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How to maximise space in a small home

Part   2. Maximising Storage

This Week in the second part of our three part series looking at maximising space in the home we focus on storage particularly through the use of furniture. There are many options available to help work with the smaller spaces, such as smaller sofas and chairs which have an option of being a sofa bed too to accommodate guests. For dinning solutions look at purchasing fold-down tables and chairs and even more popular now there is the type of table where the chairs actually fit inside the construct of the table. Using a nest of tables is preferable in a small space as opposed to having a regular coffee table which can take up a large amount of floor space. This way you can keep the tables stacked next to a chair or sofa and only bring out the smaller tables as and when you need to. In bedrooms, a 4ft bed could be an option if a double is just too big for the space you have to work with. Show homes use them all the time to enhance the space of a smaller room. Also look for beds that have storage in the base, the drawer divans are a great choice but also look out for a new type of bed on the market which offers another excellent option where the whole base springs up at the click of a button to expose complete base storage. Or the use of a sofa bed or chair-bed can work well in a small guest room. In a small child’s room, a reduced sized first bed and small child’s wardrobe again can work in a box room, at least until they reach four or five years old. In the bathroom always add a mirrored bathroom cabinet to tidy away unsightly toiletries and cleaning products, and the mirror will naturally make the room look larger. Sinks that can be built into a vanity unit are also very useful, again adding extra storage Multi-functional furniture is also another good investment for the smaller room. Combine seating with storage for example by the use of trunks or under window seating with secret storage. Make the use of wall space by fitting a tall and narrow bookcase or made to measure shelving unit.  A streamlined room with masses of storage is an ideal way to store clutter rather having it on show. The feeling of too much stuff in a room will make any room feel smaller than it really is.

 

*Next week in Part 3 we will explore maximising storage in the kitchen