10 Tips to Make the Most of Your Living Space
Whether you live with your family or roommates, common spaces are where most people in your home gather. You may be tripping over or constantly moving items within this limited space. If you have a small space, every inch is valuable real estate.
Living and dining rooms may need to double as an office, gym, or playroom to accommodate your needs. With a little creativity, you can transform a room into a multi-use space without clutter or disorganization.
1. Declutter and Clear Space
The first step to maximizing your space is to keep it clean and organized. Toys, projects, and more can take over an area and make it feel small. Remove any items that do not belong in the room (and maybe even some that do!). It can be easier to reimagine a space without furniture and other belongings.
2. Create a Plan Based on Your Needs
You should identify your needs before redesigning your home, such as an office area for remote work or a space for hobbies. Some rooms may be better suited for certain needs than others. For instance, you can use your dining room table for meals as well as homework or puzzles.
Draw a layout of your home and create zones for each of your needs. A sketch of your plans can keep you organized and help determine the logistics of your newly multifunctional space.
3. Buy Multipurpose Furniture
Furniture can be your friend or foe when it comes to maximizing your home’s space. A couch in your living room is a space for your family to sit to talk or watch television, but it can also be a bed for your guests if you have a sleeper sofa. You can find bookcases with fold-down desks, consoles that transform into dining tables, and desks with pull-down Murphy beds.
4. Add Wheels to Furniture
Adding wheels to big furniture pieces lets you redefine the space easier and faster. Movable furniture lets you change a room’s function in just a few minutes and without breaking a sweat.
5. Take Advantage of Vertical Space
Do not forget to use the space above your head for storage and more. Tall bookcases and shelves above doorways can hold items you need, but may not use every day. Likewise, you can use vertical space for decorations or create a vertical garden.
6. Section Your Spaces With Belongings
You can section your rooms into zones beautifully with decorations, furniture, and rugs. For instance, a bookcase can divide a large room into two spaces for different functions. Area rugs can also define zones within a single space.
7. Customize, Customize, Customize
Your space and needs are unique, so you may not find what you want off the shelf. Creating custom pieces for your home might give better results than buying a mass-produced project.
Take measurements of alcoves, nooks, and other odd-shaped areas and head to your local home-improvement store for supplies to create shelves and other storage options.
8. Get Rid of Unnecessary Walls
Walls take away your usable square footage, and small rooms can make your home feel tiny or cramped. Removing non-load bearing walls can give you the space back and make it feel more open.
You can also add storage to walls without taking them down. By using the space between the studs, you can create built-in bookcases and shelves that do not take up any floor space.
9. Go Light on Colors
Dark colors can make rooms feel smaller, and multiple colors can chop up or make a room seem busy, especially in the same room. Use a single light color paint to create spacious areas.
10. Add Mirrors
Although you cannot live in the reflection, a mirror can make your space feel bigger than it is. For instance, placing a mirror across from a window can increase the natural light in the room. Bigger mirrors reflect more light, but you can group multiple mirrors for the same effect.
