Welcome, Super Moms! You are here because you want to learn how to transform your squidgy home into a spacious haven. These expert space saving tips will help you do just that! Discover practical strategies to optimize your living spaces and make the most of every inch. Let’s dive in and create a cozy, clutter-free environment together!
1. Scrutinise how much space you have.
In our journey to enhance your living space, let’s begin by scrutinizing the what space is available. Correctly assessing and simplifying your space can lead to a more spacious and comfortable home.
You need to scrutinise your space to be candid with yourself how small it really is. As soon as you know how small the space is, then you will really know how much and how big the furniture can be to fill it. A careless assessment of space will prevent you from decluttering to the extent the space needs.
2. Decide how much furniture your space can hold
Space Saving Tip number two is to assess how many pieces for furniture the room can hold before it feels cluttered. Defining the maximum pieces of furniture can create a harmonious and organized living space.
Once you have determined this, be careful not to put anything more than that decided number in there.
For example, in our house we have 3 small-sized bedrooms. We have decided that we cannot fit more than 2 pieces of furniture in each one without the rooms looking cluttered. Thankfully, each of these rooms have wardrobe space, so we store the bulk of clothes in there, and just stick to 1 bed in each room.
You can also be crafty by using furniture for a double purpose. Perhaps you have a breakfast bar in your kitchen, which can double as a dining table. And, if you have couches with large, square arm-rests, they will also serve the purpose of a coffee table.
These smart assessments will prevent you cluttering the space with furniture you don’t actually need.
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3. Be mindful of furniture size
Space Saving Tip number three is to be careful not to have furniture that is too large. Furniture size has a major impact on room perception. Learn to let the size of your room guide your furniture choices.
Let the size of your room dictate not only the number of pieces of furniture you have, but also the size of each piece. This goes hand in hand with my first point.
Putting large furniture into a little room will make it feel tiny. It will dominate that space, and the room will not feel restful or aesthetically pleasing.
So, if you have small rooms, you will not want to be investing in large, king-sized beds, or oval-office sized desks. You may even want to re-think having bed-side drawers, as these can add unnecessary bulk.
Instead, go for smaller sized beds and accessory pieces. Perhaps just use a charming little vintage chair for your bedside table, as opposed to a bulky chest of drawers. You may not even need a large tall boy, if you already have a wardrobe.
In your living area, consider only having 1 L shaped couch, or 2x 2-seater couches. I have already mentioned not having a coffee table. Perhaps instead use a small side table. A cube would work really well, looks clean and modern, and could double as a mini book shelf as well!
4. Maximise your wardrobe/cupboard space
Space Saving Tip number 4 is to utilize built-in cupboards and wardrobes for storage. Filling these spaces to the max can significantly reduce the need for bulky storage furniture, creating an illusion of spaciousness.
Storage-type furniture like chests, sidebars and bookshelves tend to dominate a room that is smaller in size. If you have wardrobes and cupboards already built into your home, make the most of them!
Try to fill every inch of your wardrobe/cupboard space where possible, so you can maximise the footprint of that room. That way, you can get away with simply having a bed in the room itself, and it will seem ultra-spacious!
If you don’t have shelves in your wardrobe, you can buy some from K-mart or Amazon that you can actually hang from the rail, or the back of the door. This is a great way to make the most of the vertical space in your wardrobe!
5. Use height, not width
The fifth of my Space Saving Tips is to unlock the potential of vertical space in your small home. Use furniture pieces that maximize height instead of width, such as bunk beds, vertical bookshelves, and “floating” shelves. That way, you can elevate your living spaces while preserving valuable floor space.
Height can be underutilized, and the less you have on the floor, the more space there is to actually move in that room. This means you do not bump into things, or have to be constantly shifting stuff to vacuum or sweep, and no knocking things over, either. If you’re a bit of a klutz, like me, then this means no more anxiety!
Utilising height allows you to maximize the footprint of your home, while still having the things you need. Here are the kinds of furniture pieces I am talking about:
- Bunk beds instead of side-by-side ones
- Vertical bookshelves, instead of lower, wider ones.
- “Floating” shelves – you can use your knick-knacks for art work this way!
- Armoires (if you do not already have a built in wardrobe)
These are all great furniture pieces to have that stack your stuff upwards, making the floor space free and uncluttered.
6. Regular Inventory Checks
Space Saving Tip number 6 is to perform regular inventory checks to declutter and organize the little things. It is the little things that make a big difference. They are the things that fill drawers and shelves, the things that big pieces of furniture were created for. By minimising the little things, there is less need for the big, bulky pieces of furniture that have you despairing for your space.
You know: clothes, linen, cutlery, dinnerware, knick-knacks, books. All the “life” stuf
When you have a small space, you really cannot afford to hoard all those clothes, linen, cutlery, dinnerware, knick-knacks, books. You can only hold on to what you know you will use, regularly. It is taking up valuable real estate, after all!
Questions to Ask When Stocktaking
When carrying out these stock takes, consider:
- the season you are entering. Is it cold? Is it warm? Blankets, jerseys, and coats can take up a lot of space but you don’t really need them during the summer. These sorts of items can be put somewhere out of sight until such a time you need them again.
- the need for the item. Do you need five sets of serving spoons? 2 egg beaters? A garlic press? If you do not use it all the time, give it to thrift shop. It’s just taking up space!
- rarely used celebration and hobby-related inventory such as camping gear, Christmas decorations, and picnic baskets can be stowed away in an attic or basement during months of disuse.
How often should you check your inventory?
To keep tabs on your inventory, try to get into the habit of doing inventory stock takes. Not just on an ad-hoc basis – it needs to be regular: monthly, seasonally, and annually. Doing regular inventory checks will prevent unused stuff ever taking up valuable space, plus it will keep you from holding onto stuff that is not bringing your life any value.
Clothing should be assessed seasonally. With everything else, check quarterly or half yearly. This should be enough to minimize the amount of time you spend on a day-to-day basis rummaging through the irrelevant stuff!
7. Do not get sentimental.
The key to having an uncluttered space is to master the art of letting go. There is a balance between sentimentality and practicality, and it is on you to ensure that your small space is filled with essentials and not unnecessary clutter.
While the sentimental things make things feel like home, clutter can prevent a space feeling restful, harmonious and relaxed. Try not to let sentimentality prevent you from hanging on to stuff that is…well, junk.
Conclusion:
As we wrap up our space-saving journey, remember that creating a luxurious and relaxing atmosphere in your small home is within reach. Implement these space saving tips, and watch as your living space transforms into a haven of comfort and style. Have thoughts or questions? Drop a comment below and join the conversation!
