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NYC Storage Solutions | Space Saving Design Ideas For Small Spaces Space is a premium in New York City and there are definitely no space to waste when you’re living in the "Big Apple". For most of us, settling in the NYC (and especially in Manhattan) means succumbing to the relatively micro-sized living quarters - fortunately, that doesn't mean you need to give up living large, stylish and comfortable. Lets explore some creative tips and healthy tactics unique to city living to maximize your humble abode no matter how cramped it is - all it really takes is some minor out-of-the-box adjustments to the urban lifestyle.
Cost of Space in NYC Rent in New York City is notoriously high, unless you are one of the lucky few to have the rent-controlled apartment, the average manhattan rent is over $2,500/mo and on the other end of the scale, the Charles Pierrepont Henry Suite renting for $90,000/mo. Because of this, the average apartment in NYC is around 550 sq. ft. One bed rentals in New York average around 750 sq. ft. and cost 2700/mo. In 2012, Mayor Bloomberg called for designs for modern micro-apartments under 300 sq. ft. So there’s clearly no space to waste.
Plan and Consolidate Your Space The first thing you’ll want to do is map out exactly how much space is livable in your current or soon-to-be dwelling. Try to avoid clutter, so don't hoard. Whatever you don't use or need, throw or give away. Obviously, some areas will be taken up by immovable objects like counters and sinks, while others will have to be reserved for large items like a bed, sofa, dining/ breakfast table… and you’ll need to factor those in when calculating how much of your space is actually usable. Remember: It’s best to under estimate your space and adjust accordingly. To start with, you may want to consolidate and decrease the volume of your possessions and consider the bare minimum you need to live comfortably (well, within reason).For example, a good rule of thumb is if you have cloths that you haven’t worn in for at least 2 year, then it’s time to get rid of them. You may also be able to get rid of items by selling them in craigslist or ebay, or second hand vintage shops. Otherwise you can also donate them and receive tax deductible credits. Finally if there are items you must keep for whatever reasons consider putting them in NYC storage units .
Self Storage Units in NYC
Sorting through all your belongings can take a long time, not to mention the possibility to delay your move. You might have considered getting a big enough space just to stuff all your seasonal and sentimental effects moreover all the time you spend with that extra room where you store all your stuff also costs you money. Renting a storage unit is cheaper than paying higher rent on a home with more space than you have to, additionally it gives you the time you need to make decisions on what to keep and what to kiss goodbye. The average cost for a 25 square foot storage space in New York is $62.90, with the lowest price found at $21.75. Storage facilities are abundant in Manhattan from companies like Manhattan Mini-Storage or CubeSmart and come in different sizes depending on your needs.
Self Storage Units in NYC Manhattan Mini Storage offers so call storage taxi to its' members, which will drive you and your stuff to the unit for free. If you are looking for a more organized space to keep your seasonal gears, accessories and etc. - check out the walk-in closets with drawers, shelves, and hanging rods. A ladies's closet dream come true? Depending on your budget, the most affordable unit is a room of 36 cu-ft costing $35 /month for less than four months, or $28 /mo for longer contract period, for $82 /mo, you can get an 80 cu-ft unit with temperature control at 60 to 80 degrees and 24-hour access.
CubeSmart offers storage all over New York City, with one month free service. With plenty of facilities in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens area. You can get monthly storage starting from $25 to $453, depending on size. CubeSmart also has deals on storage and moving offers for tenants in all of their locations. Space in Queens starts at $33 and Brooklyn space is available from $31, both with parking options. CubeSmart also offers different kinds of storage, for students, military personnel, business and large items like vehicles. American Self Storage is another company offering twelve locations in total between the 5 boroughs starting at $36 per month for the smallest unit with rooms between 25 and 100 square foot. A special feature includes accepting deliveries for members of the units. All of the above facilities offer free move-in service for new tenants often times offer special deals and promotions through out the year. Make sure you check out the available deals and perks before signing up.
Virtual Storage Units Full-service "Pack & Store" such as Box Butlerwhich delivers the storage boxes to your place, you packed them up and they came back and picked them up. MakeSpace offers a similar service. On their website, you can schedule containers and have them picked up and brought to a storage NYC facility. Whenever you want, you can log on to the website and see images of your items as they are in storage. One downside is that you don’t have constant physical access to your boxes. MakeSpace is available in almost every US state and has been particularly successful in New York City. There are certainly no shortage of storage facilities in New York City and aside from the ones mentioned here, a quick search will land you heaps of options to choose depending on your preference of location, budget, condition and capacity. Don't be pressured or intimidated to rent if you are not fully comfortable, it's certainly a buyer's market when it comes to storage units in NYC.
