Face it, that box you live in ain't no palace. When you can pee in the toilet from the living room, it's time to start finding ways to maximize your precious square footage. I may not be able to convince you to throw out your old, ratty chairs or your college textbooks that refer to the US as having 48 states, but in this week's Thank Giz It's Friday roundup, I can offer you some insanely clever space-saving ideas that will help make some sense of the chaos.


They say that the kitchen is the heart of any home, so that is where we will start. This Circular Kitchen utilizes the same sort of rotating space saving design that you might find in a cabinet or pantry. It only takes up 18 square feet, but it features the storage capacity of 12 cupboards in a conventional kitchen as well as room for essential appliances like a stove (burners above the fridge), dishwasher, sink, and microwave. Prices depend on the configuration, but expect to pay upwards of $6,000 to put one in your home. [Cleverkitchen]


It may only be where you sleep, but everyone wants a big bedroom. However, when space is tight, this is often the first place we think of when looking for a computer workspace. The aptly titled "Bedup" can buy you 30 square feet of extra space by sliding the bed up to the ceiling. Unfortunately, if your ceilings are low, you might be SOL on this one. Available for $4300 or more depending on options. [Bedup via Link]

G/O Media may get a commission LG 75-Inch 8K TV Buy for $2150 from BuyDig Use the promo code ASL250


If you don't consider yourself the owner of an actual "bedroom," maybe we should just talk about your "living space." This is the area where you will spend most of your time and do the majority of your entertaining, so optimizing the space is a must. For this task, there are two similar concept designs that could offer some inspiration for your own projects. The first is the Matroshka living concept that packs an L-shaped sofa, double bed, dinner table, four stools, total seating for 12, a home office workspace, wardrobe and storage in only a 43 square foot area. It is also highly configurable, so you can mess around with the layout on a whim. [Matroshika via Link]





The second and more extreme example of this idea comes in the form of the Casulo apartment in a box. As you can see in the video, the name pretty much says it all. [Project Page via Link ]


An Apartment's Worth of Furniture In a Box I've moved 10 times in the last nine years, which means I know quite well how much of a pain it is… Read more


Small bathrooms are always a problem—even in some bigger homes. This handy little device transforms your toilet into a sink by using the tank water for hand washing then recycling it for flushing. So, it can be a space saver and an earth saver—if you can get past the inherent grossness, that is. Available for $89-$109. [Sink Positive via Link]


Remember those textbooks I talked about earlier? Maybe you wouldn't have to chuck them after all if you built yourself one of these now-famous stairwell bookcases. If your not much of a reader, you could always utilize it for movies and CDs. [Apartment Therapy via Link]






If you are planning a big dinner party or a holiday get-together, you may need a dining table that is a little bigger than what you might find in the Matroshika and Casulo concepts. This inflatable "Grace Table" designed by Philippe Malouin will give you the surface area you need for guests, but when all is said and done you can store it in a duffel bag. He also demonstrates a chair that doubles as a clothes hanger when not in use. So you can have a sturdy dining table and seating without taking nearly any space. [Philippe Malouin via Treehugger]


If furniture isn't your problem, but clutter is, you may want to invest in some of these Zero Gravity Hangers. Just clip on a remote, your car keys, pens, etc. and hang them from the ceiling. It will keep your tables clutter-free and help you keep tabs on stuff that you don't want to lose. Available for around $28. [Ledindon]


Speaking of clutter, if you tend to be a bit of a pack-rat, much of the junk you collect probably makes its way to the garage or attic. Installing one of these Heavy Lift Garage Elevators can get up to 250lbs stuff out of the way with a simple hand crank. Available for $180. [Skymall]


So, we have hit just about every room in the house, and now its time to take the party outdoors. This BloomFrame concept would actually increase your living space by converting a window into a balcony. Something like this would undoubtedly prove popular in high-rise urban apartment complexes—at least until your fat cousin steps out there, dislodges the window and sends you both plummeting to an untimely death. [Project Page via Link]