When you’re just starting out, you’re going to have to make a few sacrifices in your first apartment. You might not get a washer and dryer or air conditioning. In some cases, you might have to sacrifice space. If you have a teeny-tiny apartment, you understand the struggle that is having no room for anything you own.

Space-saving furniture can help your cramped apartment seem a lot bigger than you’d think — you’ll even feel like you have more room for your stuff.

Try out one or a few of these 12 amazing space-saving furniture ideas for your studio or small one-bedroom apartment.

1. Place your couch wisely

For studio apartments especially, it can be tough to separate your sleeping and playing areas. Placing your couch at the end of your bed not only functions as a footboard, but it also gives you more room in your living area.

2. Fold your bed into a wall

Wall beds are a growing trend that’s taking space-saving furniture lovers by storm. These cute beds are the perfect way to give yourself more room in your studio apartment during the day. Simply fold your bed down from the wall when you’re ready to sleep, and fold it back up in the morning.

3. Give your headboard a purpose

If you can’t bear to part with your traditional-style bed, why not get a headboard that doubles as a storage closet? Simply pull out the drawer on the side to reveal shelving. When you live in a tiny home or studio apartment, storage space is one of the biggest problems you’ll run into. You have to make use of every opportunity you can!

4. Find a fold-down desk

In the digital age, most of us only need our laptops — which are also getting smaller — in order to get some work done. Don’t waste space on a huge desk you’ll rarely use. A fold-down desk takes up zero floor space and gives you a great space to work.

5. Buy a bench for your shoes

When you throw your shoes on the floor of your closet, you’re wasting precious floor space. This bench will function as a place for you or guests to sit and a storage place for your shoes. Because getting rid of your shoes would just be ridiculous — it’s not even a question.

6. Search out space-saving table sets

There are tons of small sets of tables and chairs that fit together to take up less space when you’re not using them. For example, these sets fit into a shelving unit and take up virtually no space when they’re put away. The storage shelves are perfect for small apartments, too!

7. Use a chef’s cart

A chef’s cart is the perfect piece of furniture to save room while giving you more counter space in your microscopic kitchen. It’ll make the room seem bigger and also help to separate it from your living area.

8. Hide the trash

In most tiny apartments, it’s tough to find a place to put your trash can that’s out of the way but still easy to access. This end table houses your trashcan underneath it, keeping it out of sight and also giving you some extra counter space. This model also has a drawer, giving you even more storage space.

9. Trade one big table for a few end tables

If your only use for an end table is as a place to set your drink, why do you need a huge table? You don’t. Miniature end tables are often skinny, tall and long — basically an extended armrest where you can set your glass or a small plate of snacks. They take up only a small amount of floor space — it’s just as if your couch was a few inches longer.

10. Improvise a loft

What if you could have your bed, desk, vanity and some shelving take up the same amount of floor space as your bed typically would on its own? Loft-style pieces of furniture makes that possible. Think of all the room you’ll have left for activities!

11. Use the outside of your furniture, too

With just some old shelves, drawers or spice racks, you can transform your dresser or any other shelf into additional storage space. Think about the sides of your dresser — they’re pointless! Add some shelves to the sides to store books, magazines or other trinkets.

12. Don’t forget the corners!

Running out of wall space to display your pictures and other decorations? Consider using the corners in your apartment to express your creativity. These shelves are designed to fit around any 90-degree corner. A little decoration can go a long way in making your apartment feel more like home. With this option, you aren’t giving up any floor space, and you’re only taking up a very minimal amount of usable wall space.

Surviving your 20s or 30s in a teeny-tiny apartment can be stressful, but there are plenty of space-saving furniture and decorating ideas out there you can take advantage of.

Don’t see your limited space as a crutch — view it as a challenge!