We all know about the woes of moving, and in a lot of cases you’re moving to something smaller to save money – downsizing – what an awful word and action. There is a hidden rainbow of discovery here though that might surprise you. Maximize your small home or apartment space by shopping at your local second hand furniture stores.

It’s always a challenge to decide what to hang on to and what to toss or recycle, after all you’ve spent many years collecting your belongings. But then your common sense takes over and you tell yourself “let’s face it there’s no room!” The hidden excitement here is that once you’ve let go of stuff you haven’t used in years you will feel liberated enough to look at your new surroundings and see the potential to create a new little piece of heaven. So, now that we’re heading in the right direction, let’s talk about it room by room.

Living Room

This is usually the first thing you and everyone else will see as they enter your home, and it should exude comfort and functionality. Small sofas or sofa sleepers or double recliners can be a great space saver and are usually available in your local second hand furniture store. Don’t forget space saving plastic totes that slide easily underneath.

Keep your TV stand simple. Flat panels are the norm now, are light weight and don’t take up a lot of floor space. A simple small narrow table will suffice and give you space for DVD and cable or satellite boxes. If you have a handyman nature, hang the flat panel from the wall or ceiling.

Vertical DVD and CD storage racks take up little space and can add some stylish artwork as well. When you’re looking at your living room remember the upper walls. You can hang shelving for a great many things near the ceiling or place any surround sound speakers up there too.

Kitchen Dining Area

Now I don’t know about your home but in mine the center of attention is my kitchen, probably because I love to cook and love to watch my guests smile, converse and relax around a good meal.

At your local second hand furniture store you will find a whole host of items that can convert any kitchen or dining area to a great looking and functional place to entertain your guests.

I found an old bunk bed ladder, refinished it and fastened it to one of my kitchen walls using the rungs as a place to hang my pots and pans. This utilizes the wall space that was bare before and creates more space in the limited cabinets I have.

If you like cooking – and even if you don’t – you have probably run into the problem of limited counter space. Look for a small dresser or cabinet that you can put casters on, then mount a piece of Formica or a varnished board to the top. Now you have a clever island you can use in the kitchen or living room.

Bedroom

Now here’s where you can be challenged! Most bedrooms in small homes or apartments are small to say the least. Fitting a king sized or even a queen bed in one of these can really create a problem for placing every other piece of furniture.

Here is where you might want to use bed risers so you can once again place seasonal clothing or other things in those plastic totes which will slide easily out of the way. Those little plastic drawer sets that are lightweight and can be easily moved use up the lower space in your closets and are available at your local thrift store.

How many pairs of old comfortable shoes do you have? If you rate the moniker, “shoe horse” like me, there’s nothing more functional than a shoe rack hanging from either your closet door or on any door that’s handy.

Bathroom

Bathroom space seems to be an area widely ignored or compromised by many an architect or engineer. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve turned abruptly and smashed my funny bone. What about cabinet space? One or two little doors that seem to do a great job of holding all the plumbing.

Now a nice over the toilet caddy can help a great deal and look stylish as well. Shelving can be a great benefit also, keeping extra towels and curling irons out of harms way.

I know I haven’t covered all the possibilities that your imagination can create, but maybe some of these ideas will get you on the move to your local second hand furniture store where you’ll discover the many ways of making the most out of your home or apartment space.

Remember, you can always try your hand at a DIY project if you find something you like that isn’t quite your style. Learn how in the project guide below!