Feeling crowded?

Imagine this: a beautiful brand new apartment.  Dishwasher.  In-unit washer and dryer.  More than enough cabinet space.  Walk-in closets.  Now imagine moving from that piece of apartment paradise into a building half as small and three times as old.

Small living spaces are just a part of life for most of us.  But when you're trying to avoid making your apartment look and feel like an episode of "Hoarders," cramped quarters can become a big problem.  Last year, that big beautiful apartment was mine.  Now our apartment is a fraction of the size, but we have the same amount of stuff.  Combine that with the fact that I'm not the cleanest person in the world, and you've got a recipe for an apartment disaster.  Since the big move to our seriously smaller digs, my roommate and I have had to make some adjustments and get creative with our storage to make it work.  Whether you live in an apartment or a dorm, here are a few tips to get you on the right track to organizational bliss:

Ask yourself, "Do I really need this?" It's all too easy to get caught up in the "I think I'll use this someday" mentality.  But let's be honest here.  How often do you use that old, broken Magic-8 Ball?  And are you really going to do something with all those old bottles?

Another thing to sort out when you have roommates is duplicated items.  Take some time to go through your things together and decide what should stay and what should go into storage.  Mom and Dad might not be too happy about it, but you can probably keep some of your extra stuff there until you have space for them.

Get creative. You may be surprised at all the things that can double as storage.  Target sells cute storage ottomans in many colors for just $20.  These are a great place to store small exercise equipment, winter hats and scarves, and other miscellaneous items.

Don't try to do it all at once. When you're confronting a mess of epic proportions, it can be daunting.  It's difficult to know where to start;  just tackle it one project at a time.  Maybe, one day you should focus on the kitchen, and take over the living room the next day.

Tiny apartments are something all of us are going to have to deal with for at least a few more years. With the help of creative, inexpensive techniques, you can make yours apartment a lot more livable.  And it'll probably make your roommate happier too.