Is it possible to live in a small space? You bet it is!
Most of us know people living in small houses or apartments, going to college and living in a dorm for the first time, or moving from a big home to a smaller one. Even if you don’t, you may have experienced one of these situations yourself at some point.
- Divide the space into specific areas for each activity (e.g., bill paying, watching TV, hobbies, laundry, reading, or studying). Furniture and rugs can be used to separate the different activities. For instance, your bedroom may have to act as an office plus a place to sleep and get dressed. Use a desk and file cabinet in one area of the room and the bed, bureau, and night stand in another. Keep the items in their specified areas. Do not let them wander into the other activity areas.
- Use milk crates on shelves that allow a lot of extra space between them and the ceiling. Position the milk crate so the opening faces out. This way you’ll be able to store things both inside the milk crate and on top of it. It acts as a second shelf.
- Use over-the-door storage units or command strips to hang things on the back of doors, in closets, or on walls. You can hang items in or on them to get the items off your bed, chair, table, or desk so they don’t end up on the floor. The best part about command strips is that they do not damage the walls.
- Use wall shelves to take advantage of vertical space. You can then use your walls, from the floor to the ceiling, for storage.
- Take advantage of the room under your bed. Use clear plastic bins that are specifically designed for use under a bed. Measure the amount of space you have between the floor and the bed frame to make sure the bin fits. Another option is to raise your bed, with bedrizers, to give you more storage space.