Tips for Small Space Living

Living in a small home does not mean you have to sacrifice function or style. Using the simple steps below you will be able to maximize your home’s space and potential. I’ve shown you my condo during our two part tour now let’s take a look at some other amazing small spaces.

1) Declutter and Sort

One of my biggest tips for small space living is to de-clutter your space. I try to have a minimalist mentality when it comes to clutter. The less physical items I have in my home, the less I have to clean and the less clutter I have. I honestly think I am the anti-hoarder. For those of you that have collecting or hoarding tendencies, consider going through this list provided by Mandi at Life Your Way in her article 10 Questions to Help You Declutter This list is pretty much what I go through when I am stuck on keeping or getting rid of an item. It really helps a lot.

Now that you have decluttered, sort through all of your unorganized items and put them together in groups. I know that seems silly, but I have literally been in homes where there’s just a junk room and everything gets thrown in there. Sorting your items into groups will help you with the next step.

2) Organize

Now that you have sorted your items, organize them. Get coordinating baskets, bins, or boxes for storage. Some items may be placed in storage. I would put those in the least convenient place. For instance seasonal items can be stored way back under your bed, you’ll only be getting them out a few times a year. Crafting items, sewing, tools  or art supplies that are used frequently need to be stored in a more accessible place. Make labels for your bins. It not only helps others locate items, it  will help remind you to keep up your organization systems.

Make sure you choose items that provide more than one function. If you need an ottoman ,choose one with storage. When choosing a TV unit, think storage. You don’t necessarily have to use it for storing TV items. I used mine for toys, diapers and extra baby clothes.

underline;”>4) Flooring

If you are able to choose your flooring in a small space, I suggest using the same flooring, preferably not carpet, in all of your main areas that connect to one another. Cohesive flooring makes the entire space look twice, if not three times bigger. Sacramento Home Stagers 3 Doors Down Home Staging & Interior Redesign

5) Use Space Creatively

Do you use all of your kitchen cabinets?  If not,  can you have one available for office type materials?  I always had extra cabinets in my condo and used one for all of our paper work and office supplies. It was a makeshift command center.

Use your vertical space. Can you put a cabinet on the wall above the toilet to add more storage? Do your walls have space for floating shelves? If so, install some, add some books, a few baskets (for organized items) and there you have it, more storage.

Think outside of the box… In the photo below Tobi Fairley designed a multi functional living space and bedroom. She uses privacy curtains on a track to create a bedroom space.

6) Don’t Over Accessorize 

Notice in all of the pictures neutral is the key theme in furnishings but most have pops of color brought in through accessories!  I highly recommend keeping your accessories at a minimum. Choose statement accessories, but only a few per room. Too many accessories in a small space can make the rooms feel visually smaller and take up much needed space.  

7) Color Palette

Choosing a color palette for a home is sometimes taxing.  For a small home it can be even more frustrating because there are less transition points (hallways, foyers, etc) and most rooms are visible from one to another. Neutral is a great way to go with paint, you can bring color in through your accessories. However, after living in starch white military housing for 8 years, I needed color on my walls. My suggestion for choosing colors is to go for the ones that work well together but that also create a sense of calm. You can see that all of the colors used in the palette were featured throughout each room in one way or another. Keeping with in one palette in a small space will trick the eye and the mind into making the space look and feel larger. I personally would stay a way from dark colors and bold colors which tend to make even large rooms look smaller.