For some, small-space living is a choice. For others, it’s a direct result of urban or suburban living. Whatever the circumstances behind it, living in a condensed footprint can come with its challenges.
This post offers ten simple ways to get life streamlined, take the stress out of small space living and begin to thrive in it.
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Preparation
1. Declutter
It goes without saying that the more stuff you have, the more space you’re going to need to house it. The easiest way to declutter your belongings is, unfortunately, not the quickest. This step takes time; don’t expect to be decluttered and ready to roll in a day, even a week. Take it a drawer, a cupboard, or a storage box, at a time. Remove everything from that storage area, and start your process by splitting the contents in to 2. To keep, or to go / recycle / donate.
2. Go Digital
You have your two piles – your keep pile, and your to-go pile. Let’s focus on your to-keep pile. Is there anything you have that can get all 2023 and go digital? Key to living in a small space is a lack of surplus junk. Photographs? Scan them in and save them to a cloud. Bank statements? Request emailed copies and opt out of postal deliveries. Post-It Memos? Utilize your phone or tablet and get an app to keep those reminders at your fingertips. A book stash worthy of a library? Switch to an e-reader like this or better yet, take the sustainable option and sign up to your local library.
3. Organize
Once you’ve taken the step to digitalize what you can (and more importantly, what you want) it’s time to organize what is left so you can streamline your small space.
Sort through that to-go pile so it is constructively out of sight and out of mind. What is to be binned or recycled, and what can be donated? Now the keep pile. Sort everything, from your utensils to your clothing, into categories. You’ll soon be able to tell whether you have a fork-hoarding problem, or a serious obsession with black stilettos.
Design
4. Clear The Floor
A small footprint does not need any help in looking smaller, and floor-clutter is going to do just that. It is those things you think are good furnishing choices that are the biggest culprits. Floor lamps? No. Freestanding storage units? No. Coffee tables? No. If it takes up space on your floor, your small-living is going to turn complicated, irritating and there will be more than one stubbed toe. Which leads me to…
5. Utilize Height
Dead spaces are notorious when it comes to effective space planning, and sometimes we forget to look up. Even if you don’t have lofty ceilings you can still make good use of the empty walls.
Think handled storage baskets like these, placed on wall hooks, or an incredibly versatile peg board like this which comes with countless organization opportunities.
6. Dual-purpose Furniture
Nothing will make you feel more smug than when you turn your sofa in to a dining room table. Okay, maybe that’s not realistic for everyone unless you have good design and technology in your blood, but there are some nifty off-the-shelf options for you that will help in making your small space effective.
Check out this coffee table which transforms into a desk and secret storage space, or this drop leaf dining table which packs away neatly in to a side table (my personal favourite).
Finishing Touches
7. Multi-purpose Kitchen Gadgets
I’m not even going to try and lie about this one – I felt like one of the Jetsons when I started researching some of these very handy gadgets. There’s something about a device that can slice and dice that makes one feel very space-age.
Unnecessary clutter is one of the biggest space invaders for kitchen units, so why don’t you try condensing your essentials into one handy gadget? Try this 8 in 1 zany gadget that comes shaped like a wine bottle (and it’s super colorful) , or this 12 in 1 vegetable chopper, slicer, dicer and any-other-which-way-er.
8. Off Site Storage
Try as you may, the reality of living in a small space may well be that you need to outsource your storage. For housing those items you don’t need regular access to, or old documents you want to keep safe but out of immediate reach, you should consider storing them in a long-term storage locker. Most facilities have 24 hour access, and 2 factor security (access door and locker door). They come in a range of sizes, from just larger than a cupboard, to large enough to house multiple vehicles.
9. One In, One Out
Well done! You’ve set the groundwork to streamline your small-space living, so now you need to keep on top of it all. From now on in, if you bring anything new in to your small space, take one thing out. It could be out to storage, out for donation or out to the bin, but the important thing is, it’s out.
There you have it! Small-space living doesn’t have to be awkward or uncomfortable, it just needs a little organization and forethought.
Kelly x
fiveandafarmhouse.co.uk 
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