Renting and moving into a new apartment can definitely have its perks. You have a new space in a new location and you’re ready to begin filling it with your furniture and belongings. But unfortunately, not everyone has the pleasure – or the budget – to rent a 2,000 square foot apartment especially when renting in big cities like New York City and Chicago. But a small apartment is no reason to skip out on decorating and making your space feel like home.
Being in the heart of winter, it can be difficult to make your rental space feel festive and put up seasonal winter decorations when you have such limited space in your apartment. Finding space and storage for your winter decor and any decorations you may use in the upcoming months can be a task of its own. Here are some great tips and decor ideas to try when decorating your small rental apartment this winter.
Decorate with Transitional Pieces
As we know, a small apartment means a small amount of storage. Storage in small quarters can be extremely vital and you want to try your best not to use it for anything other than the necessities. A great tip to ensure you utilize your decor pieces and aren’t filling up crucial storage space is to use transitional holiday decorations. As winter continues, don’t be afraid to reuse some of your holiday essentials like garland, wreaths, and even Christmas trees.
It is a common misconception that decorations can only be used during the holiday season yet there are so many different ways you can incorporate them into your winter home decor. Garland and wreaths are great decorations to use when entertaining or hosting in your apartment. You can easily incorporate garland into any winter tablescape by running it down the center of the table. Add in small lights and candles to create your own winter table design. Wreaths can also be used in table centerpieces. Lay your wreath flat on the table and add flowers, candles, or other winter decor pieces in the middle and you have your own centerpiece without having to buy new decorations. You can also, redecorate your wreath or Christmas tree with winter decor of your choice and continue to change the decor as the seasons change. You can even try holiday-themed wreaths and trees.
Coffee Table Trays or Baskets
A great small apartment decor hack to try is a coffee table tray or basket. This small decor piece is becoming very popular because of its simplicity and versatility. You can find a coffee table tray or basket at just about any major home decor retailer and then, all you need are an abundance of winter decorations to place on the tray or in the basket. Get creative with your decorations and browse the internet for different ways to style your coffee table trays and baskets this winter. You can add basic decorations like candles and plants or you can create a full “winter wonderland” with fake snow, reindeer figurines, and small trees.
The best part about this decor piece and what makes it great for small rentals is how quickly and easily it can be moved around your space. Your decorations aren’t designated to a particular place and taking up that space for the remainder of the season. You can move your tray or basket from the coffee table to the kitchen counter or to a bedroom side table. This winter decor idea gives you the freedom to decide. It also makes for a quick clean up and an easy change of decorations when it comes to entertaining or hosting events.
String Lights are Your Friend
String lights are a great decor piece to use especially during the winter months because they add such a great ambiance to any winter decor. You can use small, clear twinkling or fairy lights that don’t take up too much “eye-space” and will easily complement the rest of your home decor. For small rentals, they are perfect because they help to decorate your space while also staying out of the way. You can hang them up high from the wall or ceiling or even have them hang from your window and go under sheer curtains. Use temporary hanging solutions like Command Strips to help hang your lights and easily take them down when needed. String lights are the easiest way to make any small space feel cozy and add to your winter aesthetic. Luckily, they can last all-year and complement nearly any seasonal decor you may have. This touch is definitely a must-have when it comes to decorating for small rental apartments.
Use Wall and Shelf Space for Decorations
Decorating this winter doesn’t have to take up so much of your everyday, usable space. A great way to save space with your winter decor is to utilize wall and shelving space for your decorations instead of using up floor and table-top space. You can change out any wall art or posters in your apartment for winter-themed pieces.
Also, you can use any shelf space you may have or set up your own shelving where you can place your winter decor. Many of the vast and detailed winter setups we see are spread out on top of mantels or tables but can be difficult to achieve with such limited space. Try installing floating shelves or decorative wall shelving units in your main living area or bedroom. This allows you to decide exactly how much space you will have for your decorations. It also gives you complete freedom to decorate as little or as much as you’d like on the shelves. But the best part is, they stay out of the way and help you to maintain a clutter-free space. Get creative with your decorations and don’t be afraid to create a full winter scene if you have space for it. Also, once winter is over, you now have space to place all your new home decor pieces.
Decorate with What You Already Have
With the limited space you may have in your small rental, it is also important that you learn to decorate with the space that you already have. This means avoiding adding new decor pieces to any counter or table-top space and instead, decorating with the what is already in your space. For example, you can add your winter theme to your bedroom or couch decor pillows. You can try buying new pillows to match your decor but as you accumulate more and more, you may run into storage issues again. A great way to save space and money is to purchase pillow inserts for your couch or bed. This way, you can purchase covers that you can change and switch out every season and store them away easily without taking up too much space.
Likewise, you can decorate with throw blankets as well. Throw blankets are very functional and a great way to decorate your apartment for the winter. Of course, during the winter in areas where it is cold, a blanket is something that you already have in your apartment. So, by finding a blanket with winter designs like snowflakes, sleds, or trees, you are able to add to your winter decorations without adding an extra item to your space.
Decorating this winter for a small rental apartment can definitely have its difficulties because of the limited space. But, a small rental is no excuse to avoid seasonal decorations. Just get creative with your decorations and where you put them and before you know it, you’ll be decorating for every season by following these quick and easy decor ideas.
