If you’ve got a small apartment, whether a studio or one-bedroom place, you need some serious space-saving skills. Not only will your apartment give the impression that you have more room, decluttering and embracing minimalist decor makes life cleaner and calmer for many people. While those reasons can be personal or financial, there are certainly benefits to living in a minimalist space. But how can you achieve minimalism in your apartment?

In short, minimalism is about only using and keeping the items that bring meaning or value to your life. It isn’t simply an empty room, but a room with only the items that you need or make you comfortable. Still, while we all want a decluttered home, all of the items seem to have value to us. Minimalism doesn’t happen overnight. Find one or two items at a time, and toss them out or give them away. Start small, and minimalism will become a habit rather than a mere design choice.

Declutter. You can remove one or items at a time, or look for a decluttering method that works for you. Take on a decluttering project one weekend at a time. As you go through your belongings, question what you really need. Are there jeans or dresses in the closet that you haven’t worn in a year, or don’t wear at all? These items do not bring value or meaning to your life; they are merely taking up space. Your “1 bedroom apartments near me” search doesn’t need to exceed your budget. Space can always be found again.

As you commit to decluttering and minimalism, watch your spending habits. It’s not to say that you should go on a budget to fully embrace minimalism. However, if you know what you have at home and don’t buy more or duplicates, it keeps your home decluttered and saves you money in the long term. You also find yourself spending your money on things that bring value to your life, whether it be an object or saving toward a vacation. When you remove unwanted items from your home, the opportunities show themselves.

If you have less room in your home and minimalism doesn’t quite work, invest in shelves. While it is important to keep only the items that matter to you, sometimes you get a little bit of space and a lot of necessary items. Shelves are a great way to keep items up and out of the way, as well as organized and easy-to-find. Living in a smaller-than-average space can be a challenge. However, with ideas like minimalism, you can truly make the most of your small space.