Are you looking for creative ways to create a minimalist apartment on a budget?
if youve ever Googled minimalist house, youll see thousands of images of sleek counters, Scandanavian designs, maybe some white marble or backsplash.
Looks super elegant!
Too bad achieving that casual, low effort minimalist look isnt low cost.
That giant white sectional will set you back $1,000 not to mention take up your entire living room? I dont want to spend the money nor do I have the room in my small apartment.
Here are a few small apartment hacks to get you started in minimalism.
Common Myths When Creating a Minimalist Apartment On A Budget
What misconceptions come to mind for a minimalist apartment?
Myth 1:A minimalist apartment is about having as little as possible
A minimalist apartment on a budget doesnt mean you have to throw away everything you own and live with bare walls, one chair, and one fork.
The goal isnt to have as little items as possible. Instead, the purpose is to make sure your possessions are truly things you want to look at and keep.
Myth 2:Minimalist aesthetics is that one look
You know that look Im talking about.
Large white sectional with a huge coffee table. 4 bar stools off to the side in front of a marble island. White drawers everywhere. Huge windows with soft billowing curtains.
You get the picture.
Minimalism doesnt equate to any specific aesthetic. You dont have to go for that look. Besides, put a sectional and coffee table in a small apartment like mine and itll already look cluttered.
Its not a problem even if you rent and your apartment walls are bright pink and youre not allowed to paint them. You can have a minimalist apartment with bright pink walls!
Myth 3: The minimalist apartment look is cheap
That aesthetic look of minimalism doesnt necessarily come cheap.
If youre trying to recreate that one look, you can shell out hundreds trying to replace all your furniture if not thousands if youre doing home remodeling.
No worries though. There are many ways to make your current space more minimalist within budget.
How Do I Make My Apartment Minimalist?
So if youre trying to organize your home and your life, where should you start?
Before buying new furniture or rearranging your living room, you must first declutter. The concept is to simply remove the extra things you own that you dont need.
Decluttering is the first step to creating a minimalist apartment because:
- You know what youre working with. Maybe you dont have enough kitchen counter space and need to buy an extra storage cabinet. Declutter first. You might find you DO have enough space and dont need an extra piece of furniture.
- Youll have fewer things to organize. No more stuffing things in random drawers to make it fit. With less stuff to organize, youll find that you have enough space for everything to have a home.
- Save money. In fact, minimalism helped me pay off over $40k of debt. Theres no reason to buy bulky furniture to store things. Even in my small apartment, I have enough storage space because I continuously declutter.
You can read about the full process of decluttering and organizing your home, but here are some quick ways to declutter:
- Donate one item each day. You wont even notice and at the end of the year, youd have removed 365 things!
- Reverse hanger method for clothes. Hang all your clothes with your hanger in reverse. As you wear them, put them back normally. After a few months, donate any clothes that still have the hanger in reverse.
- Use the Marie Kondo method. Touch every item you have and determine if the item sparks joy. If it doesnt, get rid of it.
- Use the four-box method. Create 4 boxes labeled trash, donate, keep, relocate.
- Take before and after pictures of your space. Like before and after pictures when trying to lose weight, the changes might be bigger if you look at photos.
Minimalism Small Apartment Ideas
Regardless of your apartment/house size, you can create a perfect home for you.
Lets walk through some small apartment hacks to help you create that perfect minimalist apartment on a budget.
How Do You Make A Minimalist Living Room?
Below are some minimalistic living room decorating ideas:
Use your walls
Make use of wall space, even if youre renting.
Floating shelves are effective small apartment hacks to increase space. They offer a combination of functionality and aesthetics for a small apartment. You can use these shelves to display your plants and other decoration items.
Another option is to hang a light sconce on the wall. This way, you can avoid using a bulky floor lamp.
Consider end table alternatives
You probably dont need an end table but if you do, here are some space-saving ideas:
- Portable end table. This side table can be used as an end table but its designed to be moved around. That way, you can also use it as a table or desk when on the couch.
- Armchair caddy. If all you need is a place to put your drink, try tray caddy is designed to fit over your armrest. Perfect for resting drinks!
Hide shoes in a cupboard
No one wants pairs of shoes lying around your living room.
In a minimalist apartment, everything needs to have a home. So, make some arrangements to hide the shoes.
You can get a shoe cupboard that takes the shoes out of sight. It will automatically make your place look cleaner and more organized.
Use your space wisely
Your living room may not be big enough to house the usual couch, coffee table, TV, end table, etc. If you had all that furniture, youd start to feel too cramped in a small apartment.
So what should you do? Break out the tape measurer and play furniture Tetris.
Be creative. One long couch may be more space-efficient than 2+ small couches.
Multi-purpose coffee table
I would go with either an end table OR a coffee table. If you decide for a coffee table, you could try:
- A storage ottoman so it can double as more storage AND as extra seating, if you have guests
- A footstool. To be honest, I use coffee tables to put my feet on them [in my house only!]. A footstool would be a smaller alternative to a coffee table.
Mix up your couch options
You dont need to do the typical couch + loveseat combo.
