6 Best Smartphone Holders for Apartment Living Spaces That Declutter Your Life
Declutter your apartment with these 6 smartphone holders. They save space and keep your tech organized, creating a tidier, more functional living area.
You clear off your tiny kitchen counter for the third time today, but it still feels cluttered. The culprit is often the same: your phone, lying flat, taking up precious real estate next to a charging cable. In a small apartment, every square inch matters, and reclaiming that space is the first step toward a more organized life.
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Why a Phone Holder is a Small Space Essential
Your phone seems small, but on a limited surface, it’s a space hog. Flat surfaces like nightstands, desks, and kitchen counters are the most valuable territory in any apartment. Leaving your phone there isn’t just messy; it’s an inefficient use of a finite resource.
This is about more than just saving a few square inches. A dedicated phone holder creates a "home" for your device, a core principle of decluttering. Instead of your phone migrating from the counter to the coffee table to the arm of the sofa, it has one logical place to live. This simple habit reduces visual noise and protects your phone from spills, scratches, and the dreaded "where did I leave it?" panic.
Ultimately, a phone holder is a tool for intentionality. It transforms your phone from random clutter into a managed part of your environment. This small shift has an outsized impact on how calm and controlled your small space feels.
Koala Mount 2.0: For Kitchen & Vertical Space
Mount your smartphone or tablet damage-free with two setup options: strong adhesive or screws. Its universal design accommodates devices up to 13mm thick, keeping ports accessible and featuring integrated cord clips.
When flat surfaces are gone, you go vertical. The Koala Mount 2.0 is a perfect example of this principle in action. It’s essentially two small, sturdy plastic brackets with a strong 3M Command Strip adhesive that you stick directly to a wall, cabinet side, or backsplash.
Imagine you’re following a recipe in a tiny galley kitchen. Your phone is propped precariously against a jar of flour, one splash of olive oil away from disaster. With a Koala Mount on the backsplash, your phone is elevated, safe, and perfectly angled for viewing. It reclaims your entire counter for prep work. This is its superpower: turning unused vertical planes into functional storage.
The tradeoff is its permanence. While the Command Strips are removable, this isn’t a mount you move around daily. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it solution for a specific, high-use location. It also offers no charging capabilities, so it’s purely for holding and viewing.
Anker PowerWave Stand: Your Desk Charging Hub
Wirelessly charge your phone with the Anker 313 stand. It delivers 10W fast charging for Samsung Galaxy phones and optimized 5W charging for iPhones in portrait or landscape mode, even through cases under 5mm thick.
Your small desk or entryway table is a magnet for clutter, and charging cables are the worst offenders. The Anker PowerWave Stand tackles this head-on by combining two essential functions into one compact unit: a phone stand and a wireless charger. It creates a single, organized dock for your device.
By using a wireless charging stand, you eliminate the visual clutter of a loose cable snaking across your desk. Your phone now has a designated spot where it lives and powers up, always ready to go. The upright angle is perfect for seeing notifications at a glance or taking a quick video call without having to pick it up.
This solution is ideal for a dedicated workspace or a "command center" near your front door. It does, however, require a power outlet and occupies a small footprint on a flat surface, unlike a wall mount. This isn’t for portability; it’s for creating a permanent, functional hub.
Lamicall Gooseneck: Ultimate Bedside Flexibility
Enjoy hands-free viewing with this stable gooseneck phone holder. Its sturdy, bendable arm securely grips phones from 4-7 inches, while the adjustable clamp attaches easily to beds, desks, and more.
Nightstands in small bedrooms are often comically tiny or non-existent. The Lamicall Gooseneck holder bypasses this problem entirely. It features a sturdy clamp that attaches to a headboard, shelf, or desk edge, with a long, flexible arm that you can position exactly where you need it.
This is the undisputed champion for in-bed viewing. You can position your phone at the perfect eye level for watching a movie without craning your neck or holding the device for an hour. It also frees up your entire nightstand for a book, a glass of water, or nothing at all, creating a much more serene sleeping environment. No more knocking your phone to the floor in the middle of the night.
Be aware, this is a function-over-form choice. The gooseneck arm can look a bit industrial, and it requires a solid ledge (typically 1-3 inches thick) to clamp onto securely. It’s a fantastic tool for a specific purpose, but it’s not the sleekest or most versatile option for other areas of your apartment.
