It’s been a long time since I’ve had to move home. Recently though, I’ve found myself thinking about being young, and moving into your first place. More often than not, these properties are smaller than average, but that doesn’t mean the place has to feel cramped! I’ve been looking at ways newly independent people can make their small accommodation feel more spacious. Enjoy!
Image from Flickr
Unless it’s a one-room shack, I’m sure your place serves its purpose pretty well. You might not be living in a particularly cramped property, but it just feels cramped, right? If this is the problem, then you’re in luck! This sensation can be fixed fairly easily through simple interior design choices. Using light colours on the wall and floor is a miracle cure to making an entire room feel more spacious. You might be in the habit of cramming ornaments and decorations into every available space. Choosing larger but fewer curiosities scattered around the room is generally a much better move. Simply buying more things which are made from glass or lucite can make an entire home feel more expansive.
It’s easy to make a place feel larger, but what about real, practical space? There are a few simple decisions you can make which will improve the space in your home loads! If you’re in a studio apartment or something similar, then maybe you should look at sofa beds to maximise your space. There’s a huge variety of these out there. Here’s a post I did last year on buying your first mattress. I recommend you apply the same careful checks when browsing for your sofa bed. There are many other storage ideas you can use to give yourself more space. From wall-mounting your TV to getting a storage footrest, you’ll be smacking yourself when you try some of the things you haven’t thought of!
You may have tried these tips, and still find yourself feeling claustrophobic. There’s an even simpler option. Simply get rid of as much stuff as possible. I don’t think I know anyone who couldn’t stand to lose something they own. I’m sure you’re coming up with items off the top of your head now! A garage sale is always a good method to start off with. Aside from this, many sites such as Gumtree or Craigslist are popular for selling second-hand bits. This will not only clear out a lot of space in your property, but also make a bit of money. If you’re not too concerned with that, then there are all kinds of places where you can donate your things. After completely nuking the place, I’m sure you’ll find every last corner much more spacious.
No one likes living in cramped accommodation. Hopefully, this post has shown you an easy way around your specific situation. However you go about it, remember to keep an open mind. Go looking for new storage options, and don’t cling onto things you know you’re never going to use. Approach this job in the right way, and soon you’ll feel like you can breathe again!