Making the Most out of Small Homes
When buying your first home or moving into a new smaller house or condominium can present a few space-related hurdles, especially if you are downsizing significantly or moving in with more people than where you lived before. Here are a few tips on how to maximize your space to live in a small space.
Make it Count
Rather than spending your time deciding how you can fit everything that you currently have into your home, focus on what you can get rid of and make what you hold onto more efficient. You can think of it as minimalism meets maximalism, as you minimize the things you own and maximize the space you have with what you keep. For example, you can turn the living room into a shared space with dining. You will need fewer furnishings than if you tried to complete two separate rooms, and the one room will seem larger and be used more often.
Colour Carefully
When you have a small space, the colour choices for your walls, furnishing, and décor can make a big difference in how the eye perceives the area. For example, even-toned rooms make an area look more spacious, and subtle patterns in wall hangings, furniture, and decor make a room seem less overwhelming than larger patterns.
Clean Out Often
In a small space, there is no room for extra stuff that you do not use or do not need. Get in the habit of doing regular clean outs: go through your closet, cupboards, and shoe racks to get rid of unnecessary items. You can help yourself out by facing all your clothes hangers in one direction, and when you wear the item, flip the hanger. After six months if the hanger is not flipped, you probably do not need those clothes!
Get in the Zone
Instead of getting too focused on rooms and walls dividing up your spaces, think alternatively: go with zones. In any given room, there are lots of tasks completed, including eating, sleeping, reading, socializing and much more. Have a zone in your house or apartment devoted to each of these tasks, and you can even separate them out using a screen, bookshelf, or curtain.
Store and Organize
A small space such as a mini house requires impeccable organization. Create a space for everything, and always put it in that place. Get very specific on what type of storage you need to have in order to be able to maximize your space. Hidden storage like under the bed or in drawers is always valuable, but with so many options available you can also get storage that doubles as décor, or doubles as your zone wall. When you move in, spend some time organizing everything and then keep your space livable by putting everything back in its appropriate home.
Now that you are armed with tips and techniques to help you live in a smaller space, its now time to begin your searching to find smaller townhomes or condominiums for sale to suit your new lifestyle.