Small homes are cute, but they also have practical limitations that can impact quality of life at home, the main one being that space — or the lack of it — can be an issue.
Living in a home where it constantly feels as if the space is crowding you in can be frustrating at best, outright stressful at worst. It can often feel as if you have no space to breathe, let alone to truly sink into relaxation.
The good news is that while small homes face more space-related challenges than larger abodes, the issue is not insurmountable. With more people than ever living in slightly-too-small properties, there are more space-saving hacks than ever. We’ve rounded up some of the best below; take them on board, and you should notice that your experience of your property is dramatically different before too long.
Photo by SHVETS production
Utilise Dead Zones
One of the reasons why small homes can feel crowded is that we’re used to planning how and where we’ll store our belongings based on larger properties. The truth is, your small home probably does have plenty of space; it’s just that it’s not the space that’s immediately obvious. Making full use of wall space — many homeowners stop their shelves just above eye-level, leaving several feet of dead space above — and under the stairs/corners can all open up a lot of storage space.
Optimise Your Home’s Hardware
The vast majority of doors are swinging doors, but they’re far from the only ones. When it comes to choosing interior doors for your home, the emphasis should be on what’s right for the space, not on what is most common! Sliding barn doors, like the kind you’ll find at Au Barn Door, can be highly effective space-savers, since they open along the walls, not out into the hallway. Investing in minimalist furniture that sits on legs, as opposed to sitting flush with the floor, is also a handy hack for making a space look larger.
Invest in Vacuum Storage Bags
Vacuum storage bags really can help to free up more space in your home. Rather than having to deal with dead space in boxes and in storage cabinets, vacuum storage bags allow you to keep your stored belongings as compact as possible. Simply get a few bags, but put your unused clothes and other items in there, seal it up, and then place the bag under your bed until you need it.
Rent a Storage Unit
Taking all the tips above, and still feel that you just don’t have enough space in your home? At some point, all the storage hacks in the world won’t make your house bigger, and if you have bulky items, then eventually you’ll notice.
One convenient solution is to rent a storage unit, which offers an affordable way to keep your belongings safe and secure, yet away from the property. They’re handy for storing items that you want to keep, but which you don’t need on a day-to-day basis, such as Christmas decorations and seasonal sporting equipment.
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