TOP 4 TIPS TO MAKE SPACE AT HOME

 Whether you’re trying to get on top of clutter, or you want to find better ways to organise possessions for more space, there are lots of different ways to achieve a more spacious feel at home.

 

We’ve gathered a few tried and trusted tips to help you with the ongoing battle of possessions versus storage options. When you get the balance right, suddenly even the smallest of homes feel roomier and more comfortable.

 

 

Have Storage in Every Room

 

Clutter is your worst enemy when you’re trying to make space at home. One of the easiest ways of reducing it is by investing in storage furniture for every room in the house. Good storage pieces give you somewhere to put those little items that otherwise litter surfaces and make the place look messy.

 

• In Bedrooms - use storage beds like ottomans or divans that have loads of space under the mattress for sundry items you don’t use all the time, from spare linens to toys and games in kids’ rooms. Make sure bedside tables have drawers or shelves and use dividers in dressing table drawers to help organise makeup or jewellery and accessories.

• In living rooms - have occasional tables or coffee tables with built in storage, invest in storage footstools or decorative trunks or chests, and regularly sort out the contents of sideboards and other cabinets to clear out items you no longer use.

• In the bathroom - use bath or shower caddies to corral bottles and soaps and fit a medicine cabinet if you don’t already have one. Decorative tubs or baskets filled with beauty products or children’s bath toys look neater than leaving them scattered around the side of the bath or on the windowsill.

• In the kitchen - Decant foods in packets and boxes into transparent containers to make more room in the pantry. Use under-shelf baskets for additional storage, or corner racks that make stacking plates easier. Clear your work surfaces, especially of larger appliances not often used such as bread machines, food processors or deep fat fryers. 

 

 

 

Be Selective About Possessions

 

There’s no rule that says you must keep all your possessions at home. In fact, lots of people are expanding their living space and making home life more comfortable by adopting a seasonal approach to self storage.

 

It’s simple, but very effective.

 

Through the winter, you store all your summer-specific items. Things can range from garden furnishings to outdoor playthings or sports gear, summer clothes or heavy tools like lawn mowers or hedge trimmers. As the seasons turn, swap and change what’s in store so you’re always making the most of space of home by only keeping what you’re using.

 

New customers can often get some good self storage discounts, including on packing materials or van hire, so it’s worth enquiring to see how much you can save.

 

 

Make More of Shelving

 

Just about every room could benefit from a shelf or two. The huge range of shelf style means there’s a shelf to match most tastes, and if you think you have no room for a shelf, look above your doors. Over a doorway is an overlooked space, but very handy for book storage, ornament display, or in the bathroom for spare towels or baskets of beauty and hygiene products.

 

Shelves are great in kids’ rooms. Paint them in bold, primary colours and fit them low enough for children to easily reach so you can encourage them to tidy up toys and games by themselves.

 

Also consider installing shelves in awkward spots, such as cramped cupboards under the stairs. Narrow shelves here can hold cleaning products, small DIY tool collections, sewing kits, vacuum cleaner tools… all kinds of small things that it’s hard to find homes for and are easily misplaced.

 

 

Keep a Sense of Proportion

 

If possible, tailor the size and shape of your furnishings to the space you have available. Bulky furniture in a small living space only makes the area feel even smaller. 

 

You can also adopt a few designer tricks to fool the eye into thinking the space is bigger. One is to have furniture on legs so you can see underneath and light flows better. Another is to use mirrors to bounce light around the room and create the illusion of depth through the reflections. This is especially effective if you want to lengthen and brighten a short hallway.

 

Organising possessions takes a bit of time and effort, and it’s also ongoing, with needs often altering as circumstances or interests change. Hopefully we’ve given you a few ideas to help make more space in your home.