Clever Ways to Maximize a Small Living Space 02.03.2016

@photo

In our modern cities, large living spaces often come at a premium cost. This makes them out of financial reach for most people, which means that most people rent or buy small and affordable housing. But just because we live in a small space doesn’t mean that it has to be uncomfortable, cramped or dysfunctional. If we’re very clever, we can hack the space to make it more efficient and make it seem larger. With this in mind, here are some top tips on cleverly hacking the small home to maximize the space available.

Reflections, Colour and Light

In a small living space, it’s really important to emphasises the space that is there, however small. There are a few methods that you can use to trick the mind into believing that the space is bigger than it actually is.

In a large space, dark furnishings and darkly hued paint can make the space feel more intimate. This is because dark colours are perceived as solid and impenetrable. This solidity makes a larger space feel smaller. If dark colours are used in small spaces to excess, they can make the room feel claustrophobic, which is not what we want!

Lightly coloured furniture fabrics, glass tables and white walls will make any room feel spacious. If you also add some highly reflective surfaces, such as wall mirrors, the available light in the room will bounce around and emphasise the space further. To create more light, it’s also a good idea to keep any curtains or window dressings light. In this way, you’re increasing the perception of the available space without physically increasing it.

Keeping Your Space Clear

The thought of doing any housework or chores might seem something of an annoyance to most, but by keeping your small living space as tidy as possible you will reduce visual and physical clutter. This will lead to the perception of more space.

Getting into the habit of doing a quick and simple tidy up before going to bed is a great way to keep the space as tidy as possible. This means doing the dishes quickly after each meal, putting things away that aren’t absolutely necessary, and finding new ways to store your things. You’ll wake up to a clean and clutter free house and this will make you feel good about yourself and about your environment!

If you have a lot of personal stuff to put away and squeeze into our small home, you might want to seriously consider adding dual function furniture to your shopping list. For example, you can buy beds that have inbuilt drawers so that you can store your clothes. In this way, they’re out of sight and out of your way!

If you are looking for something a little less expensive, you can always use the space under your bed to store your personal belongings. Buying plastic boxes of varying sizes with lids is not overly expensive, and some of them even have rollers so that you can wheel them in and out from under your bed. Use them to store off-season clothes, knick-knacks, or anything else that isn’t use on a daily basis.

Another clever and very practical way to utilise limited space is to make regular use of wall space. Install shelves to maximise vertical storage space. In the kitchen and bathroom areas, you can even use wall hooks or hanging baskets to store utensils and other personal items.

Only What You Need

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, keep only what you need. For example, do you really need four sets of wine glasses when one good one will do? Do you need two kitchen knife sets when you probably only need one really good quality kitchen knife for most preparation?

A good use of space isn’t just about moving furniture around, putting up wall mirrors and tricking the brain with white walls. It’s also about wise decision making on what material items you really need in your life. Keep the stuff that matters, and either store or discard the rest! You’ll feel better for doing it.