that are not possible with conventional ones.

I can't really build things into the wall or anything, since I'm just renting. Just trying to come up with some good ways to use a small space.

Ah, then you can just use mounting brackets and wood planks. Pretty cheap and temporary. I installed those myself one time.

I just throw everything in my closet

I don't have a big closet. So, that doesn't really help.

milk cartons, you can get them free sometimes. stack them with the opening to the side and you have storage space. if you want you can spray paint them

(the ones around here are square, made of plastic. sometimes the coca-cola dealer has smaller ones)

If you paint in contrasting colors and stripe one wall it makes the room appear larger.....I put curtaings over the entrance way shear to look more open

Pretty stackable baskets are nice

A mirror on any wall makes a room seem bigger

Floor to ceiling curtains make a room seem bigger

Furniture that is not oversized

Not to many shelves-that can close a room in

A tv that mounts on the wall

Light color walls and ceiling

Overhead lighting

All of the above plus simple shelves (painted 1x4 or 1x6's mounted about a foot below your ceiling anywhere that they won't pose a threat of bumping into. You can mount these higher or lower depending on ceiling height. Then presto, room to store books, nick knacks, vases, pitchers and even pictures. If you are allowed to paint you can paint the space above the shelves a contrasting color, if you can't or don't want to paint try using brick shaped mirrors, you can get them in a ten or twelve pack at Lowe's, Home Dept...

Over the door hooks for over flow clothes/coats, these come in many styles and prices. Plastic is cheapest, just put cotton balls or pads under them to avoid damaging the paint. (learned that one the hard way)

Those storage bags you can get off of the tv or at Walmart that you use your vacuum hose to suck the air out of really work. I turned my queen size 'down' filled comforter and it's heave cotton cover into a package about the size of a king sized pillow! I saved a ton of space by putting all me extra blankets, afghans and pillows into those bags. The ad doesn't tell you about the deep set wrinkles but I did save a ton of storage space using them.

Good luck and good creativeness!!

two words........

disco ball


Useless...yes
But, it will show any victims that you lure into your lair that you are a fun kinda gal.

I have one. Even had one mounted in my bottling room at work till someone stole it (with my permission)

i just put up poster of the Playboy Bunnies everywhere

I use a lot of bookshelves and bookcases which you can get very cheap at places like Walmart if you are willing to put them together yourself.

and the way they bounce....illusion of space accomplished!!!

Well all the designers say to go for mirrors!! As usual Krupa, you are ahead of the trend!

Here is a good one that actually is dirt cheap and looks really classy.

Take strings of WHITE christmas lights (super cheap right now) and tack them to the underside of kitchen cabinets or beneath your computer desk. Then turn off all your other lights. It makes great mood lighting.

Had an ex showed me it and it really does look nice and lends a relaxed and mellow ambience to a room.

Nice post I hear girl!I too live in a small place less to clean and ive have down sized over the yrs; so with that said shelves,cubes,cubies like a work just seem a good way to go!kool