Hide pet stuff in plain sight with bins and hooks.

The trick to keeping leashes, food, and toys from taking over your apartment is to assign every item a home that’s either behind a door, on a wall, or inside furniture.

Start with vertical space you’re not using. A few command hooks on the inside of a closet door or behind the entry door hold leashes, collars, and poop bag dispensers instantly. No drilling, no mess. You stop tripping over them the second you adopt that habit.

For toys, get one decent-looking basket or lidded bin. Doesn’t have to say “pet” on it. Drop all toys in there. If you have a hyper chewer, rotate two or three toys out at a time so the bin stays tidy and the dog stays interested.

Food storage is trickier. Large bags are ugly and attract pests. A slim rolling cart from IKEA fits next to a fridge or inside a pantry. Or use a small plastic bin with a lid that lives under a side table or inside a cabinet. Treats and medications go in a drawer organizer – the kind you use for pens and office supplies works perfectly.

Don’t buy “pet storage” systems. They’re overpriced and designed for houses, not apartments. A $15 basket and a pack of hooks will solve 90% of the problem.

Your apartment will feel bigger when the dog gear isn’t the first thing you see when you walk in.