How to Live in a Small Space

Small space living

You may live in a small place, but that doesn’t have to mean that you should let the walls close in around you. Life can be particularly difficult if you live in a really confined space, such as a studio apartment. Here are some tips to make one room living more bearable.

Furnishing a small space

  • Use pale, neutral colours to decorate your room, this will open up the walls and maximise the sense of space.
  • Divide your space into different zones using screens, bookcases or large plants.
  • Use a sofa-bed or futon or dress up your bed in the daytime to look like a sofa.
  • Alternatively hide your bed above eye-level in a loft.
  • Use furniture on casters, that way you can move you things around whenever you feel like changing the layout.
  • Furnish your space with multifunctional furniture, such as a stool that functions as a storage box.
  • Mount your TV and stereo on the wall to free up floor space.
  • Use a pot-lid rack, (normally found in the kitchen), to hang magazines, books and files near your sofa or armchair.
  • Put the empty space under a shelf to use by placing a few hooks underneath to hang cups, keys, bells or other decorative objects.
  • Scatter matching small tables around the house, and put them together to make one long party table for special occasions.

Cooking and eating in a small space

  • Free valuable counter space by mounting your microwave on a wall bracket.
  • Install a pull-out pantry in a small available space. It will make a huge difference in the amount of groceries you can stow away.
  • Pick drop-leaf, gate-leg or adjustable-length tables that can change size depending on your needs.
  • Use stools and chairs that can stack and be stored easily in closets or under tables.
  • Mount brackets on the wall to hang folding chairs when you’re not using them.

Storage solutions for a small space

  • Use coffee tables that have shelves or storage space for hiding away extra remote controls, magazines and other clutter.
  • Store loose items in baskets that can be stowed in bookshelves or wall units.
  • Consider keeping your CDs, videos and electronic equipment in glass-enclosed units that protect them from dust.
  • Pick bookshelves that measure between 22.5 and 47.5 cm (9 and 19 in) in width to accommodate a wide variety of book sizes. Store books upright, allowing for 2.5 cm (1 in.) between the top of the books and the next shelf.
  • Make good use of any alcoves or recessed walls by lining them with shelves.
  • Turn sturdy storage tables that hide your mess into extra seating by adding a pillow on top.
  • Make use of the space under your bed by adding a pull-out drawer, where you can put extra sheets and blankets.
  • Store your clothes in a cloth-covered wardrobe if your bedroom doesn’t have built-in wardrobes.
  • Hang a clothes rod in the corner of your room and hide it with a curtain to protect your belongings from dust and add a decorative element.

If you put these tips into practice you will soon be maximising your space and living large, even in the smallest of spaces.

See Also
Own space
How to Create a Private Space Just for You
A cramped bedroom space
Storage for Small Spaces