Small homes are the bread and butter of Wales, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t live big while in them. The key drawback of a smaller space is, of course, a lack of storage. From things you need to survive to what you treat yourself to because you just love them, your home is simply full of your belongings. If those belongings have a proper space to live without overcrowding your breathing space, then you can live easily no matter the size of your space.
You can make a small studio flat feel so much bigger with smart design. You can make a small home feel big, even with kids in the house. While smart design and innovative storage solutions can significantly improve the quality of any space, nothing, of course, can make a two-bedroom home magically fit a large family. You need to work hard to get to this point, and this guide can help you do that. Get more out of your small home with these smart storage tips today.
Have Bespoke Wardrobes Added
Forget the bulky freestanding wardrobes and chest of drawers. These items waste space, even if they fit well enough in your home. What you want instead are built-in wardrobes. Made to measure wardrobes can significantly increase the amount of living space in your home by removing the necessity of those large, bulky furniture items while simultaneously giving you more space to store items out of sight.
These wardrobes can and should be added to every nook and cranny of your small home to give you space and storage everywhere, from the kitchen to the living room to the bathroom and, yes, of course, the bedroom.
Having a space to safely store all of your belongings will immediately declutter your home and make it easier to breathe. The smaller your space, the more important it is to use every inch of dead space in your home. This can be an entire wall in your bedroom, the space under your stairs, the empty spot above your kitchen cupboards, and so on.
Use The Vertical Space
Vertical space is also critically important when it comes to maximising the amount of storage space you have available to you in your home. Open shelves are a great place to store books and other mementoes that you actively want to see every day, like photos or knick-knacks of personal importance. These shelves are also a smart way to use up the vertical space in your home. Don’t think that your only option is to use the walls, either. You can use a bookcase as a partition wall, for example, to not only divide up your space between your living and dining areas, but it’s also a great way to add storage vertically to the centre of your room.
Get Baskets and Boxes
Baskets and boxes are another great way to store items, but beautifully. For example, a big collection of blankets at your disposal come winter is crucial. A basket in the living room that you even use as a side table is a great way to store those blankets until you need them.
Baskets or boxes are also key when it comes to storing those small bits and bobs that really don’t have another home. Just make sure that the boxes that you use are square or rectangular if you’re storing them inside a cupboard or your wardrobe. Round baskets and boxes waste space, whereas square shapes are easy to stack next to one another.
Don’t Be Afraid to Rent a Storage Unit
Have large sports equipment that just takes up a whole portion of your home? Christmas decorations that don’t really have a place? Sometimes, the best thing that you can do to reclaim your small home is to rent a storage unit. You can find great deals on long-term options if you simply look outside city centres and into more remote areas. You’ll also get a better rate if you’re a long-term client.
Invest in such a long-term option and you can easily and safely store your sports equipment, seasonal decorations, and other bulky items that get used but not often. You can even store things like clothes here, but if you do that, be careful to store them in a way that they stay dry and moth-free. The last thing you want is for your clothes to rot while they’re in storage!
Declutter
To really get the most out of all these tips, you are going to have to declutter. When you collect items, things you don’t actually care about get brought along the way. It’s important to go through everything you own periodically. This could be every year, every other year, or on a monthly basis. It’s entirely up to you and depends on things like your shopping habits.
Regardless of how often you declutter, it does need to happen every once in a while. Keep the things you use, keep the things you love, and consider getting rid of the rest. It’s okay to keep those items you only use once in a while, so long as you do use them.
Decluttering is the perfect time to pair with a deep clean, so if you need a good time of year to do it, try spring. You can go room by room and do things like take out all your clothes, make sure they still fit, do any mending, and then clean your wardrobe of any dust or debris that might have accumulated before putting back what you’re keeping.
Decluttering is going to be particularly useful in the kitchen and home office, if you have one, since these are the areas that see the largest influx of new items throughout the year – and also need a lot of cleaning when spring comes around.
By decluttering and adding bespoke storage solutions you can reclaim a huge amount of space in your home. As a result you’ll feel calmer, more at peace, and happier in your own home. Small can be beautiful, so long as it’s design-focussed, not clutter-focussed.
No Comments