I really struggle with something: the size of my home. It feels so small most days. It has a bit of an awkward layout with very little storage space. I would love to have an office space. With another baby on the way, we are soon going to need some extra space. I find myself often looking at larger houses, wondering if moving would be the best option. Recently I have decided that I don’t need a bigger house, I need to learn how to make a small space work. I’m sure some day we will continue looking for a bigger house or expanding this one, but for now, I need to make this house work for for us. With that in mind, I have taken to the internet!
I have gathered ideas of things I have either done or really want to try to make a small space work better. Below are the ones that I have found either works great or I want to try because they look promising.
Using vertical space
This one gets said a lot but that’s because it’s true! Our kitchen cabinets are low enough down that there is a lot of space above them. I use that often for my stockpile items, my slow cookers, waffle maker, etc. It may not be super pretty but it really works! I also have a set of shelves in my four year old’s closet. She doesn’t need the full height of the closet yet as her clothes are still short. This makes a great place to store lots of things. We started this when she was a baby and it gave a great place for extra diapers and wipes. Shelves are just such a great way to make use of space.
(yes, this picture is old but I still use the space the same way)
Baskets and boxes
This is another one you have probably heard a lot but again, it’s because it works! I have so many baskets and boxes for storing my stuff. Sometimes it is pretty boxes, sometimes it’s just empty diaper boxes. It does not matter what you use, just that you use something that works for you. The thing about storage containers is that you can put like things together, label the outside, then put it in a closet or basket. With baskets, you can organize the things you use every day. It is so much better than just having things out. When things are organized and put away, it can make a small space seem so much bigger.
(I really like pretty storage baskets and boxes so am personally moving away from reusing diaper boxes and the like but it isn’t necessary.)
Space saving items
When we were looking for high chairs for our daughter a few years ago, I couldn’t believe how big they were! The way our table is designed, the kind that clip to the table would not work for us. We ended up finding one that was rather small and folded in half. Perfect! We still have it and plan on using it with this baby as well. Since it folded up, it was easy to take with us if we needed to as well. We do the same thing with other items and furniture. We look for items marketed to apartments or dorms. We even do this with toys and baby items. We look for items that aren’t overly large. Instead of a jumper that sat on the floor, we used one that hung in a doorway. Always keep in mind that there is a smaller version or alternative to what you are looking for.
Also look for items that serve two purposes. If you have a coffee table, make it one that has storage in it or has a bottom shelf where you can add baskets for storage. To make a small space work, you need to maximize most everything you own.
Think you need a bigger house? You don't! Learn how to make your small space work. Click To TweetHang your TV
Now that flat TVs are the norm and affordable, it’s perfect for a small space. We have two regular 19″ TVs (one in the bedroom and one in my husband’s workshop) and one 20″ flat TV in the living room. That one isn’t mounted on the wall yet but it is planned. I will be getting rid of the big entertainment center, mounting the TV on the wall, and getting two sets of four cubes to hold the DVD player, DVDs, etc. It will really help out living room feel bigger and be a better use of space. Not to mention, I feel like flat TVs are safer when hung on the wall when you have little ones running around.
All of these things can make a small space work and make you realize you really don’t need a bigger house. Yes, I am totally preaching to the choir on this one. If you have any tips yourself on how to make living in a small house work better, I’d love to hear them!
Brooke @thevinepress.org says
Yes, I love using vertical space. We live in a small townhouse as well, and I’ve found having a place to put everything at the end of the day really helps with the clutter. Thanks for sharing!
Julie says
I agree. Having a place for everything really helps! 🙂
Jennifer says
I have a very small home (less than 1000 sq. feet) and I’m always looking for organization tips.
My biggest challenge is being a minimalist when you live with children who are hoarders. lol
Thanks for sharing and linking up to the #SHINEbloghop.
Wishing you a lovely day.
xoxo
Jennifer recently posted…Want to Be a Homemaking Rockstar? Try This!
Julie says
My husband is the hoarder/pack rat. It is quite difficult to be the “get rid of all the stuff” person when you live with a “but I might need that someday” person. 🙂
SARA says
I live in a small house, too. I bought a plastic sleeve CD case, put all our DVD’s in it, and threw out all the cases. That really helped free up some shelf space.
Emily says
Our home is on the small side too. I’ve found that decluttering on a regular basis is important along with using furniture that serves dual purposes like you said with the coffee table. I’d love to get rid of our giant entertainment too, but I’m making it work for now as toy storage. 🙂
Emily recently posted…2 Tips for Dealing with Daily Clutter
Hannah @Sunshine and Spoons says
Love this! We moved 2 years ago to a 3 bedroom ranch style house, but before that our family of 5 lived in a tiny 2 bedroom apartment. My husband works night shift so would be home trying to sleep during the day and I have a sewing business so those two things made it pretty tricky. I used to have to pull the pack n’ play into the bathroom so my son could take a nap 😀
Julie says
That’s a new one to me! I’ve never had to put the baby in the bathroom so they could nap. 🙂