Lots of us live in houses or flats that don’t quite have enough storage space and so we face a constant struggle between deciding which items to keep and suddenly feeling very cluttered.
There are some clever tricks and practical solutions for people in smaller spaces, so some of these could help you.
Think vertically
No matter how small your rooms are, you’ll still have vertical space that you can use. The easiest way to do this is to use tall shelving units that have a narrow profile so they don’t take up too much floorspace.
Hanging racks are also really useful, as you can mount your stereo, your TV, kitchen equipment and even shoes on your walls rather than on cabinets or in cupboards.
Use the most suitable furniture
You don’t have a great deal of space for lots of furniture, so you need to think very carefully about the pieces you pick. Ideally, they should be on the more diminutive size so they don’t dominate your rooms.
There are interior design apps that can help you to visualise how furniture will look in your rooms and, of course, an old-fashioned tape measure comes in handy as well!
You could also look at foldable furniture, or things like nesting side tables, so that they only take up space when you’re actually using them. Multipurpose items, such as benches with built-in storage, can really earn their keep, too.
De-clutter on a regular basis
It’s easy to accumulate stuff without keeping track of it so you end up only noticing how much of it you have when you run out of space for the important things.
Get into the habit of going through your drawers and cupboards to look for things that you can bin, recycle or give away. Decant the contents of almost-empty spice jars into new ones and recycle the old ones before they take over your kitchen cupboard, for example. If you only think that you might have use for something one day, you probably won’t.
If you have duplicate items, keep the best or newest one and give away the spare.
Use a self-storage facility
Some possessions need to stay in your life even if there’s no room for them in your home. Old photos, art pieces, vintage clothes, vital documents, heirlooms and soon may actually be safer and more secure in a storage unit. Self-storage units are climate-controlled, have beefed up 24/7 intruder and fire security and can hold anything (as long as it’s not dangerous or illegal) for you.
You can store seasonal clothing and sporting equipment, stock for a home-based business, extra furniture that you’ll need when you move into a bigger place and valuables in one of these spaces. Shop around for the best deal for your needs, though, as sizes of unit and prices vary widely.
