Some people prefer the fast-paced life of living in the city, while others prefer a slower lifestyle. For those that are drawn to the city, getting to live right within the city of your dreams seems like, well, a dream. Until you realize that the cost of living is a lot higher than you anticipated. Not discouraged, you’ll just have to settle for a smaller space. It’s a small price to pay, right?
Even better, a smaller space is much more sustainable! Moving in may be a challenge, and you’ll have to get used to the smaller space. Fitting everything you own into a smaller space will be quite an adjustment, but with these tips, you’ll be living comfortably in your small space in the city, in no time.
Shelving
One of the most valuable things you can have in a small space, is shelving. It takes up almost no space, and you can store almost anything on shelves. Shelves aren’t just for books and knick knacks! Get canvas totes and fill them with clothes, or fill bins with games, toys, or anything else that you can think of. For extra storage space, install hanging shelves above eye level.
That space between the tops of doors and the ceilings is a highly non-utilized space. So take advantage of that space with a few shelving units. Store the things you don’t need very often on these higher shelves.
Multi-purpose furniture
There isn’t a single better type of furniture than the kind that serves more than one purpose. Sure, you can sleep on your bed, but does the mattress lift up to reveal tons of storage space? What about your coffee table? Does it have a secret storage compartment hidden within? Multi-purpose furniture is a lot more popular than you would think, and it is beyond useful if you have a small space in the city.
If you can’t find the perfect piece of furniture for you and your space, make your own! It isn’t that hard, and may be as simple as installing a few drawers in the empty space in your bed frame or making a coffee table out of crates that naturally have tons of storage space within them.
Hang things from the ceiling
Unless your ceilings are relatively low, you should be able to utilize this space! Pick up a few hanging planters or fruit bowls, which you can use to store things you don’t need very often. Depending on your space, the ceiling is also a great place to hang things like your bicycle, and sometimes even storage bins (if you have a strong ceiling and your landlord gives you approval to drill holes into it).
Organization is key
You can make a lot of things fit into a small space, if you know how to organize. A very few things can look like a lot more, if you don’t know how to organize. Start with something easy, like plastic bins that are clearly labeled with the type of items contained inside the bins. You can also use canvas bins inside of shelves, to tuck away things that are unsightly in an aesthetically pleasing way.
If you have any unused space, like an area behind stairs, under sinks, or shallow closets, use them and take full advantage of them! These are the types of spaces for the items that you rarely use. Think things like holiday decorations, seasonal clothing, and rarely used tools. Keeping these things tucked away will keep your clutter to a minimum and keep your living space clean and organized, while making sure these things are accessible when you need them instead of storing them in an off site storage unit.
Guest Post by Aurora McCausland
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