4 ways to create more space in your home
Why is that there never seems to be enough space in your home? When you moved in the place seemed huge, but somehow over the years it has shrunk — a lot.
Maybe you have extended your family, or have invested in a few too many home furnishings? Whatever the reason, there comes a time in most homeowners lives when a bigger living space is needed. However, before you start scouring the property pages for a new house, why not look at ways to create more space in your current home?
It is not as complicated or expensive as you may have feared.
Make your rooms multitask
Although it may be unrealistic, not to mention unhygienic, to double up your bathroom as a home working space, there are certain rooms that can be multifunctional.
For example, a spare bedroom can easily double up as a home office or study space for an older child. Rather than fill the room with a bed and wardrobe that rarely gets used, invest in a sofa bed or futon and some clever storage solutions, and there will be more than enough room to fit in a desk and chair.
Another way to make a room more usable is by opening it up; take two rooms, both of which appear small and cramped, knock down the adjoining wall and you will instantly have a bigger, more flexible space.
Utilise wasted areas
Depending on your budget, this could involve making use of shared areas in the home such as landings and corridors which are simply perfect for adding cabinets or other additional storage space too.
For those with a slightly larger budget, consider converting your loft or basement; this additional space can be used for basically anything you want – an open-plan kitchen, another bedroom or even a home gym! For those worried that a basement could appear dark and uninviting – Houseup basement conversions in London are the ideal place to look for inspiration on how to utilise this underused space in your home.
Make sacrifices
A tough one, but a tip that is virtually free to carry out; make the decision to thoroughly go through your entire home and list any furniture that is not used.
You may love your antique mahogany dining table but how often do you really sit down altogether as a family and eat on it? Would it be better to invest in a few barstools to sit around the kitchen island for example?
Even small items can take up space that could be utilised in another way. A nest of tables, ottomans and toy boxes all take up room, so consider if you really need these or if you could store your belongings elsewhere.
Storage
Storage solutions should make your home appear less cluttered and with more available space, but this isn’t always the case. Effective storage solutions are worth their weight in gold, but ineffective ones can cause more problems than they solve.
For example, if you have a tiny bathroom, built-in shelves are a lifesaver and a great way to utilise wall space and save on floor space.
Other simple ideas include:
- Adding a bespoke headboard on your bed which can double up as a shelf (saving the need for a bedside cabinet).
- Creating a seating area in an alcove that is also a storage box.
- Putting up hanging rails between the wall units in your kitchen which can be used for storing kitchen utensils.
