House-related trends in recent years can be summed up in three words: less is more. With the tiny house movement and the popularity of Marie Kondo’s method, it seems that people want to take as little space as possible. Whether it’s due to the economy or it’s just the latest lifestyle trend, people are living small. But that doesn’t mean that you have to live uncomfortably. Check out these five ways to make the most out of your small space:
Get the Right Furniture
Use sliding glass doors and furniture that can be folded when not in use, such as tables and beds. Maximize the awkward area under your stairs by installing cabinets there. The good thing about the recent small living trends is that there is plenty of space-saving furniture available on the market. For example, there are coffee tables and couches with hidden compartments for storage. They’re multipurpose and compact, perfect for small rooms. Another option is to get multipurpose furniture. You could use a divider with shelves or a wardrobe with a built-in mirror.
Walls and Ceilings Can Be Used for Storage, Too
Get rid of your TV stand and have your TV mounted on a wall. Hammer a nail on your wall and set up a storage rack or two. You can store anything, from books and photos to spices and plants. With the right arrangement, they can serve as both storage and decoration. An alternative is to use hanging shelves that are trendy and barely take up much space. But you have to be careful about the placement, especially if you have kids or pets at home. Don’t have it too close to your bed or too low near the floor.
Stack, Stack, and Stack
If you have a lot of books you don’t want to let go, stack them and create a makeshift table. You can keep your favorite novels and have them be decorative at the same time. This can also work for CDs and DVDs. You can also get stackable box containers for pantry items. By doing so, your cereal, rice, and pasta will look organized and uniform. Since you’re stacking the items on top of each other, they take up little floor or table space as well.
Clean Frequently
If you have little floor space, to begin with, you can’t afford to mess up your house. The rooms will end up even tighter and hard to live in. Whether you live alone or all your housemates have jobs, schedule a cleaning day. Also, besides keeping your house in top shape, cleaning also has other benefits. A doctor has stated that the act of cleaning can help your physical and mental health. It’s especially crucial if someone in your household has asthma or allergies. For such cases, Rush University Medical Center recommends using cleaning products with low volatile organic compunds (VOCs).
The saying is true: size doesn’t matter. What matters is how you make use of your area. With the proper strategy and maintenance, you can have the perfect home for you and your family.
