Making the Most Out of a Smaller Home

Making a home downsize isn’t an uncommon thing to do. Whether it’s by choice because you decide you don’t need much space, or your only option when you’re trying to find a more budget-friendly a home, a downsize can be an exciting venture. Anytime you choose a new home it marks a large milestone in your life. Our homes are where our lives happen, so it’s important that we make the most of them. While it may seem challenging to make a downsize, there are ways to maximize on your limited space and enjoy the move. Follow these 5 tips for making the most of your smaller home:  
  1. Purge before you go
Everything that once fit in your larger home realistically won’t be able to come with you in the move. While one option is putting things away in storage, a more affordable option is to do a large purge before you move. Moving homes provides a great opportunity to evaluate the items you really need in your home and the ones that can go. Decide which items are necessary and what doesn’t deserve a spot in your new home so you won’t immediately fill it with clutter when you move in.  
  1. Use multifunctional pieces
Getting creative with multifunctional pieces can help save you a world of space. Why take up the area for two (or more!) things when you can put it all in one? Don’t have the space for a guest bedroom? Utilize your couch by finding a pull-out bed or sleeper sofa. Need more living room seating but also searching for space for storage? Use an ottoman. No room for an office space but need a place to work? Find a kitchen table that can double as a desk when needed. By maximizing the functionality of the pieces in your home, you can get more out of less.  
  1. Splurge on your focal pieces
Each room has a focal piece that makes it what it is. These items shouldn’t be neglected just because you’re in a smaller home. Splurging on these key items will help accentuate your home and make it your own:   Your Dining Table In a smaller dining space, your instinct maybe to choose a smaller dining table or forgo a table completely. A dining table is the center part of your kitchen. It’s where your family can connect over shared meals and come together at the end of the day, so you shouldn’t skimp out on it. Consider a wall-mounted dining table that you can fold down when needed, or use a smaller table with fold-out extensions for when you have larger gatherings.   Your Bed You spend one-third of your life sleeping, so you’ll want to be doing it comfortably. In a smaller bedroom, you’ll probably think of opting to a smaller bed size. Unfortunately, when you downsize your bed, you don’t get to just downsize yourself and your sleeping partners or pets. Instead of being uncomfortably squished into bed, make it the focal point of your room and invest in a quality bed so you can get your best night’s sleep in your new home. You can even use a base that has storage drawers to maximize your space, though you may want to do research on your mattress type to make sure it’s compatible.   Your Couch If you’re big on entertaining guests in your home, you know your living room seating areas are important. A smaller couch simply won’t work for gathering your friends, and no one wants to sit in uncomfortable folding chairs you occasionally bring out. Don’t be afraid to splurge on your couch. You can maximize your living space by using a u-shaped sectional that allows for plenty of floor space in the center.  
  1. Keep it tidy
Avoiding clutter becomes all the more important once you downsize. The psychological effects of clutter should be enough to make you clean up after yourself, but your minimized spaced makes it more essential. Clean spaces look bigger. The more junk you start to pile around, the more chaotic and confined the space feels. Follow the clean-as-you-go principle to keep your home looking polished and feeling more spacious.  
  1. Be creative with your storage
Utilizing more storage space will also help you in your efforts to keep your house looking tidy. Although you likely won’t have as much obvious storage space as you’re used to, there are ways to get creative with how you can store your items away. A good first step is to look for any opportunities where you can place items underneath spaces you already have. For example, you can store items under your coffee table, in ottomans, or under your bed. Next, you can maximize your space by storing items on the wall. Hanging shelves up provides an alternative to keeping everything on your floor. There are plenty of ways to find storage areas in each room, you just have to do some looking.   By following these five tips, you’ll be able to feel cozy and happy in your new smaller home without feeling crammed into a minimized space. Author’s bio: Laurie Larson is a freelance writer who writes on home, health, and lifestyle topics.  

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