Whether you live in a few hundred square feet or a few thousand, odds are, with enough time, you’ll start to want more space. It’s a basic fact of life that we fill out the rooms we live in, with necessities and knick-knacks and collectibles.
Short of selling your possessions in a massive yard sale, what should you do? How can you make your current home feel bigger and, by extension, give yourself more room to live?
Here are some ideas, focused on finding new types of storage to create more space. It’s time to get creative!
1. Repurpose: One smart trick for maximizing storage space is using furniture pieces that perform double duty. The headboard behind your bed could include custom lighting or built-in shelving. Wall-mounted lights could eliminate the need for space-hogging table lamps. A kitchen island could offer not just work space, but also cabinetry and seating for a breakfast bar! If more of your furnishings can serve more of a purpose, you’re well on your way to greater efficiency.
2. Reconsider: If you’re like most home owners, it’s possible you’re overlooking areas for storage simply because you look at them every day. Open your eyes to new possibilities: under the bed, under the stairs, above doorways, in shelves you add to open walls. Force yourself to see your space objectively—even enlisting the opinion of fresh eyes, if necessary. You might be surprised at what you have!
3. Reorganize: Sometimes, simply reordering and cleaning the stuff you already have can make your space seem larger. Is the closet overflowing? Take everything out and organize it into like items. Are the countertops packed with appliances? Find ways to store those you don’t use everyday. A little moving around can make a big difference.