We are in the business of turning a boring apartment into one you’ll never want to leave!
If you’ve ever lived in an apartment, you understand that there are a lot of restrictions for what you can and cannot change in your rented space. Some landlords have more restrictions than others.
When I finally had enough money to move into my first big girl apartment, it wasn’t exactly the Ritz-Carlton. It needed a few fixer-uppers to really make it my own.
Whether or not you’ve mastered the art of peel-and-stick, there are small alternatives to making your space more functional without risking serious damage to the property.
I’m sharing a few random gadgets that I personally keep around my small space to make it more functional and organized.
Okay, I seriously love my faucet aerator. It’s the perfect way to give a janky-looking sink a more luxurious appearance. I am by no means a plumber and you don’t need a plumbing degree to install this. That’s how ridiculously easy it is.
The aerator screws in effortlessly and there’s literally no leak. This nifty device has 3 spray settings and can rotate 360 degrees.
The stationary faucet I had before was just not working for me. It made cleaning the sink and dishes harder than it needed to be. At first, I was a little skeptical of buying an aerator because there were no reviews on it. But I’m so glad I took that chance!
I honestly use my blanket warmer during all four seasons. I must be cold-blooded or something because even in the summer, I find myself cozying up to a nice warm blanket at the end of the night.
You can also warm towels for when you get out of the shower. Recently, I started putting socks in there keep my feet nice and toasty. This was definitely a “treat yourself” kind of investment.
If you see me in the winter warming my blanket, popping my popcorn, and putting on my bonnet, just know that I’m not going anywhere for the rest of the night!
This was easily one of the most aesthetically pleasing purchases I’ve made for all my surge protectors. I was getting so tired of looking at all my wires going left and right. It was straight up looking crazy. Plus it wasn’t the safest thing for pets or kids.
This cable storage box makes the underside of my desk look great by consolidating all the wires. I also use it at my bedside to hold up my alarm clock and phone.
I really like using Alexa-enabled devices. I think they’re so convenient and proves how far technology has come since the 90’s. The Echo Show is a great addition to any area in my apartment.
I personally cannot stand cooking or cleaning in silence. If I’m going to do any chores, I’m gonna put on a concert while I’m doing it. That’s why I keep mine near the kitchen so that my boyfriend can hear me belch out I’m Every Woman by Chaka Khan while chopping up some potatoes. Plus, it’s in a great spot to add stuff to my grocery list or to look up a new recipe.
As a female, it’s important to protect myself in several ways. But living in an apartment, I know the landlord also keeps a copy of my key and I hate the idea of strangers entering my place. I want to know what goes on while I’m not home.
That’s why I had to get the indoor Blink to keep an eye on my place. This little gadget fits almost anywhere inconspicuously. Plus I can monitor how my fur baby is doing throughout the day. This was definitely a non-negotiable investment for me.
I don’t know why this little invention doesn’t have more recognition. This is easily one of the most genius gadgets ever created. If you’re like me, you’re hesitant to drill curtain holes into rental spaces. I don’t want to deal with filling in the holes when moving out.
The NoNo Bracket takes the measuring and drilling work out of installing curtains. What used to take forty-five minutes now takes five minutes. The bracket slides into the headrail of existing blinds. That’s literally it. From there, just add your rod and curtains to finish the install.
There are two types of these brackets: the inside mount and outside mount. The inside mount gets installed horizontally onto an existing headrail. These are typically for those drop-down blinds on windows. The outside mount is for vertical installation onto headrails.
I use the outside mount with my sliding door blinds. I legit set this up in less than five minutes and you couldn’t even tell that the brackets were there. This invention definitely screams “work smarter, not harder”!
Although I use my cable storage box for my surge protectors, I keep the visible part of my chargers organized with this cord organizer.
It may be small but it’s mighty useful.
When I’m working at my desk, I end up having a million things charging so it’s super convenient to have everything nearby. The cable organizer has a peel backing so you can stick it on any flat surface.
If you don’t own an air fryer by now, then what are you doing with your life, sis? Those oil deep fryers are yesterday’s cholesterol problems, while air fryers are today’s crispy solutions. I’m not a spokesperson for air fryers, but I seriously love mine. I probably use it every day.
However, frequent usage requires frequent cleaning.
I recently purchased two silicone air fryer baskets that are specifically designed for air fryers. They’re easy to clean and come in different sizes.
So far, they’ve worked really well and the food cooks all the way through. The only con is that the silicone can get pretty hot, but they provide heat-proof gloves to remove the baskets.
My boyfriend and I are avid tea drinkers, but we both like different flavors. Therefore, we always have a bunch of different boxes in our pantry.
I just had to get a tea organizer to keep them all straight. It’s made our tea packets easily accessible and gives it that hotel vibe inside our kitchen.
I like to use a towel to wipe up my countertops around my kitchen sink, but I also want to air it out when it gets wet. I refuse to use my oven handle because I just feel like it’s not right to put it next to my oven towels. Some things just shouldn’t touch, ya know?
Maybe that makes me a little OCD, but I went ahead and got its own towel rack instead of draping it over the side of the sink. It hangs over the cabinet door in the perfect little area.
A wrap organizer similar to this one has been a game changer. I was getting so annoyed with the flimsy cardboard packaging from the foil and plastic wraps.
When I found this organizer, I just had to get it. It’s really helped maximize the vertical space between my fridge and microwave.
Some come with a cutter to tear the right amount you need and it is overall a lightweight product.
You can also hang it wherever you want, but I’d rather not drill holes into my apartment. Some of these also have additional slots for Ziploc bags but the three tier one works perfect for me (I know I have the foil in the wrong place, don’t judge me!).
I love this clock for all its features and digital appearance.
This clock can project the time onto any wall or ceiling. It also doubles as a mirror.
Lazy Susan
For some reason, I’ve always been a little reluctant to get a lazy susan. At one point I thought it was too old school and I didn’t think a circle item would maximize a square space. But sis, let me tell you…circles do fit inside of squares. And it is glorious.
I don’t think these make sense for every shelf in your pantry, but it does help with reaching items you couldn’t reach in the back. You could also use them in your refrigerator.
I personally really like the ones from Marshalls. They have variety and are super affordable. If you needed a sign to get a lazy susan, this is it, sis.
I use my iPad stand quite a lot. Since it rotates at different angles, it’s perfect for when I take notes, watch Hulu, or read my books. My fear was that it was going to be a heavy slab of metal, but it’s actually so lightweight. And it just fits my desk space so well!
I am a sucker for all things related to aromatherapy. I’m OBSESSED with Bath and Body Works candles and wallflower scents. They just make my small space smell sooo freakin’ good!
For the past few months I’ve added these Febreze small space cartridges around my apartment and car. But my favorite place to put them by far is my closet. It makes the closet smell fresh every single time you walk in.
My fur baby is still at an age where she wants to play ALL THE TIME. But I don’t always have the energy to keep up with her.
This rechargeable laser cat toy makes up for it. It’s almost as cute as she is and runs on a timer. It’s perfect for nighttime when my cat becomes a zooming lunatic in the middle of the night. So to keep her and her antics entertained, I bought this laser and never looked back. Don’t worry, she loves it just as much as I do.
Thank you for reading my post on Small Gadgets you Need for Your Apartment. Check out my post on DIY Apartment Organization For A Dollar.