Is it a chair? A table? ‘Smart space’ can transform lifestyle

“Goodness gracious your apartment is spacious!”

Isn’t that exactly what you want to hear when you usher in a guest into your apartment for the first time?

Urban city living offers its own unique experiences and big advantages. It’s cheaper, more convenient and easier to freely indulge in that lock-up-and-go lifestyle that plays at the very heart of urban life. However, it does also offer smaller living spaces. But, if you’re smart about your space, you’ll be able to make the most of every square metre without having to compromise on any of life’s little luxuries.

Dual-purpose furniture

It’s a chair! It’s a table! It’s a kist! No! It’s all of those things. To really thrive in a small apartment or flat, you have to find intuitive ways of inventing storage space and then making it disappear into the background. There are plenty of ottomans and coffee tables that can provide extra storage space. Furniture retailers like Kist Company have many clever options when it comes to dual-purpose furniture that can stylishly fit into your living space.

Mount your TV on the wall

We all love a big screen TV, but at 40” and above they can become quite cumbersome. If you’re attached to your TV, then consider firmly attaching it to your wall with a proper mounting bracket. You can find these wherever TVs are sold. You will have to drill some holes in the wall so if you are concerned about the installation, there are plenty of professionals around to help with the installation. A simple visit to Takealot will reveal a wide range of TV brackets to fit your needs.

Don’t be a hoarder

When you’re living in a small space, life should be about experiences and memories. The more stuff you own, the more stuffy your apartment is going to feel. When you get right down to it, all of us are bogged down with useless clutter that doesn’t benefit our life. At least once a year, the best thing you can do is gather up what you can live without and donate to those in need. Best-selling author and organising guru, Marie Kondo, gives a fresh take on decluttering your space on her Netflix show “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo”.

Your kitchen deserves the right fridge

If there is one appliance that dominates the kitchen it is the fridge. If space is a challenge, you need to find a brand of fridge that perfectly balances style with function. A combined fridge and freezer is the way rather than having two separate coolers.

Electronics manufacturer LG Electronics has a range of bottom fridge freezers that offer the ideal solution for minimalist apartment kitchens. The LG V+ bottom fridge freezers offer style, convenience and efficiency in a neat package – just what you need in an apartment. The fridges have flexible, eye-level shelving and the freezer is spacious, helping keep food organised and fresh.

Mirrors are magic

The keys to more spacious living is the illusion of more space. Put a mirror on the wall or on a door and you will feel the room expand immediately. The trick is to angle your mirrors to give off the illusion of depth. Not only this, mirrors are good at reflecting both natural and artificial light, which will brighten up your apartment during the day.

Outsource your storage

As we grow in life, so do our possessions. Yes, there is a certain amount of culling you can do but eventually you end up with more things you cannot live without than you have space to store them. You may have noticed an upsurge in storage space companies popping up all over the place. This is because more and more people are living smaller, whether they want to or not. If that’s you, it’s not a bad idea to rent some storage space and keep your non-essentials hidden away out of sight, safe and secure in a storage locker.