There’s no doubt that we would all love to have a large, spacious home, but unfortunately, more space often means higher mortgage or rent payments. Especially if you live in an urban area, you often are forced to sacrifice square footage for location. Fortunately, there are ways to maximize your space and make even your 6th floor walk-up feel less like a shoe-box and more like a home.
Evict the monsters that live under your bed
The area under your bed is one of the most, if not the most, under-used spaces in your home. Some bed frames come with drawers under them, but even if you have a normal box spring you can easily find storage units to slide under your bed frame. Ikea, for example, has an entire section of their website dedicated to under-the-bed storage.
Get a Lift
To make the most of the space you do have, you want to ensure your rooms are multi-functional. For instance, you may not have room for a sofa, coffee, table, and a dining room table, but you need them all to live comfortably. To address this issue, you can design your living room to double as a dining room by purchasing a lift-top coffee table.
Install shelving to combat clutter
If you’re sharing a small home or apartment with someone else to save money, you may start to notice that your bedroom floor has become the largest shelf in your home. This can cause clutter; and clutter is public enemy number one when it comes to maximizing space. Try installing some wall shelving or utilize a service, such as Shelf Genie, to help you find a home for all your things and declutter.
Purchase a washer that moonlights as a dryer
If you own your home or apartment, you can do laundry at home without taking up too much space by installing an all-in-one washer-dryer. Yes, they exist! You won’t be able to wash large loads of clothing, but all-in-one washer-dryers save you the effort of moving wet clothes from the washer into the dryer. Simply load your dirty clothes, push start, and come back to clean, dry clothes 90 minutes later.
Consult your Magic Mirror
An old trick that can be used to create the illusion of more space is to hang mirrors. A large “statement mirror” will not only reflect light and create a feeling of openness, it will double as artwork.
Let there be Light!
Go light and bright on the color scheme. Painting walls in dark colors can make a room seem smaller than it is. Using light colors on your walls and selecting lighter colored furniture will produce a light and airy living space.
Follow these tips to transform your small rooms into functional living spaces.