HOW TO LIVE HAPPILY IN A SMALL SPACE

These days, rent seems to be rising day by day, while increasing numbers of young people are unable to buy their own homes. Many people, therefore, are living in smaller and smaller spaces. Although this may not appeal to you, there are actually a lot of things about living in small spaces that are excellent and if you find it tough, there are things you can do to make it a whole lot easier.

De-Clutter Your Stuff

First and foremost, it’s time to de-clutter your possessions.it’s time to de-clutter your possessions. One of the top ways to make a small space seem absolutely minuscule is to fill it with stuff, so it’s time to take a look at what you own to see if you really need it after all.

At the start of every year, it’s a good idea to turn all your hangers the opposite way whenever you wear that item of clothing. By the end of the year, you’ll be able to see which items of clothing that you haven’t worn, so you know what to throw out.

If you don’t know where to start, why not take a look at Marie Kondo’s de-cluttering tips? She suggests that you should de-clutter by category, rather than going by room. If you clean up and organise by room, you’ll end up moving things around instead of actually throwing them out. So it’s a much better idea to go through categories like your clothes, your kitchen items, your jewelry, your books, and so on.

It can be rough to throw things out, particularly sentimental items, so when you make the decision to do so, make sure to thank the item for the good it’s done you, before donating it, recycling it, or throwing it in the trash. 

Find Ingenious Storage Solutions

If your possessions all have a place, it means that your home will look less cluttered and therefore more spacious, so it’s a good idea to make sure that your storage solutions are good. Think vertical – install shelves on your walls along with high cupboards so that you can really make the most of that empty wall space. Some people even install pegs so that they can store their bikes on their walls.

You could also start thinking of that shelving as artwork. Add pots containing succulents and photo frames onto your bookshelves to make them a display as well as a storage area.

Inside cupboards, install wire wall racks, so that your cleaning cupboard isn’t horrendously cluttered and you can easily find everything you want. This also works for the inside of your wardrobe. Why not invest in a shoe rack to keep on the back of your door?

If your small space home isn’t permanent and you don’t want to throw everything out or drill into the walls, it’s a great idea to look into self storage, so you can store what you don’t need without having to make space for it in your home.

Remember that other furniture can also double up as storage. Use a chest of drawers as a dressing table, and choose a coffee table that has space underneath it so that you can keep a couple of lined wooden crates under there with some possessions stored. You could also buy containers to keep under your bed, on top of your closet, and beneath your couch.

Focus On Areas Within Your Space

If you live in a studio apartment, you may find that it’s difficult to separate off different areas of your space, so it’s important to figure out how you can do that. Having a restful area where you sleep will make sure that you rest easily at night, so partition your bed off from the rest of the room with a curtain or with a screen, and make sure that you use your bed only for sleeping. 

If you work at home, use a bookshelf or filing cabinet to separate your desk from the rest of the room, so that you’re able to physically take a break from your work when you need to. 

You may not want to install dividers that are too high, this might divide your space into small dark areas, which could potentially feel uncomfortable and claustrophobic. If this is the case for you, then why not use waist-height dressers, shelves and trunks to divide your home? They double up as storage and also help to divide the room into different places designed for different purposes. 

Living happily in a small space is very possible – remember that there’s beauty in economy, and keep your space as tidy and uncluttered as possible!

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