It's been a while since I wrote a post for my Beginners Guide series, so I thought I'd go back to basics and put together something on one of my favourite subjects - how to live comfortably in a small home.
Lots of clutter makes me feel anxious, and this can be exasperated when you live in a home with small room sizes, just two built-in cupboards, and a whole heap of toys.
So here's my top tips for living in a small home - from clever ways you can decorate to give the impression of space, to furniture choice that doesn't overwhelm, and the all-important keeping on top of the clutter.
Storage is key
The only way I can cope with living in a small home - make sure you have enough storage, and more importantly, that it's doing the best job it can! Almost every piece of furniture I have is something that doubles up as hidden storage, from my TV cabinet to above wardrobes and storage boxes below beds. When choosing a new piece of furniture, I always consider its potential as a home for 'stuff'.
It doesn't have to look cluttered either - all the storage is 'hidden', meaning I can store items away from sight. My dresser is the perfect example for this - I've styled accessories in the top, visible half, whilst hidden behind the doors are storage tubs and baskets full of kids craft items and paperwork.
Make clever decor choices
Large mirrors cleverly positioned in a room will instantly give the impression of more space, and make a room feel less cluttered. If you want to go one step further, place your mirror opposite a door or window to ensure light is bounced around the room, which will make the room feel brighter and lighter too.
Keep on top of decluttering
It's one of the most taxing chores I take on all year, but it really makes a difference. Every spring I take a couple of months to sort through every single drawer/cupboard/shelf in the house. I try to be brutal when deciding what we need to keep and what can be donated or sold.
I have to be realistic about what I need, and have accepted I can't have lots of things stored away in my home. I've shared lots of decluttering tips before, but a spring clean little and often means you can easily keep on top of it, and you're not faced with an overwhelming amount once every couple of years.
As part of this, I try to keep any accessories and 'clutter' to a minimum - when buying anything I consider where it will live beforehand, and if I don't have a clear space for it, I won't buy it (great tip for saving money and preventing unnecessary purchases too!).
Give everything its own space
On that note, giving everything its own space is really important for making sure tidying up is quicker and easier, and preventing things getting too cluttered. Once everything has a home, its easy to get things back to neat and tidy quickly - and getting the kids involved with tidying up after themselves too!
Put thought into your floor plans
When decorating and styling each room, put a lot of thought into where your furniture will sit, and don't go for anything that's too large or will overpower the space. For example, my dining table came with six chairs, however I store two away in our cloak cupboard, as only having four out means we save vital floor space at either end. In addition, we chose a sofa and armchair rather than two sofas as our small, narrow lounge just couldn't cope with it.
Choose slimline furniture
Another great way to save floor space is to choose bits that won't take up too much floor space. In our narrow hallway, the super slim console is a lifesaver as it offers valuable storage, and somewhere to style pretty accessories without taking up much space at all.
In our bathroom, we were faced with a really awkward wasted space between the bath and door. Our slim ladder shelf was therefore an amazing find, fitting into this slot perfectly!
Additionally, choosing furniture on legs will give the impression of more space - so try to stay away from bulky pieces which can overpower a small room.
Store away seasonal items
If you find you're struggling for clothes storage, it can make a big difference to pack away seasonal bits and only store what you currently need in your wardrobe. I have a couple of storage bags, which live under the bed and during the summer are home to thick woollen jumpers and coats. I then switch them over with summer dresses and sandals during the cold months. Vacuum packing these bags means you can save even more valuable space.
Utilise the storage space you do have
Finally, decant dried food such as pasta and spices into storage jars - you'll be surprised at how much space this saves. This also has the added bonus of making things look neat and tidy, and not too messy to the eye.
As a side note, doing this made me realise how much I was spending on things I already had but couldn't easily spot when the cupboard was cluttered (think three bags of opened flour, and at least two tubs of each spice).
How do you tackle living in a small home?
Thanks for reading,
Sam Xx
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