6 Easy Steps To Manage Your Small Apartment

One of life’s greatest mysteries is how even tiny apartments can end up horrendously dirty. Small spaces make little messes into gargantuan tasks. Fear not, Maid Sailors has drafted a shortlist of effective methods to organize your tiny living space so your friends don’t make negative assumptions about your ability to handle even the tiniest responsibilities.

Declutter

This simple tenet, while easier said than done, should be followed religiously (which is why we’ve written about it before): get rid of the things you don’t need. Face the facts: you will never read those old issues of Vogue and Cosmopolitan. You don’t need last year’s copy of the Wall Street Journal greeting guests as they maneuver to your bathroom. Lastly, do you even have a way to actually play those DVDs? Think of it this way. The less stuff you have, the less cleaning you do.

Vertical Storage

To maximize your space, think like an NYC skyscraper. By elevating structures within your apartment (e.g. bed frame), you can subsequently unlock a mini-universe of storage options that don’t impede your living space. There are a lot of vertical storage options that you should consider. Additionally, shoe racks and wall hooks are key assets for small apartments. Vertical storage can also make tasks like organizing and packing bags easier. Lastly, use shelves. If it’s winter, you don’t need your bathing suits, tank tops and flip flops at hand; they can go on the top shelf.

Tidy A Little Bit Every day

Snowflakes make snowballs (which in turn, can make snowmen). The reason for this odd analogy is this: if you fix little things here and there every day, you may never actually have to spend a lot of time cleaning. Tasks, like making the bed, putting dirty laundry in a hamper, and wiping off the coffee table, are really simple and effective. Do little 5-minute chores on a daily basis so you don’t ultimately waste a Sunday scrubbing floors and doing laundry. Plus, your apartment will look presentable throughout the week, allowing you to actually invite friends back to your place (subject to occupancy). Lastly, always tidy before you leave town for an extended trip. The harrowing, depressing feeling of departing paradise and coming home to dirty dishes is incurable.

Deep Clean One Thing A Week

Once a week pick something to clean. Things like Microwaves, refrigerators, and your closet can get messy really easily. Pick one thing to deep clean each week and you will get into a cycle so that everything stays clean and neat. This really helps if you hate cleaning appliances because you only have to do one at a time, and it only takes about ten minutes to do.

“Clean” the Air

Your apartment can’t be clean if it’s not fresh. Small spaces can easily become stuffy and dusty, so investing in an air filtration system or fans will be worthwhile. Even after de-cluttering, make sure to purify the air so your cozy abode will become a welcoming, bright environment for your guests.

Be Furniture-Smart

Furniture is a double-edged sword; it can either help open up space or consume it entirely. Making smart furniture choices can allow you to keep your apartment clean and manageable. For instance, buying furniture that can also double as a storage mechanism is an ideal way you to optimize apartment space. This also prevents you from defaulting to the floor as your go-to shelf; blankets and extra pillows can sit on the ottoman instead. If you can’t seem to get an open feeling in your apartment then it might be worthwhile to get rid of extra furniture (like the lamp you never need because your apartment has one room and you have central lighting). Any space you can get will make your apartment feel cleaner and more open.

And Finally…

Call Maid Sailors. We understand Labor Day is around the corner, and afterward, it’ll be full steam ahead until 2016. If you still can’t find time to clean your oversized-closet of an apartment, book a Maid Sailor and we’ll be done before you finish brunch