There’s always potential for making the most of your living spaces, whether you live in a studio apartment, smaller home, or other place that has limited room. Living quarters are more than the space offered by their floors and main rooms. Think in terms of area, not perimeter, and you’re sure to figure out how to make the most of wherever you hang your hat. Here’s how to find more room in a limited space.
Declutter, Declutter, Declutter
Decluttering is the first and most important step to making any place seem larger. Review all your stuff and divide it into three categories. Stuff you use every day, stuff you’ll use for sure, and stuff you never use at all. Clearing out and donating all the stuff you never use will free up so much space. Be brutal! Get rid of it if it no longer brings you happiness or won’t come in handy for sure (say on your next vacation). You’ll be stunned at how much room you’ll have afterward.
Go Vertical
Contractors and designers find the area to properly measure a room, not just the perimeter. You have several feet of unused space above and around you. Add shelving, and not just standing bookshelves that rest on the floor. Install floating shelves, even above nontraditional spots for shelves—above doorframes, for example. Hanging boxes and planters are also clever ways to provide storage for everyday things—imagine a dangling planter filled with socks or cosmetics, for example. Look up and figure out how to use all that airspace above you!
Think Outside the Box
A closet doesn’t have to be a closet. You can transform a closet space in several ways, such as turning it into a recessed office space with a table and chair. Naturally, you can organize your closet with boxes, hanging shelves, and the like to maximize how much it can neatly store and hold. However, turning it into a pantry or bookshelf that you can easily cover by shutting the door is another alternative.
Secret Hideaway
Here’s one more idea about how to find more room in a limited space. Sometimes, the best way to make a room feel bigger is by purchasing or building hideaway solutions. Specifically, choose furnishings that you can hide away. Murphy beds that you can flip up and store away in the wall are one solution, though buying and installing one may be cost-prohibitive. A futon with a frame that you can roll or fold up can serve as a couch or loveseat the rest of the time. Folding tables and chairs that you can stow safely are another great way to make room in a limited space. Likewise, furniture that combines uses—a coffee table that serves as a dinner table—is also a neat hack. Find space wherever you can—it’s in there somewhere!