Here are some alternatives:
- 1 sectional. Sectionals arent thought of much for small apartments, but it can actually save space if the sections can be separated to create a coffee table or extra seating
- Accent chairs
- Beanbag chair
Floor cushions instead of couches
You could also just get rid of the couch entirely! Floor cushions can add a vibrant feel to your small apartment while still providing seating. Theyre also significantly less bulky than a couch.
Something to keep in mind: if youre not careful, cushions may actually cost more money than just getting a couch. You can find nice couches on Craigslist or OfferUp, while floor cushions are rarer. Plus, you can just get one couch as opposed to multiple floor cushions.
Cheap Minimalist Bedroom Ideas For Small Rooms
Your bedroom should promote relaxation and rest! There are few things worse than having a bad nights sleep.
Here are some ideas for creating a zen bedroom space in a minimalist apartment on a budget.
Dont clutter your bed
Your bed is where you sleep. You dont really need much else on there.
I dont have a headboard or accent pillows because I dont need them.
All I use is a bed frame to elevate the bed with a bed skirt. That way, I have extra storage space under the bed while the bed skirt hides it!
No need for a nightstand
First off, I do use nightstands I use these 2 tables.
HOWEVER, you dont have to. Here are some alternatives:
Regardless of what you use, its best to not have too much next to you. I have the following by my bed:
- Small lamp. I use a small rechargeable night light since its smaller than a traditional lamp and then I dont need to rely on an outlet
- Phone charger
- Box of tissues
Thats it! Of course, its up to you but I like having a clutter-free nightstand.
Use closet space efficiently
If I cant fit my clothes in the closet, I know its time to either get rid of some clothes or reorganize my closet. I dont have any additional pieces of furniture for clothes.
In order to maximize space in my closet, I use the following:
- Storage cubes. I use these to hold things like socks, workout clothes, or casual shirts. I also use these for seasonal items like coats
- Hanging shoe organizer. Actually, I dont put shoes in here! I use them to hold things like scarves, mittens, or belts
If you have more clothes than your closet can handle, discard them.
Stick to neutral colors and simple decor
Did you know that the color blue helps you sleep longer? Keep your bedroom decor and colors simple to promote a calming ambiance.
If you are sleeping in a studio apartment, try to separate your bed area as much as possible. You could use a room divider to create separation.
I have barely any wall decorations in my bedroom. I find its not necessary since Im pretty much only in there to sleep!
Add beautiful lighting
I love soft lighting. Hanging Christmas lights year-round is a small apartment hack that can instantly transform your room to feel more homely.
Use these string lights to create a soft wall of lights by your bed!
Bathroom Ideas For A Minimalist Apartment On A Budget
From half-empty shampoo bottles to having a million skincare products, the bathroom can get cluttered easily. Here are some ways to stay organized.
Dont overdo it
Its a bathroom. As long as you have enough space to store your stuff, its good.
Generally, I keep my towels and extra toilet paper in storage somewhere else, since my bathroom isnt big enough.
Be creative in adding more storage space
For a bathroom, here are some ideas:
Keep things together
I use small storage cubes to organize things. I keep things like hair ties and bobby pins together, and toothbrushes/toothpaste in another.
Make use of the space above the toilet
Dont waste the space above your toilet! Use it by getting an over the toilet shelving unit.
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Creating A Minimalist Kitchen
Its frustrating when you cant use your kitchen counters because its full of supplies. Imagine the amount of time you waste because your kitchen is completely stuffed with things.
A minimalist apartment on a budget requires having a functioning kitchen youll probably be cooking in it, right?
Click here for a complete guide on decluttering and organizing your kitchen.
Here are some dining table ideas:
Foldable dining table
If you dont really use a dining table much, try a foldable one. You can put it aside when youre not using it, then wheel it out when you need it!
Bar table with stools
If you dont have guests over much, you may not need more than a simple table for 2. This simple dining table is small and efficient because the chairs can tuck in when its not being used.
Use a coffee table
This involves a low to the ground table with cushions as the chairs. You can either buy it as a dining table set or just use a coffee table and cushions! Alternatively, you could use a footstool for extra height.
Minimalist Decorating On A Budget
Decorations are amazing! Below are a few decor ideas for the small apartment.
A photo wall
Dont stick your photos into a photo album on a dusty bookshelf.
Choose a few favorite pictures and hang them on your walls in individual frames or as a collage that way you can actually see them!
Alternatively, a digital photo frame is great too.
Bookshelf beyond books
If you dont have too many books, I recommend putting them away in a drawer somewhere.
I have a bookshelf where one shelf is for books and the remaining shelves I use to show off decorations, such as goodies from this Disney subscription box!
Use room dividers to separate rooms
If you need to separate one room, room dividers are a great way to create separation. You can change the look of your home and instantly create smaller or bigger rooms. Its also a great way to hide things that are just sitting out.
Candles
Candles can be unique and cheap. Plus, they add a lot of ambiance to a room. Put them on your dining table for automatic mood lighting!
Bring in nature
When in doubt, get plants or flowers! Real ones actually provide health benefits besides just freshening up your space plus you can even get wall hanging ones to save space in a small apartment.
No green thumb? Get succulents or fake plants.
Flowers can add a pop of color, especially if your furniture is mostly neutral colored.
Creating a minimalist apartment on a budget doesnt require a ton of new furniture or a complete overhaul of your house.
Use these small apartment hacks to turn your house into a minimalist zen home.