Downsizing and cultivating a more minimal life has become increasingly popular over the last few…
Moving to a smaller home oftentimes comes with many benefits: it allows you to minimalize your life, usually gives the benefit of a better location, cheaper utility bills, and lower rent.
Despite these perks though, moving from a larger to a smaller living situation also comes with a host of challenges:
- How will all your stuff fit in your new home?
- How will you organize your space?
- How will you make your new home feel large and cozy when it’s so small?
In this article, we’re going to discuss 14 tips for organizing small spaces so that you can move into your new home with confidence and ease.
14 Tips For Organizing Small Spaces
14 Tips to Organize and Make the Most of Small Spaces
Research shows that many people accumulate more possessions than their living space can hold. Part of it is cultural, while for others it’s a matter of comfort and feeling like they are not living in want and poverty. It’s often a matter of the environment you grew up in, as well as how you were raised.
Let’s talk how about how you can get organized and rearrange even small spaces to make your home feel more open and them clutter free. Take a look at these 14 tips for taking back your smaller spaces and making them seem large and full of life again.
1. Pay Attention to the Patterns You Use
Patterns are so important when it comes to maximizing small spaces. They can make all the difference in the world and determine whether your home feels spacious, cozy, and bright.
When it comes to patterns in smaller homes, we recommend using minimal, clean patterns, and avoiding overly busy wallpaper as this can make a space feel crowded.
Consider buying patterned pillows, rugs, and throws as an alternative to patterned wallpaper. These add texture to your room while not crowding your walls. A patterned rug can really open up your floor space, making a room look larger and more appealing, while patterned cushions or throws can add texture and accents throughout a room.
2. Use Light Colors and Textures
Use light, neutral color palettes when you paint the interior of your new house or apartment as these will greatly expand your space visually. Painting primarily with dark colors will make your home feel smaller as the walls will appear closer together. That said, don’t let a fear of using dark colors keep you from adding a shaded accent here or there as these will actually add to the depth of your space, making your room feel larger.
When it comes to textures, go for fabrics and rugs in plain colors with simple prints. Be sure to add several different textures to each room as this will give it an overall deeper feel. Textures like, plants, woven baskets, and different textiles or throws are visually appealing and add character to any space.
3. Whenever Possible, Keep Your House Illuminated with Natural Light
Light plays a powerful role when it comes to expanding small spaces and making them feel larger, so take advantage of all the natural light you can. Leave curtains open and allow sunlight to flood in. Add multiple light elements, instead of having just one main light fixture (which draw the eyes to a single spot). Using hacks like these will greatly open up your small room and make it feel bright, large, and clean.
4. Get Functional Furniture
Get furniture that will be beneficial for organization while also adding to the beauty of your small home. Consider purchasing wall-mounted baskets, wire storage racks that can be placed on top of appliances, and multi-functional furniture. Keep in mind that organizing a small space requires lots of vertical storage instead of horizontal storage, so stackable furniture and cubbies are your friends.
When deciding what kind of seating furniture you want, go for sofas and armchairs that are raised on legs as this creates a sense of light and space.
Use mirrors and glass or see-through furniture as these pieces really help brighten and expand a small space. And when placing furniture in your home, avoid putting large pieces against walls as this gives a room a crowded feel. Instead, put furniture in the center of your room if you can, and angle other pieces to complement.
5. Install Hangers and Shelves on Your Walls
Think vertically instead of horizontally in regard to storage and organization in a small space. Instead of having a large dresser, use shelves and install wall hooks or hangers. Figuring out storage and how to keep a small home organized can be a challenge, but it’s incredibly rewarding and gets the creative juices flowing. When putting boxes on shelves or in storage cube baskets, be sure to label them and keep similar items in the same box to save on containers and the space those containers occupy.
6. Get Rid of Clumsy Souvenirs and Decor
Keeping a small space organized requires relentless decluttering. Clutter and numerous souvenirs become a real problem when you go from a three bed, two bath house to a one bedroom apartment. If there’s an item you haven’t used or even thought of in a long while, it’s time to consider getting a place to store it, or parting with it for good. There are many storage facilities that you could consider renting a unit from or second-hand stores you could donate to. Take some time and consider which option is best for you and for keeping your small home organized.
7. If Your Belongings are Visible, Make Sure They’re Organized Too!
Organize every inch of your small home, you’d be surprised how much larger a space can look if it is thoroughly organized. Get organizers for mail so that there aren’t piles of bills and papers on display for visitors to see. Organize counter space with mason jars and wire baskets. Be sure to organize bookshelves and dust often.
8. Think About Space When Purchasing House Items
Consider your space and what furniture or household items will be beneficial for organizing and maximizing the area. If you find a piece of furniture that you like but it takes up a lot of space, consider getting a smaller, similar piece instead. Living in and keeping a small home organized may be challenging at times, but having a clean and minimal place to call home is also incredibly refreshing.
9. Consider a Storage Unit
Can’t bear to part with your many possessions but desperately need more space? Box up anything you don’t use more than once or twice a year and put it in a storage unit. You can still get it out when you need it, and it will save floor space and storage space in your home. You can also decide to donate anything you haven’t taken out of storage for more than a year, since you clearly don’t need or miss it.
10. Put Your Pantry on Display
If you don’t have the space to create a traditional pantry, go for a more utilitarian shelving system. Industrial or rustic open shelving with metal or wicker baskets as storage is a great way to keep your space open and also add plenty of storage. Keep all your dry goods hidden with baskets to keep that space looking chic and organized.
11. Go Crazy with Room Dividers
One of the best ways to maximize a small space is by adding room dividers. When it comes to this, the taller the better! You can go with traditional dividers that stand up from the ground or you could try hanging a curtain from the ceiling. Dividing the room partially can give extra privacy and also multi-functional. Consider this creative idea: a white curtain divider that also functions as a projector screen!
12. Create an Office Nook
Rather than using your kitchen table as your office space, look for any unused corner or “in-between” area that you could retrofit a small desk. Another great place for an office is surprisingly under the stairs. That space is often underutilized, if at all.
13. Use Tall Window Treatments
The easiest way to make your ceilings look higher is to trick the eye with extra tall curtains. If you hang the curtain rod about 2 inches below the crown molding (rather than lower on the wall where they really are) and about 4 inches wider than the window, it will make the room appear much larger and allow for maximum light.
14. Invest in Multi-Functional Furniture
Instead of just placing a mattress and box spring on the floor, find a bed with storage drawers underneath and a functional bookshelf as the headboard. If you’re more of a DIY person, you might be interested in building it yourself. Using pallets is a cheap and viable option for a project like this. Another multi-functional piece is a sofa bed or stylish futon couch which can be used to make your home available to guests.
Need Help Moving Into A Smaller Space?
If you are considering a move to a smaller space in the near future, be sure to contact On The Go Moving today with any questions, comments, or inquiries about the process. Our team of professional movers can help you through the entire process of packing, moving, storing, and driving.
Contact us today and one of our team members would be happy to talk with you today.
