When you think of apartment living, you may think of cramped quarters with barely enough room to walk – but fortunately for our Arcadia Run residents, our spacious apartments offer ample room for comfortable living. Even so, you wouldn’t decorate or stage any apartment in the same way you would a single-family home, as there’s typically less space in an apartment. If you’ve found yourself stumped on the best way to maximize your apartment space, follow the tips below!:

· Look for multi-functional furniture: For example, an ottoman that also serves as storage, or a table that doubles as a desk and a dining room table. Eliminating excess furniture from your apartment means a less cluttered, more open feel.

· Shelves, shelves, shelves: Shelves are a great way to make the most an area without taking up floor space, and they’re not just for the living area. Placing shelving on kitchen and bathroom walls gives extra storage space and makes for less cluttered counters. You can even opt for shelving above your bed, in lieu of a headboard, for extra storage in the bedroom, eliminating the need for a nightstand.
· Think minimalist: The last thing you want in your apartment is large, clunky furniture, so employ minimalist, lightweight furniture instead. This doesn’t mean it has to be boring – look for furniture in fun colors to give a pop of color to the room.

· Utilize vertical space: Decorating to make full use of the vertical space in your apartment draws the eye upward, and creates the illusion of high ceilings and a larger room. For example, bookcases and curtains that are floor to ceiling, hanging long artwork above furniture, and shelves placed high on the walls are great ways to utilize your vertical space.

· Look under the bed: Underneath your bed is a great place for storage, and it doesn’t have be cluttered. There are bins specifically made for this space to keep everything organized and under control. If you’re finding there’s not quite enough room under the bed, look into getting bed risers to expand the space.

· Re-evaluate what’s really necessary: Every so often, take a good look at your possessions – and question what you’re really using and what you really need. Books you’ll never read are taking up valuable shelf space, and you only need so many sets of towels. Donate what you don’t need to free up extra space and feel good about a good deed! Jenna Mahoney, author of “Small Apartment Hacks,” suggests going through and getting rid of anything you don’t use in the usual rotation every three months.

The bottom line: it’s all about maximizing space. And at Arcadia Run, that space is full of incredible features such as oversized kitchens, granite counters and nine foot ceilings. With the combination of these features, our ideal location in Manassas, VA and your expert decorating techniques, you’ll have the apartment you’ve always dreamed of!

SOURCE: House Beautiful, ForRent.com, Forbes, Birchbox