3 Budget-Friendly Tips for Optimizing the Space in Your Small Home

Guest Post by Aimee Lyons from DIY Darlin

Living in a small space can be both a blessing and a curse. Smaller homes mean you have the opportunity to live in a place that requires less cleaning and maintenance, is typically less expensive and more energy-efficient, and provides the incentive to live a clutter-free and cozy life. However, small spaces also mean that you have to consistently limit your stuff, what you bring into your home, and how you plan to organize it. 

Organizing your home to maximize space does not mean you have to break the bank — start with a virtual consultation with Malinda of Nest Home Organizing. There are several money-saving options that can help you beautify your home and make it feel spacious. 

Rethink Your Furniture

A good start to optimizing the space in your home is to utilize the free space and multipurpose all your furniture. You can shop for stylish storage options at major retailers for things like ottomans that serve as a place to put keepsakes, blankets, and other trinkets, while also providing extra seating. A small place can only feel and look smaller when there is clutter all over the place. By purchasing storage options at places like TJ Maxx or Bed Bath & Beyond, you will have stylish storage that serves a dual purpose and makes your small space feel spacious. 

Also, rethinking your furniture doesn’t necessarily mean buying anything new. More often than not, your existing pieces will only need good, old-fashioned cleaning to make them more inviting once again. You can usually find furniture cleaners who can do the job of deep cleaning to breathe new life into furniture, so do a quick search and make sure to choose providers with a proven track record, which you can find out through customer reviews and referrals.

Redo Your Closets 

Utilizing closet space and installing closet systems can maximize your living space. Stores, such as Crate and Barrel, offer various products that will store clothes and other items to make your home look clean and neat, such as hanging organizers, rolling carts, baskets, bins, and dressers. Look for deals online that will make already reasonable prices even more affordable.

Closet systems are an easy, affordable upgrade to closet spaces that will allow you to tier your clothes, shoes, handbags, and other assorted clothing items by utilizing all of the vertical space. Gone will be the days where you are squishing clothes onto the bending rod.  

Utilize Your Vertical Space

In smaller homes, you lack horizontal space, but the vertical space is prime real estate. Shelving, bookshelves, bunk beds, and dressers will allow you to store more and still keep your living spaces open. While hanging artwork can make for great decorations, your walls can be used for so much more. There are many practical advantages to using your vertical space, but it also provides you with a blank canvas to design your home in a personal and creative way.

For instance, instead of keeping a lot of blank space on your walls, put in things like storage cubicles or bookcases for books, important documents, framed photos, decorative vases, and other kinds of miscellaneous items. Put a shelf above any or all doors in the home for storing things like bath towels, toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning products, and/or sports equipment. Put open shelves from floor to ceiling in your kitchen to store more things, make them more accessible, and create a more spacious feel. To store off-season clothing, holiday decorations, and unused items you’re not ready to get rid of, consider adding risers to your bed. 

Both advantages and disadvantages come with living in a small home, and you can maximize the positives by optimizing your space. Multipurpose your furniture by adding items that can stylishly store a variety of items and seat your family and friends. Install closet systems such as hanging organizers, rolling carts, and dressers to make the most of your closet space. Finally, take advantage of the practical and creative opportunities of utilizing as much vertical space as you can. You may not even miss having all of that horizontal space!