Many people are choosing to live in small apartments or homes to simplify their lives. Freedom from high mortgages and living costs is a major drive in deciding to live in a tiny space. In bigger cities, living in a small apartment not only cuts down on the cost of rent, but it can also significantly cut down on the cost of traveling to and from work. In many cases, people are able to eliminate the need for a vehicle all together.
Living in a small space can be very rewarding, but it also presents some challenges. Overcoming these challenges can help you to feel like you’ve “won the war” against big house living. Not only must you conquer organization, but you must also use your creative mind to figure out the best ways to live in a small space. Simplifying your life means eliminating useless or unnecessary items from your home and making the most of the space that you have. Many people report better health, less stress, and less spending because of their decision to live in a smaller home. When it comes to spending money, you’re forced to ask yourself “will it fit” instead of “can I afford it”. This change can free you from much of the commercialism and free spending that many people are plagued by.
One way to be successful in a small home is to only buy high quality, efficient products that hopefully serve more than one function. Investing a little in quality will save you from buying more products to replace the one that breaks or doesn’t function as you expected. For example, one set of built-in shelves will last you forever, taking up very little space, whereas multiple cheap plastic drawer systems take up space and break, resulting in the need to invest in the shelves after all.
Buying furniture and storage systems that have multiple functions is the best way to ensure that you avoid buying more later and make the best use of your space. A couch with a pull-out bed gives you a place for guests to sleep, without using precious storage space for inflatable mattresses. A chair whose arms open up to reveal storage for remotes, magazines, and your latest knitting project reduce the need for an end table or bulky magazine rack. A coffee table that opens up to store linens and throws can free up the small amount of closet space that you have. Using areas that aren’t traditionally used for storage will help you save space, too. You can use large, shallow containers for storing items underneath your bed, chairs, or couch.
In your closet, you want to make sure that you’re using as much of the space as possible. You can hang things up really high and use a hanger retriever to get them down. You can use space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, or cascading hangers to use a lot less space than you traditionally would to hang your clothes. Combining outfits or multiple items onto one hanger is an easy and economical way to save closet space.
About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.
