Small Home 101: Making The Most Of Your Space

Not having enough space is a common problem for many people in their homes. A lot of homes these days are getting smaller due to overbuilt estates and limited space in lucrative city centres. In August of this year, the National Association of Home Builders found that the average American home had decreased in size by approximately 73 square foot – the first time this has happened since the recession. Plus, flats and apartments are also typically small, seeing as so many individual homes are packed into one building. Feeling cramped in your current property isn’t a particularly great way to live, and you may find that you feel a little claustrophobic.

But, there are ways to ensure that you can free up the space that you have, no matter how much of it there is to work with.

Embrace the light

If there’s one way to make an already tiny room appear smaller, it’s by painting it a dark color. Dark or bold colors absorb the light, which is the reason behind this phenomena. Light colors, on the other hand, reflect the light, thus making a room appear larger – or, at the very least, it’s true size. Allowing as much natural light through as possible can also help you make the most of your space. After all, nothing looks fresher and more spacious than a light and airy property. If you don’t currently have windows in certain rooms in your home, or if the ones you have are very small, you might want to think about upgrading them. However, window installation is not a simple DIY job. It might be worth your while to combine it with a full home remodel courtesy of a company such as http://www.therenovationcompany.com.au.

Use wall space

Look around your current property and see what is on the floor that could be on the wall. Bookcases are a common culprit of this kind of thing, with a huge bulky stand taking up space in your living room. By getting wall shelves installed, you can move your beloved books safely onto their own shelves, and you’ve freed up floor space while you’re at it. This very same principle can also apply to the kitchen, which can arguably be the most cluttered space of all. No one likes trying to cook a meal when you can’t even see your worktops as they’re so covered with things you don’t have a place for. Using a hanging wall rack for your pots, pans and utensils mean that they’re out of the way but also in easy reach, too.

Get inventive with your cabinets

In a small home, you may find that you struggle for space in places like your kitchen cupboards or in your bathroom cabinet. When your essentials are overspilling out of your cabinets, most people do one of two things. They either just leave the items out, lined up on surfaces or shoved hastily into already full storage boxes. This can often lead to even more clutter and therefore a home that once again, looks even smaller. The best thing to do instead is to get secret drawers and shelves fitted in your existing unit. Pull out worktops are a favorite for kitchens, and don’t disregard the insides of your cabinet doors for a place to hold things.