
Furnishing on a budget can be challenging, especially if you’re living in a small space. The key is to select items that take up little space and serve multiple purposes. Here’s how to save money and space when furnishing your apartment.
A couple of Barcaloungers facing the TV may have worked for Joey and Chandler on “Friends,” but we’ll see how you feel when you can barely manage to move around them. Living in a small space means you have to think smart and purchase multi-functional furniture. Keep scrolling through to learn the best furniture items for your small space.
Loft or Sofa Beds

Opting for a loft or sofa bed frees up plenty of space for other pieces of furniture. A loft bed in particular frees up a ton of floor space, allowing you to place a small desk or dining table underneath. If your job is mostly remote, having a loft bed right above your workspace lets you take an afternoon nap.
But if you’re nervous about using a ladder to reach the loft bed, a sofa bed is another smart alternative. A sofa bed can provide comfy seating during the day and serve as a restful bed at night. Sofa beds come in various sizes, so you can select one that best suits your living space.
Ottomans for Decor and Seating

Ottomans are smart additions that serve as decor, seating, and sometimes even storage. They generally take up less space than chairs, and small ones can even be pushed underneath your coffee table. Ottomans come in various colors and styles, so you can choose ones that match your apartment’s aesthetic.
If you’re not expecting any guests, they can be used as table surfaces placed near your sofa bed to hold a laptop or tablet. Many Ottomans have hinged seats that lift to reveal additional storage space inside.
Foldable Chairs
If you’re not a fan of poufs, foldable chairs are a space-saving alternative. When you’re not expecting guests, you can fold the chairs and place them away from your living room area. Having two or three conventional chairs constantly lying around shrinks the already limited space you have. If your apartment has a small terrace, cover the foldable chairs with a protective coating and place them outside.
Floating Shelves
Floating shelves or wall-mounted shelves create storage space without sacrificing any of your limited floor space. Floating shelves can be used in your living room to display books or decorative items, but also fit greatly in your kitchen to store cookbooks and dishware. If you’re an art collector, you can place artwork on top of the shelves to minimize holes in the walls.
Room-Enlarging Mirrors

Placing mirrors strategically across your apartment creates an optical illusion of some sort, making your living space seem bigger than it actually is. Mirrors can open up a room and make it feel airier, especially if you’re having several guests over. Just be sure that the mirrors will reflect light, rather than placing them in dark spots where they’re rendered useless.
Nesting Tables
Inspired by Russian nesting dolls, these tables are designed and sized to stack on top of each other and space. Depending on your activity or number of guests, you can select the table size that best suits your purpose. Nesting tables are typically made of plastic, metal, glass, or wood.
Dual-Purpose Dresser
A smart way to get the most out of your dresser and save space is to place it near your bed. By repurposing a low-rise dresser as a nightstand, you retain the functionality of a bedside surface and drawers for clothing storage with a single furniture item.
Kitchen Storage Containers
If you enjoy cooking, then your kitchen counter is often loaded with ingredients. A disorganized and cluttered kitchen counter can render your small kitchen even smaller. To avoid this, purchase small storage containers or baskets to keep your countertops orderly. Specialized containers can even help some ingredients maintain their freshness.
Vertical Planters
Apartment plants release extra oxygen during the day and provide your apartment with a relaxing touch of nature. Hanging vertical planters from the ceiling or floating shelves can free up precious floor space for more important furniture items.
Importance of Functional Furniture

Several of the furniture items mentioned above such as sofa beds and poufs are great examples of functional furniture. They are versatile, designed to serve multiple purposes, and perfect for small living spaces. Here are key points that sum up the importance of functional furniture:
- Declutters your home and frees up space by combining multiple functions into one piece
- Helps you save money by reducing the need for separate items.
- Promotes organization and usability in tight spaces, allowing for easier movement
- Helps you maintain an organized, easy-to-clean home without sacrificing style
What to Sacrifice in Small Apartments
It’s hard to transform your apartment into a functional space when it’s full of old, unused furniture items. Even if you’re not looking for new items, getting rid of certain furniture helps make your apartment appear bigger. Here are items you should consider sacrificing in your small living space:
- Obsolete technology such as large CRT TVs or VCR players
- Old bedding
- Unused clothing
- Dated magazines you’ll no longer read
- Seasonal decorations
- Unused sports equipment
- Worn-out furniture
- Large dining table, especially if you don’t often entertain guests
Main Photo Credit: Mikolaj Niemczewski / Adobe Stock Free / License