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Sharing a small space with roommates

Shared housing can have its challenges, but with a little creativity, colour coding, extendable functions and other smart solutions, one room can work just fine for three. Or even more than that, when you have friends staying over.

A pine UTÅKER stackable bed in the childrens room

Double the bed space

It’s nice having guests staying over now and then, even if you’re living small. With stackable beds it’s easy to double the amount of bedspace and be a good overnight host.

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A woman sitting on two stacked UTÅKER pine beds reading a magazine, a white side table, a multicolour rug and a pendant.
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Stay organised, stay friends

Handy storage for everything is generally a good recipe for getting along, not least in the hallway. A shelf for shoes keeps the floor from getting cluttered, and hooks and baskets set you up for a smoother flow with your things in check.

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A hallway with three wooden boxes painted in different colours on top of a beige KOLBJÖRN shelving unit with shoes inside.
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Curtains for privacy

It’s nice to have company, but you will probably need alone-time too. Just draw the curtain and you will have the space all to yourself. It’s also a cosy way of preparing the space for bedtime.

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A light green EKET cabinet
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Introducing the bedside box

If you feel that a bedside table is not right for your space, try a box. It gives you generous, easy-access storage and the castors let you swoosh it to right where it’s needed.

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A partly painted KNAGGLIG pine box on castors on a multicolour rug, by a bed with pale green bed linen where a man is sleeping.
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The best pillow is your pillow

When it comes to sleeping, your tried-and-tested pillow is probably your best buddy. So, if you’re going somewhere, bring it with you for restful nights with a homey feeling.

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A man putting a white pillowcase on a pillow with a LUDDROS pillow protector, with a plant, curtain and pendant behind.
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The right shade gets the bed made

When you double the bedspace, you need to double up on bedding as well. With bed linen in different colours for each roommate it’s easy to avoid confusion in the laundry.

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A man and woman on two beds with green BERGPALM and light grey/mélange SPJUTVIAL bed linen, by a turquoise curtain.
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Systemise with a splash of colour

A bit of paint on your untreated wood furniture helps you divide things up without actual dividers. If you make it a theme throughout your shared space, it’s easy to tell what is what and whose is whose.

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Three pine RAST chests of drawers with the bottom drawers painted in different colours, beside a woman lying on a bed.
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