6 Ways to Utilize Your Apartment Balcony
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If you’re one of the lucky few that has an apartment with a balcony, you know that the outdoor space is nice to have, but simultaneously limited. In fact, more often than not, college apartments don’t offer you the space that you need, so if you do have a balcony, it’s additional space, but it’s limited.
So when it comes to decorating and utilizing your apartment balcony, it’s a bit of a challenge. For that reason, it’s important to think smart when it comes to decorating, as you can easily make a small space into something that feels like home.
1. Decorate Up
When decorating your balcony, don’t think laterally, think vertically. When you use the space that you have, which means you should be looking up, your space is going to feel much less cluttered and overwhelming.
You can put planters on the walls, keep your lighting higher rather than using up space on the table and really just utilize every inch of space that you are given. A lot of people will also hang twinkle lights and other items around their balcony to give it a cozy feel without taking up too much space. Either way, if you’re looking up, you’re utilizing the space correctly.
2. Use Weather-Resistant Furniture
No matter where you live, the weather can have an impact on any outdoor space that you have. Some individuals have covered balconies while others don’t, so no matter what, make sure that all of the items you are choosing to include on your balcony are built to last outdoors.
This means that you need to purchase weather-resistant furniture, rugs and any other items that you are keeping outside. Be fully aware of electrical sockets (if outside) and try to be mindful of this in the event of storms etc., as you don’t want to cause any damage to the apartment.
3. Use Dual-Purpose Items
Again, if your space is limited, there isn’t going to be much room to work with laterally. That’s why it’s important that you choose pieces of furniture that can be used in multiple ways. What this essentially means is that your table and chairs should also function in other ways, so each piece of furniture can serve more than one purpose.
If this isn’t feasible, you can also choose furniture that you’re able to easily fold and store to avoid taking up space when you don’t need it. Either way, the less space you are using, the better off you are.
4. Use Plants for Privacy
Many balconies feature little to no privacy, which often leads to students not even using them. Don’t fall victim to that way of thinking and use plants to give yourself a little more privacy between balconies. You can use fake plants if you think the weather may be an issue (or if you’re like me and can’t keep a plant alive to save your own life).
You can use trees or smaller plants that don’t take up too much space, but provide some foliage to separate you and your neighbors with ease.
5. Get an Outdoor Rug
One of the best things you can do when it comes to apartment living is use your balcony as an extra room. This is why an outdoor rug is a great addition. It provides some decoration without taking up any space, plus it gives you a nice, homey feeling when you’re outside.
Just make sure that you are getting a weather-proof item so that it doesn’t become damaged, as it can then become a much bigger problem than it’s worth. Also, try to pick something that isn’t too busy, as this can make a small space feel smaller. Go for simple, functional and make sure that you like it!
6. Scare Away Bugs
Finally, the outdoors mean insects. It’s unfortunate but true. So make sure that you prepare your outdoor space against these creatures. By keeping the space clean, you’ll avoid ants and other problems, and by purchasing a repellent-candle, those pesky mosquitoes won’t run you off of your balcony, either. Plus, you’ll create a little more atmosphere for your outdoor living space, which isn’t ever a bad thing, either.
Each season brings along with it a new bug problem, so do your research and be prepared and you definitely won’t get run off of your balcony.
Your apartment balcony doesn’t have to sit there, empty, all year round. It’s very easy to utilize every inch of the balcony, it just takes a little creativity and effort on your part. So, to make that a little easier on you, just use some of the above tips and, before long, you’ll have an apartment balcony that everyone wants to come over to use.
Enjoy all the extra space!
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