Your multipurpose room may be working overtime as a craft room, library, office, lounge, guest room… and anything else you can think of.
How can you keep all these various activities organized so that the paraphernalia of one doesn’t get lost in all the others? The secret is order, and we’ll show you how to achieve it with these tips to organize the space for all your apartment home endeavors.
Storage is king
No matter which functions you call on your multipurpose room to fill, the key is finding furniture that can be stowed attractively until you need it. The right storage space allows for easy access to the supplies and accessories you need for each activity.
Cases with baskets for cubbies, beds with storage, and shelves around the perimeter of the room (close to the ceiling) can all provide year-round storage for the many moods of your multipurpose room, letting you organize your apartment activity center into an orderly hotspot.
Multiuse table
A solid table with space for a rolling cabinet underneath can become your desk, craft table, sewing surface and wrapping center all in one. You might even use a painted piece of wood suspended between two short filing cabinets as a makeshift multipurpose work space which can be easily hidden away.
For a wrapping center, simply install (with your landlord’s permission) a bracket and spool on the wall above, the width to hold a roll of paper. You could do the same for rolls of butcher paper (hung close to table surface) to have ready access to paper for crafts and drawing.
More tips on maximizing your multipurpose space:
Multipurpose Furniture Packs a One-Two Punch
Turn Your Home Office into a Functional Storage Space
Storage Tips for Small Apartments
Use the closet
If the closet in your multipurpose room is simply holding some stray clothes or boxes, you’re missing out on prime real estate. Your closet can be converted into a power-packed space.
Consider building it out formally, or attempt a more frugal do-it-yourself version. For DIY, you can place cabinets, bookcases, additional shelves or a storage system inside your closet. You might purchase a space-saving wardrobe for guest clothes and additional storage in the room.
If you’ve found space to store all your goodies in smart furniture and shelves around the room, you can even use your closet as the multimedia brain of your apartment space, housing a wireless entertainment system.
Hide the bed
One of the greatest space wasters in a multipurpose room (and typically the one item that is most difficult to multitask around) is a guest bed. Consider that, for guests, you don’t have to use a traditional bed. A much better use of space is to use a convertible sofa, a futon on a convertible frame or a daybed. All three of these options will give you seating by day and a comfy bed for occasions when you have guests stay overnight.
Getting enough space in your apartment to do everything you want offers a strategic challenge. With planning and the right pieces of furniture, your do-it-all room can become the multipurpose heart of your home.