After almost six months living in our guest house that is a little under 300 sq ft, we have come to realize there is definitely a strategy to small space living. We’re excited to partner with eBay on today’s post to share all about it. I think a common misconception when it comes to decorating a small space is that it has to be practical, leaving little room for things to beautiful…and that couldn’t be anymore untrue. Practical and purposeful pieces don’t have to be boring. They can be classic and trendy just like the rest of the furniture and decor pieces featured in design magazines. The focus on multifunctional pieces is a bit stronger, but after three small apartments in Phoenix and now living in our guesthouse, decorating small spaces has become our favorite.

eBay has a ton of new items from big retailers on their site that are brand new, (in addition to an amazing vintage selection) so I love searching for some of my favorite home decor brands and seeing what surprises pop up. It’s the best way to find all the deals on kitchen and home items. So what are some items you should look for when decorating a tiny home? We rounded up a few of our favorite items for small space living that will maximize your space and still look beautiful.

SHELVING
When you’re short on space, think vertically. Using your wall space is super helpful when looking for storage in small spaces. We’ve always been fans of open shelving, so we initially thought of hanging shelves as a decor choice, but once we started living in the guesthouse we realized how helpful it was, especially in the bathroom. Extra shelving (in addition to our medicine cabinet) has helped keep extra skincare products, perfumes, and makeup brushes organized.

In the kitchen open shelving is a great solution for lack of cabinet space. It can also help infuse some personality into your apartment or tiny home, by displaying some of your favorite glassware, plants, and serving bowls. eBay has a great selection of these that come with hardware to make everything easy to install.

HANGING PLANTERS
Again, using vertical space is key in a small space so hanging planters are a great way to bring some life into your space without using up square footage. I love these brass ones, they can lend themselves to a variety of decor styles, with new and vintage options.

MIRRORS
Mirrors are one of the easiest ways to make a small space look bigger. Whether its one large mounted mirror or a cluster of a few smaller shaped ones, adding mirrors will make the space both functional and stylish. Some smaller mirrors even come with little ledges or shelves, which could make the perfect catchall for a small entry space. 🙂 Here are a few mirrors we found, below. I feel like this one would be perfect for a desert bungalow.

STORAGE BASKETS/SIDE TABLES
There’s so many pieces of multi-function furniture out there nowadays, but anything with a basket or storage aspect to it is your best friend when living in a small space. Storage baskets to stack on top of shelves or a refrigerator, a storage side table with a basket below for blankets or magazines, a utility cart with different baskets or compartments underneath..these are all items you should look for when designing a small space.

Personally, we have loved lining the top of our wardrobe with baskets for small items and clothing accessories. Also having a side table with shelving to keep books and magazines in order has helped as well. I like this big basket for throw blankets and slippers. 😉 We have a similar one in our guesthouse bathroom to store toilet paper.

MOUNTED WALL LIGHTING
In our guesthouse there is no room for a floor lamp or really a table top lamp, so pendant lighting and wall mounted lighting are key. Again, I love how interesting some of these small space solutions could be and become so much more of a design aesthetic than purely a way to save space. Sconces with adjustable arms are perfect for lighting a space in the evening or reading before bed.

Do guys have any other storage space solutions that double as decor?

*Check out more of our home inspiration posts here.

*This post was sponsored by eBay. As always, all thoughts and opinions are our own.