While tiny houses have made their appearance on television and elsewhere, the reality is that plenty of us live in somewhat cramped quarters without the benefit of our own HGTV show. From studio apartments and rented rooms to dorm rooms and run-of-the-mill small houses, living comfortably can be a challenge. We’ve pulled together a few tips for living in a small space.
Get Some Mirrors
Feeling especially cramped? Try using mirrors to make a space feel larger than it actually is. This can give the effect of having additional windows (or any windows at all) in a room. More light tends to make smaller spaces feel less cramped.
Avoid Blocky Furniture
Open shelves and couches with thinner legs can prevent that blocked off effect in a room. Bulky furniture can remove the ‘negative’ space on the walls and floors.
Movable Furniture
Make sure you’re able to easily move around your furniture for more space when you need it. If you need to work out where your coffee table usually lives, you’ll need to make sure you’re not scuffing the floors when you shove it off to the side.
Sturdy Stuff
Living in a small space often means that you’re not able to keep a ton of floor space open. Make sure your furniture isn’t easily dented or scratched up. It doesn’t have to be the couch equivalent of a brick house, but delicate items or poorly chosen materials might show wear and tear immediately.
Use the Walls
Try installing shelves higher up the wall than you may otherwise so that you can have a real home for books and other items.
Organize Well
A poorly organized closet can fit far fewer items than a well-organized one. Organized stuff is also less overwhelming to look at.
Keep Functional Items Looking Nice
Small homes might not have a ton of private storage for things like brooms and cleaning stuff. Keep them looking a little neater and replace them when they start getting gross.
Keep Things Bright
A small space (especially one with lower ceilings) can feel dreary easily. Try lighter colors for furniture and walls to feel less penned in.
Go Digital
If you’re comfortable with it, opt for digital versions of books, movies and other media items to save on space.
Fewer Single-Use Items
Try to see what things you actually need and which needs can be solved by doubling up on functions. You may not need a side table and a desk and a kitchen table, for example. Additionally, it might take up more space to store many rolls of paper towels compared to a handful of kitchen towels.
