Getting the Most Out of Smaller Living Spaces

In every home, you want to make the most use of the space you have, but it becomes especially important if your home is considered a "smaller space."

No matter how big or small your home may be, you want to optimize the space you have in as many ways as comfortably possible. With smaller spaces, like Plan 21-0013, it becomes more important to optimize the functionality of the space. In this article, we'll share tips for finding more space throughout your home. Whether you choose to apply one or all of these tips, they are sure to make your house more comfortable than before.

Multi-use Furniture

It seems we are living in a world full of gadgets and gizmos, but oftentimes they only serve one purpose, or are "single-use". Your kitchen may have a toaster and an air fryer and a toaster oven - but there is now an appliance that is seven-in-one, eliminating the need for multiple appliances in the kitchen. You can get a micro plane and a hand grater - or you can get a box grater with multiple sides with size options. Multi-use items like this free up valuable real estate on the kitchen counter. When furnishing any room, you want to make sure that you are going to get maximum use out of the furniture and appliances that are occupying the precious space you do have.

A common example of multi-purpose furniture is in the couch. You have likely used a futon or sofa bed at least once in the past. This piece can serve as everyday seating in the living room and also offer spare sleeping arrangements for visitors. The futon serves as a couch for the day-to-day, offering comfortable seating to watch television and altogether lounge. Then when it is your turn to host friends for the weekend, the futon seamlessly converts into spacious lodging for your guests. Convertible furniture means never having to store a spare mattress that serves one purpose and is only taking up valuable storage space more often than not.

Sourcing couches or ottomans that double as storage units makes great use of a space that would otherwise be wasted air. Spare blankets can be easily accessed, already in the room where they are needed, rather than being stored away in the hall closet. However, it can be difficult to find the perfect piece of furniture for your space, so you might consider implementing DIY to turn the furniture you currently own into surprise storage pieces.

Do-it-Yourself

If you're unable to find the right multipurpose furniture for your specific space, consider implementing DIY tactics to make better space-saving use of the future you already have. As previously mentioned, ottomans can be turned into storage pieces by adding a hinge and a sturdy bottom.

Another option is to put cupboards under the coffee table. Take a few slabs of wood and one or two doors to build a cabinet, and then install it on the underside of your coffee table for a discrete place to store reading materials or game console accessories out of sight. You can also use the space under your bed effectively for drawers or cupboards to store bedding or off-season clothing.

You also have the option to repurpose alternate items into furniture, adding functional storage space to your decor. For instance, an old ladder can be upcycled into a stylish and functional blanket rack or bookshelf. Old crates or boxes can be stacked and secured together to create a unique and customizable shelving unit for displaying books, plants, or other decorative items.

Smart-Tech

Technology has advanced to the point of being able to use your voice to turn on light switches in your house. One convenient way to implement smart tech in a small space like Plan 21-0032, is with voice activation or smartphone apps. A smart thermostat, for example, that can be controlled from your phone, or by voice with Google Home or Amazon Alexa means you don't necessarily need to keep a clear path to the thermostat on the wall to physically access it regularly. So if you no longer need physical access to your thermostat, you can have the option of using the space in front of the thermostat for furniture instead of wasting the floor space!

If there is an inconveniently positioned outlet in a room, it is no longer an issue with smart plugs! This accessory means the outlet is now accessible via voice or app, allowing more freedom with furniture placement. Your light-up vanity mirror can be plugged into a smart plug hidden behind the bed frame and turned on and off with the smart plug's app without moving the bed.

Vertical Space

It is often the case that vertical space is wasted space. The area higher up on interior walls is commonly used for decor so the spot does not feel empty, but the spot could have functionality as storage. Alternatively, this will also free up space on the floor for something besides storage, such as more seating. One easy way to get the most out of this elevated space is to install shelves with eye-catching L-brackets, or floating shelves for a minimalist effect. Either way, this will create a new space to display books, collectables, or awards otherwise kept out of sight.

If it is allowed for your situation, you might want to mount your television on the wall. This will eliminate the need for a large entertainment unit taking up space on the living room floor. (Bonus, the TV will be safe up there from pets or toddlers knocking it over.) The video players and game consoles can now find a new home in a smaller piece nearby.

Partitioning Your Space

Having a smaller home often means one or more of the spaces becomes a multi-purpose room. You may not have four walls dedicated to being the dining room, but you can take one room and arrange it to be a living room-dining room multipurpose room. You want to make sure you are distinctly separating the intent of these different spaces. The placement of your furniture and decor is one way to easily define where one space ends and the next begins. Place the couch on the interior edge of the living room to indicate that the living room is in the space that the couch faces. Anything behind the couch belongs to another "room."

Rugs are the key decor for partitioning a room. Positioning an area rug in the middle of the space intended as the living room will easily identify the centre of the "room." The rug will also serve as a starting point for how to organize the furniture around the rug.

In Conclusion

All home sizes, big or small, can benefit from optimizing the functionality of furniture and decor for easier living. Implementing any of the above tips will make your home more efficient and open up endless possibilities for using your space differently.

Tired of feeling cramped in your small space?

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