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1. An adorable little Novogratz metal cart you can use to store everything from cocktail fixings to books and tchotchkes. The cheerful mint shade adds a pop of color anywhere you put it, and since the whole unit rolls, you can always wheel it away out of sight if you need to free up some space.
2. A gold, geometric wall mirror that will open up your apartment with style. It’s the oldest trick in the book, but that’s because it works: Mirrors both bounce light around and give the illusion of depth, providing small spaces with what they might otherwise be missing. The clean lines of this mirror's frame give it minimalist appeal, while the unusual design adds visual interest.
3. A leaning desk with a slim profile that will keep your office nook streamlined. This ladder-like design hugs the wall, so it won’t jut out awkwardly into the rest of your space. Meanwhile, the two open shelves up top give you storage space with a sense of airiness.
4. Or a wall-mounted, fold-down desk you can easily put away when you’re not working. When it’s closed, it looks like a sleek little cabinet – but when you open it up, you’ll find a workspace, plenty of cubbyholes to hold your favorite pens and sticky notes, and even a corkboard you can pin your to-do list to. It’s basically a Transformer minus the robotics.
5. A cushy accent chair that also swivels, because a piece that can double as an office chair and living room seating is definitely worth having when you feel like you live in a shoebox. I kid you not, I am sitting on this exact chair right at this very moment; it’s been my desk chair for around two and a half years, and I love it.
6. A plug-in wall sconce with a swinging arm so you can illuminate any shadowy dead zones around your home with minimal effort. The beauty of sconces like this white-and-brass number is that you don't need to rewire your whole apartment to use them. You just need to make sure you mount them near outlets. Plug ‘em in, turn 'em on, and you’re good to go!
7. Some sheer curtains that will give you privacy while still letting in tons of sunlight. If you’re a light sleeper, you may not want to use them in your bedroom, but they’ll help brighten up, say, your living space or dining area considerably. Or, try hanging them as room dividers instead of window treatments – they’ll split up your space while still allowing light to travel throughout.
8. A mid-century modern dining set made of beech wood to amp up your breakfast nook. The tapered legs characteristic of mid-century modern designs work beautifully in small spaces, as do round table shapes; they both provide a sense of flow. As a bonus, the table and four chairs that make up this set can also be bought separately if you’re not in the market for a whole new dining situation.
9. A tasseled, velvet throw pillow, because it’s absolutely possible to add a strategic burst of color or dash of texture (or both!) without taking up boatloads of space. These pillows are filled with soft, downy feathers and wrapped in plush velvet for the ultimate in comfy couch lounging.
10. A trio of diamond-shaped hanging mirror decorations, so you can just a bit of sparkle to your place, even if wall space is at a premium. Reviewers say there are scads of different ways to arrange them, no matter what kind of surface area you’ve got to work with – so if you don't have room for a full wall mirror, you can still get the benefits that reflective surfaces provide.
11. A plush, upholstered bed with built-in storage, because nothing frees up valuable space – and subsequently makes your entire place look bigger – like furniture that does double-duty. This queen-sized dream machine has two drawers that pull out from the foot of the bed, giving you an excellent space to stash extra linens, out-of-season clothing, and more. Bonus: USB charging ports tucked into the headboard keep your devices close at hand.
12. Or, some underbed storage bins, if you’re looking for ways to clear up your clutter without replacing your entire bed. I have three of these myself; I use them to store spare sheets, blankets, and bath towels. The wheels on the bottoms of the bins mean you can just roll ‘em out from underneath the bed with ease, while the duel-sided lids allow for access from either side. They’re not the prettiest of containers, but if you don’t like seeing them underneath your bed, get thee a bed skirt and voilà! Instant camouflage.
13. A rustic floating shelf equipped with a towel rack that’ll add both utility and farmhouse vibes to your home without plopping another piece of furniture directly on your floor. Spiff up your bathroom, increase the storage space in your kitchen, and give yourself a place to hang dish towels or bath towels in the process, thanks to this wood piece with metal brackets.
14. A pair of paneled mirrors with arched frames, because even if your place is short on actual windows, you can still fake a few. Embrace your inner cottagecore enthusiast with the help of this duo's white-painted, distressed wood frames – AND brighten and enlarge your space while you’re at it.
15. A retro-style Novogratz futon that doubles up as eye-catching seating and a cozy place to sleep. The multifunctional nature of this single piece means you’ll need fewer pieces overall to suit your needs – and nothing brightens up a room like a bold pop of color.
16. A four-panel room divider screen to help you divvy up your space in a way that still feels open. The non-woven fabric panels let enough light through to keep things from getting too dark, while the geometric design of the wood frame provides modern, stylistic flare.