OCASE Shower Case: The Perfect Bathroom Mount
The bathroom is often the smallest and most hazardous room for a phone. The OCASE Shower Case is a purpose-built solution that lets you bring your podcasts, music, or audiobooks into the shower safely. It’s a fully enclosed, waterproof case that mounts to your shower wall with a strong, damage-free adhesive.
In an apartment bathroom with zero counter space, this is a game-changer. You can catch up on the news while getting ready or relax with music without risking catastrophic water damage. The case has a touch-sensitive front panel, so you can still pause, play, and skip tracks without opening it.
This is a highly specialized piece of gear. The touch sensitivity isn’t perfect, and getting your phone in and out is a deliberate action. Think of it less as a phone holder and more as a permanent bathroom accessory. For those who can’t live without their audio, it solves a problem no other holder can.
PopSockets PopGrip: Versatile Magnetic System
Secure your phone with this versatile PopGrip, offering one-handed use and an integrated kickstand for hands-free viewing. Its strong adhesive sticks to most smooth plastic cases and is easily repositionable.
Most people think of a PopSocket as just a grip, but its real power for small spaces lies in its magnetic mounting ecosystem. With a magnetic PopGrip on your phone, you can place small, incredibly discreet mounting pucks anywhere you need them. This system offers unparalleled versatility.
You can stick a magnetic mount to the side of your fridge for viewing recipes, another by your front door to grab your phone on the way out, and a third on the wall next to your bed. Your phone simply snaps on and off each location with zero effort. It’s the most adaptable and minimalist way to create multiple docking points throughout your apartment.
The main consideration is that you have to commit to having a PopGrip on your phone or case at all times. It adds a bit of bulk, which isn’t for everyone. You’re also buying into a specific ecosystem, but for those who value flexibility above all else, it’s a brilliant way to leverage tiny, unused spaces.
OMOTON C2 Stand: A Sleek Aluminum Desktop Choice
Enjoy hands-free viewing with this adjustable aluminum phone stand, featuring a 270-degree rotation for optimal angles. Its stable, heavy-duty design accommodates phones with thick cases and includes anti-scratch, anti-slip silicone pads.
Sometimes, the simplest solution is the best. The OMOTON C2 is a non-adjustable, non-charging stand crafted from a single piece of aluminum. It’s elegant, incredibly stable, and designed to do one thing perfectly: hold your phone at a comfortable viewing angle on a flat surface.
This stand is for the minimalist who values aesthetics and order. It’s perfect for a desk where you already have a charging solution or for a side table where you just want a handsome, reliable place to set your phone. A small cutout in the back allows you to neatly route a charging cable if needed, preventing it from becoming a tangled mess.
Its strength is its simplicity. There are no moving parts to break and no electronics to fail. The tradeoff, of course, is a complete lack of adjustability or integrated features. This is a choice for someone who wants a permanent, stylish home for their phone, not a multi-function gadget.
Choosing the Right Holder for Your Small Space
There is no single "best" phone holder. The right choice depends entirely on the specific job you need it to do and the location where it will live. Don’t look for one holder to rule them all; instead, identify a problem area and find the tool designed to solve that exact problem.
To make the right decision, think in terms of function and location:
- To reclaim kitchen counters: An adhesive wall mount like the Koala Mount is your best bet. It gets the phone completely off the workspace.
- To create a desk charging hub: A wireless charging stand like the Anker PowerWave consolidates clutter and creates an organized home base.
- For flexible bedside viewing: Nothing beats the adjustability of a Lamicall Gooseneck clamped to a headboard.
- For a safe bathroom setup: A dedicated waterproof case like the OCASE is the only truly safe option.
- For maximum versatility: The PopSockets magnetic system lets you create multiple, low-profile docking points around your apartment.
The most effective strategy is often a hybrid one. You might use a simple aluminum stand on your desk and a wall mount in the kitchen. By giving your phone a designated home for every common scenario, you eliminate one of the most persistent sources of clutter and bring a powerful sense of order to your small living space.
Ultimately, these small, inexpensive tools do more than just hold a phone; they enforce habits of organization that make apartment living feel more spacious and intentional.