Small Space Design Tips Design with Bright Colors and Stripes You can make whatever space you have visually bigger with brighter colors. It’s no secret; dark colors make rooms look closed-in, while bright or light colors enlarge them an is more welcoming. Drawing attention to the ceiling also gives an impression of a larger room. Vertical stripes on wall will elongate a room (you can also do the same with striped rug or carpet). This will have the biggest impact if you do not have large windows and all it takes is a simple DIY paint job or wall paper to do the trick plus extremely affordable.
Use Mirrors to Reflect Space Another trick you probably heard of is using mirrors to visually enlarge the space. But make sure you don’t place the mirrors where they can draw attention to distracting areas of your living space such as in front of your bathroom or in front of the couch. Putting a large mirror opposite a window will fill the room with more light, giving the impression of spaciousness.
Integrate a Large Jazzy Art When using several frames of small wall arts or pieces of arts scattered around the home, it breaks up the space in small areas. Fix that problem with one large canvas art, preferably something colorful, rich and sassy - or group several small and medium size ones together, this will provide a strong focal point for the room and steer clear of that disconnected feel to the room.
Take Advantage of Vertical Space Finally don’t forget all of the vertical space you have available to you. Hang a few functional and stylish wall shelves to free up floor space. It’s less appealing to have items stacked along the floor and still have bare walls plus opening up the floor space will make the room feel more comfortable and larger. You can get creative here, such as hanging a flat-screen TV on the wall. Shoes can go on the bottom two shelves of a tall bookcase if you have one or you can also purchase a over-door or hanging shoe storage to keep shoes off the floor.
Space Saver or Small Space Furniture Eventually you might have to bite the bullet and acquire a space saver furniture to truly make a difference, by which it means that that the furniture is multi-functional and/ or in (or transformable into) a nice small form factor. Space saving bed that double as a nice size sofa is probably going to be the focal point of a room. If you want a queen bed, you’d better be combining it with something, and luckily fold-out beds are widely available in all shapes and sizes. And if you think a space saver sofa bed will cramp your style, don't worry, just check out this Italian design. Space saving desk, a fold-out convertible tables that folds neatly and compactly flush against the wall when not in use. Folding down reveal a handy storage area, organizers and of-course a good size home-office desk.
An ironing mat can be easily folded and tucked away. And if you must have that pool table for your bachelor pad – check out this sleek billiard-dining table fusion which plus all of the above are available on Amazon. IKEA is great for slim, unobtrusive furniture. The DIY factor in IKEA furniture it’s hardly going to break the bank either. IKEA’s threeseater sofa beds (KARLABY/KARLSKOGA) work perfectly for the fold-out beds mentioned above. IKEA also has many compact and colorful tables and chairs to inject life into your room without taking up too much space. And with table lamps going for $5, IKEA also has furniture that doubles as a dining table and a desk, for students in need of space. They have plenty of stackable and foldable chairs, which are important items if you plan to have people over from time to time and want to only take the extra chairs out when needed. Extendable dining tables certainly help when you have extra guests, too. If you’re in an oddly-shaped space with a lot of corners, you can make sure all space is used efficiently by storing your belongings in suitably-shaped shelves, containers or furnitures so that you don’t leave any wasteful gaps. Containers of all sizes and angles are also widely available at the container store. Like this slim one ( only 6 3/4" wide ). Also furnitures with wheels are handy . Shoe racks with wheels can be moved whenever you need extra floor space, and you can use wheeled racks for other items e.g. jackets too.
It's Part of Urban Living Remember: in a highly populated city like this one, you’re not alone and what lacks in space, it more than makes up for with vibrant lifestyle. New York possesses with pulsing life, such as instant access to diverse cultures, ethnicity, dining, shopping, social events, night life. There is always something to do and see in the city. Getting by on limited space in New York City can be frustrating if you are use to single-level living with large open spaces in the suburbia or country-side, but certainly not impossible. To get comfortable in urban living, you will have to be creative to maximize your home using these tips to make your square footage stretch to feel like a luxurious palace. photo credit: Kat Stan