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]]>1. Dust everywhere, even your ceiling fans
It’s easy to notice dust on places at eye-level or below—bookshelves, TV and computer stands (and the technology equipment itself), cabinets and countertops. But look up to see where you might be missing. Ceiling fans are a huge collector of dust, that then circulates right back into the air every time you turn the fan on. To ensure you get all the dust contained the first time, tuck each blade into a pillowcase before you dust—it creates an effective trap for all airborne particles.
2. Get serious about your refrigerator and freezer
Freezers in particular can become home to food that is so far past its expiration date, you can no longer identify it, and a too-full refrigerator can often hide spills and sticky residue that is creating its own biosphere behind the cartons of milk and juice. Clean it all out! If you have a portable cooler, you can use it to store your frozen items while you wipe down the interior of the freezer, but even the most daunting refrigerator and freezer unit can usually be deep cleaned in under an hour. If your refrigerator has removable shelves, take them out and wash them separately to speed the process and make sure you get into every corner. Once your refrigerator is squeaky clean, only replace the items you know you will consume in the next few weeks. For the freezer, if you’re trying to decide about a food item that’s more than three months old—discard!
3. Trash your trashcan’s germs
Even if you line your trashcans with plastic bags, chances are the interior and exterior of your waste cans could use some sanitation. If the problem is too big for some disinfectant or bleach wipes, take the cans outside, squirt some dishwashing detergent inside them, and use a garden hose to blast them clean. Leave them out in the sun to dry to complete the disinfecting process.
4. Put the heat on your stovetop and dishwasher
Always follow your stove’s directions for cleaning, but if you have an electric stove, you usually can remove the electric coils to clean the surface of the stove, and hand wash the pot grates separately. Wipe down the entire unit, inside and out—and while you’re up, consider deep cleaning the interior of the stove as well. Again, follow the directions for your particular stove, but focusing on this appliance can take your super-clean kitchen to the next level.
Your dishwasher is another appliance that can sneakily build up residue over time. Pull out the dish holder in the bottom of the unit and check out the base of your dishwasher. If it looks a little dingy, use a sponge dipped in a combination of white vinegar and baking soda to clean it—you’ll be amazed at how quickly it brightens up.
5. Pro level cleaning details
- to go even farther? Bleach any grout in your bathrooms that is showing signs of mildew, clean out your faucets and drains, and take the time to clean your windows (inside and out, if you can!) with high-grade glass cleaner. The result will be an apartment that is as sanitary as you can make it—and one which will sparkle with freshness when the sun shines in.
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]]>The post Maximizing storage in small spaces appeared first on BRG Apartments Blog.
]]>1. Double Duty Storage
- it’s a chair, couch, bed, or any table other than a dining room table, your furniture has potential to live a double life as a storage unit. Consider ottomans with lids, beds with “hidden” drawers beneath the mattress or in the headboard, and coffee tables with built-in storage. Whenever you purchase a new piece of furniture, visualize how it might work for storage. Already have items in your home you don’t want to replace? There are dozens of under-bed or under-table storage bins you can purchase that you can hide away with tablecloths or bed skirts.
2. Make your furniture (almost) disappear!
While most apartments don’t come equipped with a Murphy bed, which folds up into the wall for storage, the idea has caught on for other furniture items. You can find chairs, tables, footrests, and even desks that can be folded up and stored in a fraction of their usual space, giving you room to breathe when they’re not in use. Another advantage? Some of these lighter pieces can be hung on the walls in their folded position, clearing floor space as well.
3. Add storage to unexpected places
One of the most underutilized space for storage in an apartment is the bathroom. With a collection of wall-hanging baskets or under-the-sink stackable bins, you can double or even triple your bathroom storage possibilities. Looking for other ideas? Try installing shelving high on your walls that you need a stepstool to reach (but which are perfect for a line of cute, tidy bins that store away lighter items you don’t need all the time), or over-the-door hanging cubbies for closets, cupboards, bedrooms and (once again!) the bathroom.
Get creative! You can use behind-the-door shoe holders for all sorts of small items besides shoes, putting everything at your fingertips—or hang pegboards on your kitchen walls to keep your pans within easy reach.
4. Repurpose closets more thoughtfully
Speaking of closets, do you really need to stuff your clothes, coats, shoes and old paperwork into every corner, or could one or two of your closets be used for other purposes—such as a mini-office or craft area? By upgrading your closet to functional space, you open up possibilities for other rooms in your apartment (and finally have the excuse to purge all those clothes you’re never going to wear again.)
5. Set an intention for light living
It goes without saying, if you have less stuff to store, your organizational problems will be far easier to solve! Most of our belongings have sentimental value that far outstrips their actual usefulness, so consider rethinking your attachment to your stuff.
If an apartment is truly a short-term housing solution for you, and you plan on using your belongings to set up house in a larger home within the next several months—that’s understandable. But if you’re holding onto furniture that’s dated, cheap, or damaged, consider discarding it or giving it away. You can always visit a thrift store when the time comes if you don’t want to spend a lot of money outfitting your new home.
Alternatively, if you truly can’t part with an item, consider storing it at a trusted friend’s house in a tidy, well-labeled bin. But by developing a mindset of being able to move lightly through this world, you may find yourself ridding yourself of items that no longer serve you…and enjoying the space you have so much more!
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