It's not any surprise that most apartments do not have a great deal of space and getting around that requires a bit of creativity, strategy and innovation on the tenants part. Therefore, if you find yourself scratching your head on what you can do to maximize the space you do have, rest assured you are not alone. On top of the space issue, sometimes the polices and the courtesies that need to be considered when living in an apartment can throw off the best of us as well. But there, there now. Plenty have come before you who have been there, done that and come up with some pretty crafty tricks and solutions to common problematic situations that apartment renters find themselves in at times. So being in the apartment leasing industry as an Assistant Manager at Camden Lake Pine (shameless plug) and a renter to boot, I've gotten pretty chummy with some of those common problems by experiencing some of them first hand but also from hearing about them from residents and prospective tenants.

Here goes nothing. Let the hacks begin!

Problem: Lack of Closet Space Hack: Coke Tabs

Whoever thought of this needs a Gold Medal at Life. Just sayin'. It's so brilliant. And you can take it as far down as you'd like. __________________________________________________________________________

Problem: Tiny Freezer Hack: Freezer bags

Something I have learned is to take things out of the box when you can. Boxes = bulk. Bulk = no good. Things like bagged frozen veggies are fine to say in their own bags but things like frozen waffles, left overs, even frozen pizzas etc, are so much easier to store (and you can fit a lot more in) when out of the box. Just make sure you label what it is if you can't tell and date it if necessary. __________________________________________________________________________

Problem: Can't Use Your Sub Woofer/Surround Sound Hack: Wireless Headphones

Now you may be thinking, "whaaaaa?!". No seriously though. These are great. It's like you are in your own movie theater and bonus - you won't get any noise complaints. You may also be thinking that these are wicked expensive but the price points on these are not that bad anymore. You can get a pair for less than $100 and it's a great investment. __________________________________________________________________________

Problem: Lack of a Door (Bedroom/Closet/Etc) Hack: Hang Curtains

This is such a great way to close off a space or give yourself privacy. The possibilities are endless. You get to choose what your "door" looks like. How cool is that?! __________________________________________________________________________

Problem: Can't Hang Pictures on the Wall Hack: Decorative Tape as Frames

They make tons of tapes now that do not damage walls or take the paint off. You can use this to your advantage. Put up your photo with a safe tape and then use the decorative tape to frame it. You can go whimsical with the frames or you can go classic with just solid colors. __________________________________________________________________________

Problem: Lack of Counter Space Hack: Hanging Mason Jars

So you have no counter space in your kitchen, bathroom or both. No problem. Get one of these bad boys. You can use it in the kitchen for lots of things like herbs, utensils, silverware or whatever your heart desires. In the bathroom, use it for cotton balls, Q-tips, your toothbrush, hair accessories, etc. __________________________________________________________________________

Problem: No Pantry Hack: An Awesome Furniture Piece

So you don't have a pantry. Your first reaction might be to scream or panic. But worry not. Find yourself a sweet little piece of furniture. You can put it in your dining room and no one would be the wiser. Don't have a dining room? Any little nook should be perfect. __________________________________________________________________________

Problem: No Storage Space Hack: Loft Your Bed

I did this in college. It saved me. I never knew how much stuff I had until I had nowhere to put it. So we raised my bed, got plastic storage bins and the rest is history. Lofting the bed make it so easy to get to the stuff if and when I needed it. If you're worried about seeing it...don't. They make longer bed skirts to accommodate a higher bed. __________________________________________________________________________

I hope this blog has served up some helpful tips for you!