Best Indoor Plants & Planters for Small Apartments
Plants make a small apartment feel less like a box, but floor space is exactly what a small apartment doesn't have. The fix is going vertical and renter-friendly: hanging, stacking, and self-watering setups that let you keep greenery without sacrificing the square footage you need for everything else.
| Product | Tier | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Mkono 3-Pack 39" Macrame Plant Hangers, Ivory | Budget | adding plants to a window without using any floor or shelf space |
| GARDENIX DECOR Self-Watering Hanging Planter | Mid-range | anyone who forgets to water, or travels often |
| Yzosvki 6-Tier Corner Plant Stand, Rustic Brown | Mid-range | a plant collection that's outgrown windowsills |
| Crhexpva No-Hole Adhesive Ceiling Hooks, Set of 10 | Renter-friendly | hanging plants without drilling into a wall or ceiling |
1. Mkono 3-Pack 39" Macrame Plant Hangers, Ivory
Budget pick
Similar style shown — see the exact model and finish on Amazon.
- Design: hand-woven cotton rope hangers, 39" long, each holding one pot up to 10" wide
- Pack: 3 hangers included, enough to turn one window into a full plant display
- Best for: adding plants to windows or corners without using any floor or shelf space
2. GARDENIX DECOR Self-Watering Hanging Planter
Most convenient
Similar style shown — see the exact model and finish on Amazon.
- System: built-in water reservoir and level indicator with a coco coir soil layer, so you water every 1-2 weeks instead of daily
- Design: made to hang from a macrame hanger or ceiling hook rather than sit on a surface
- Best for: anyone who forgets to water, or travels often and needs a plant that forgives it
3. Yzosvki 6-Tier Corner Plant Stand, Rustic Brown
Most capacity
Similar style shown — see the exact model and finish on Amazon.
- Design: 6 tiered shelves built to fit into a corner, holding multiple pots in the footprint of a single plant stand
- Material: metal frame construction rated for both indoor and outdoor use
- Best for: a plant collection that's outgrown windowsills but still needs to fit in a corner, not the middle of a room
4. Crhexpva No-Hole Adhesive Ceiling Hooks, Set of 10
Renter-friendly
Similar style shown — see the exact model and finish on Amazon.
- Mounting: adhesive ceiling hooks rated to hold hanging planters without drilling into the ceiling
- Capacity: 10 hooks per pack, each rated for several pounds, enough to hang a whole row of planters
- Best for: renters who want hanging plants but can't drill into a ceiling or wall
Which one should you get?
If you're just starting with indoor plants, the macrame hangers are the cheapest way in — a few dollars gets you a full window of hanging greenery. Add the self-watering planter if you travel or tend to forget to water; it's the pick that keeps a plant alive when you're not around. Once you've outgrown windowsills, the corner plant stand adds real capacity without eating into your floor plan. And if your lease doesn't allow drilling, the adhesive ceiling hooks are what make hanging plants possible at all.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add plants to a small apartment without using floor space?
Hang them — macrame plant hangers in a window and adhesive no-drill ceiling hooks elsewhere in the room let you display several plants using only vertical space, with nothing sitting on the floor.
Are self-watering planters actually worth it?
Yes, especially if you travel or forget to water on a schedule — the built-in reservoir and water-level indicator mean you're watering every one to two weeks instead of checking the soil every day.
Can I hang plants from the ceiling in a rental without drilling?
Yes — no-hole adhesive ceiling hooks are rated to hold several pounds each and come off cleanly, so you can hang planters without putting a screw into the ceiling.