20 Must-Have Items for a Small Condo

If you’re living in a 500 square foot condo in Toronto, space is probably a premium. It can sometimes seem like there isn’t enough room to swing a cat. Thankfully you’re not alone. There are many people that feel your pain. The good news is that there are items that can make your life easier in a small condo. Here are 20 must-have items for a small condo.

1. Half-a-Christmas Tree

Buying a condo is often the largest purchase of your life, especially given the current real estate situation and pricing in many Canadian cities. Here are just a few statistics:

• An average condo in Toronto is ~$520,000 (2017)
• A median condo cost in Vancouver is ~$650,000 (2017)

It is easy to become emotionally attached when seeing a condo unit you really like. Nevertheless, there are numerous things you need to consider when making such a big purchase.

We compiled a list of 22 things you need to know when buying a condo.

2.Rolling Cart

In your small condo, you might not have room for a big TV set. But that’s no problem. That’s when a rolling cart comes in handy. During the day you can have the TV set in the living room. At night when you want to relax in bed and watch TV, you can wheel the cart into your bedroom and binge watch your favourite Netflix shows.

3. Murphy Bed

I know what you’re thinking: a Murphy bed, yuck! Those are tacky! Well that was then and this is now. This unique Murphy bed doubles as a sofa and book case and manages to look stylish. Not bad! This is perfect for a small bachelor condo where you don’t even room have your own bedroom.

4. Convertible Bed

Not a fan of Murphy beds? If you have kids in a small condo, a Murphy bed might be asking for trouble. You’re probably better off this a convertible bed. With this convertible bed, you can use the space underneath the bed as a study area during the day.

5. Mirror

Not only do mirrors come in handy for checking yourself out, they’re a great way to make a room seem bigger. A mirror will give the optical illusion of a room being bigger than it actually is, making it perfect for a small condo.

6. Space Saving Hanger

There’s nothing worse than having a large wardrobe with limited closet space. That is unless you have this space saving hanger. This unique hanger allows you to triple your closet space like magic in an organized way.

7. Coffee Table with a Drawer

Instead of having a coffee table with empty space under it, why not make good use of it? This coffee table has a drawer. It’s perfect for storing your shoes or kid’s toys inside.

8. Rolling Bins

Are you struggling with finding a place to put your extra linen? Well struggle no more! This rolling bin is the perfect place to put your linens, magazines and anything else flat. Simply slide it underneath your bed and it’s out of sight, out of mind.

9. Over-the-Door Organizer

Make the most of every square inch of your small condo by using over-the-door organizers. They’re perfect for everything from cleaning supplies to shoes.

10. Whiteboard

What’s better than a chalkboard for your kids to write on? A whiteboard! Not only are whiteboards cleaner, they take up a lot less space since you can put them on the wall unlike a chalkboard that has a big easel.

11. Vertical Plants

Not only do plants add some much needed life and greenery to your condo, you can get a vertical plant like this one that doesn’t take up that much space.

12. Trash Can Inside Door

If you aren’t doing this already, you should start. Trash cans inside doors have been saving me space for years. I don’t even live in a small condo and they’ve been a life saver in cramped quarters like my kitchen.

13. Pot Lid Organizer

But why stop at a garbage can on the inside of your kitchen door when you can take it a step further? This unique pot lid organizer lets you store pot lids on the inside on your kitchen door. Lovely!

14. Shower Caddies

Savings space isn’t limited the living room, kitchen and dinner room. You can save space in your bathroom with this handy dandy shower caddy. But why stop at one? Use two shower caddies to save even more space!

15. Makeshift Towel Rack

Don’t have room for a towel rack? No problem this makeshift towel rack does the trick and saves you space to boot. Simply hang s-hooks on your shower and you’re good to go!

16. Corner Shelves

At first glance this corner doesn’t have much going for it, but when you install some corner shelves, it suddenly becomes a focal point of the room and comes in handy, too.

17. Shelves Above Your Door

Tired of all that wasted space above your door? Make good use of it by installing shelves there!

18. Pegboard

Are pots and pans taking up a ton of space in your kitchen? Install a pegboard like this and save yourself a ton of space!

19. Rolling Pantry

Running out of space for all of your spices? The space beside the fridge is wasted space most of the time, but not with this rolling pantry, that makes good use of it.

20. Extra Fridge Storage

If your fridge isn’t smackdab against the wall, use its free side to store even more stuff!

Did you find some of these must-have items for small condos useful? Are you already using some of them? Did you have your own small-condo-living-hacks that you want to share? Leave a comment below.

If you are on a hunt for perfect place for urban living, the CondoEssentials team can help you to buy a condo or rent a condo. Thinking about your long-term planning? We can also help with pre-construction condos guiding you through every step of this exciting process.

These insights have been shared by Sean Cooper who is the bestselling author of the book, “Burn Your Mortgage: The Simple, Powerful Path to Financial Freedom for Canadians.” He bought his first house when he was only 27 in Toronto and paid off his mortgage in just 3 years by age 30. Sean’s helping others burn their mortgage, too, as an independent mortgage broker.