17. A geometric, open cube bookcase that’s so versatile, you’ll never run out of ways to use it. I have one of these in the espresso color; I find it makes a super visually interesting way to display books and knick-knacks. But reviewers of the piece have been really creative about how they’re using it, showing that it works as a room divider, a display case, and even as a media console when it’s turned on its side – and thanks to the open style of the shelves, it never looks heavy or weighs down the room.
18. A curtain of LED fairy lights, because adding illumination to your home doesn’t have to mean shoving in an entire lamp. With eight different settings, this starry little curtain looks magical hanging in a window – but if you want to get a little creative, try hanging it on the wall behind your bed instead. It’ll bring more light into your room and give you the look of a headboard, all without clogging up your space with extraneous furniture.
19. An area rug with an abstract print that’ll spiff up your floors in a flash. If you live in a small apartment, it’s worth investing in a relatively large area rug; having one, big rug makes small spaces look larger than they would if you packed them full of smaller rugs. This one offers a unique pattern and a comfortable pile height that’s neither too high, nor too low.
20. A cute little loveseat with mid-century modern charm, because the key to picking furniture for a compact space is all about scaling the pieces for the area you have to work with. This cushy, wood-framed seating option fits beautifully in tight spaces – and it also has those distinctive, tapered legs that look so terrific in Polly Pocket-sized homes.
21. Some playful, framed wall art so you’ve got something cheerful to rest your peepers on when you're feeling down. Go on. Just try not to smile as you gaze upon this pastel, modern, desert botanical dream. I dare you. I DOUBLE-dare you.
22. A floating media console, because even cord cutters need something to anchor their TV. Mounting your media setup keeps everything streamlined (it's literally hugging the wall, after all). Moreover, the fact that its floating gives your space the impression of being airy and wide open. This slick, wood piece has a whopping 207 five-star reviews, too – clearly, people dig it!
23. And some cord concealers, because if you’re going to mount your TV, you’re also going to want to hide the wires to keep the floating illusion intact. Similar products also exist for things like lamp cords, computer cords, and more, by the way, so if you’re feeling really dedicated, you can in theory give every cord in your apartment the incognito treatment. Talk about ~sneaky~.
24. A pair of mid-century modern nightstands that also make excellent end tables, depending on your needs. With two drawers apiece and perched atop retro-looking tapered legs, they’re made of solid wood – which, by the way, is harvested responsibly from renewable sources. Eco-friendly and small space-friendly? Yes, please!
25. A reclaimed wood-look, wall-mounted coat rack with four double hooks, because even if you don’t want a full, standing coat rack littering your limited space, you still need a spot to hang your outdoor gear. The shelf on this rustic pick also gives you somewhere stash your keys and other can’t-leave-home-without-‘em items, too.
26. A slim, pull-out storage shelf that’ll help you keep the things you reach for the most close at hand, and utilize those weird, narrow gaps between bigger pieces you might not otherwise have a use for. The wheels and casters on this three-tiered shelving unit making sliding it in and out of place super easy, so it’ll fit just about anywhere. Clutter, begone!
27. A ceramic hanging planter so you can get some greenery into your home without wasting valuable surface area. A few green babies perk up any space, and this white, jute rope-suspended planter brings some seriously boho-esque ambience to wherever you hang it.
28. A glass coffee table with a cool, retro shape that’ll lift your space in a way that a heavy, wood piece just can’t. With an oval-shaped glass top, two frosted glass shelves underneath, and shiny chrome legs, it looks like something the Jetsons might have in their living room – and although it might require a little extra cleaning to keep the fingerprints off it, that’s nothing a little Windex can’t fix.
29. Some peel-and-stick wallpaper that instantly updates dark or dingy walls with a light and airy scene. Easily installed and just as easily removed, this nature-inspired wallpaper will transport you into a sun-dappled birch forest – even if you’re pretty much home all the time these days.
30. A rose gold-finish pendant light, so you can add some glimmer and gleam to your environment in more ways than one. Pendant lights are often recommended for small spaces, as they provide maximum impact with minimal footprint; this wire-framed geometric pick does all that, and gets in on the rose gold trend, too. It’s also dimmable, we well as compatible with LED bulbs. Hoorah for saving on your electricity bill!
31. And a foldable fabric storage ottoman you can use in oodles of different ways. You can use two of them together as an alternative to a coffee table, pull them apart and put your butt down on them when you need extra seating, stash odds and ends in them instead of leaving your stuff all over the place, and, when you don't need them, you can fold them flat and put them away entirely. Yes, really. It doesn’t get much more small space-friendly than that!
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