Your Money

Five Ways To Maximize Small-Space Living On A Budget

Posted: 9/17/2010

A small space can look great without breaking the budget.

(NAPSI) - Whether it's your first apartment or a college dorm room, outfitting a small living space to be comfortable and functional is a challenge. Target Style Expert for Home Sabrina Soto says the key to making any small space work is to make it your own. She offers five ideas for getting the most out of your tiny dwelling on a tight budget.

Start with storage

Small spaces demand making creative use of every nook and cranny. In a dorm room, take full advantage of the closet by adding hooks along the walls and shelves at top and bottom. Use the back of the closet door for shoe or accessory storage, and put large or bulky items in storage boxes under the bed.

When possible, choose items that can do double duty. In a small apartment, Soto suggests using a storage trunk as a coffee table. It's the right scale, and provides a convenient hiding place for books, magazines and coasters. A Room Essentials Trunk with Faux-Crocodile Trim ($39.99) comes in a variety of fun colors. Use file cabinets as end tables, and place your desk behind the sofa to double as a console table.

Get coordinated

By mixing and matching similar-hued bedding, bath towels, throw pillows, storage boxes and even kitchen tools, you can create a space that feels bigger than it really is. Pull the look together by extending the color scheme up onto the walls with a canvas print, a collection of picture frames or decorative mirrors. The Room Essentials collection from Target includes color-coordinated must-haves, priced from $3 for desk accessories to $29.99 for a reversible quilt.

Think small

Want a refrigerator for your dorm room but worried that there isn't enough space? Emerson makes a 2.8-cu.-ft. Mini Fridge ($89.99) that will fit under a table or loft. Its door is a dry-erase board so you don't need a separate note board for communicating with your roommate.

Fitting a desk into a one-room apartment can be a challenge. The Room Essentials Desk ($49.99) is small enough to tuck behind a couch or in a corner and comes in fun colors to coordinate with furnishings. Pair it with a Bungee Chair (also $49.99), rather than a standard desk chair, and it will double as guest seating. Add an Epson All-in-One Printer, Scanner and Copier ($29.99) and you have an efficient home office!

Make it personal

A great way to make any space feel like your own without spending a dime is to personalize the room by decorating with favorite items from home. Highlight memories with pictures and cards on a collage board, or frame a few favorite photos and cluster them on the wall. Add the throw that grandma knitted for you or a memento from your last family vacation and the room will feel more like a home.

Cut out the clutter

Eliminating clutter from counters, couches and beds will go a long way to making any space feel more spacious. Clear off counters and keep tools organized with drawer dividers and shelves on walls. In the bathroom, hang a storage cube above the toilet to hide away beauty and personal care products.

Stacks of old magazines and pizza boxes will make a small space seem even smaller. Soto says, "Go green by recycling everything as soon as you're done with it."

For more ideas from Soto on decorating on a budget, visit www.target.com/home.

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