The longer you live somewhere the more things start to pile up, and before you know it you might feel like you are living in an episode of Hoarders. But, not to worry, there are ways you can declutter and find extra space in your home without having to move. Make the space you already have work for you rather than against you by focusing on the basics: multipurpose furniture, utilizing hidden real estate and brightening your space.
The first step, however, is decluttering. Whether you like it or not, decluttering is mandatory for creating extra space. It can be overwhelming at first to get rid of things so the best way to declutter is to make three separate piles, stay, go and maybe. Be as ruthless as possible. Use the “1 year rule” for clothes - if you haven’t worn something in the past year then you should let it go.
Make it Bright!
The two biggest factors in brightening a room are lighting and paint. Manipulate the lighting in your home to make spaces appear bigger. We suggest using floor lamps as opposed to ceiling lights to disperse light in a room. Another C21 tip is to hang mirrors across from windows to reflect the light to create a more open room.
Now let’s look at paint! Dark colors make rooms appear smaller than they are, so embrace white or neutral colours. Painting the ceiling white will make a huge difference in brightening your room. To keep your walls looking fresh it is recommended to repaint them every 5 years.
Multipurpose Furniture
When choosing furniture opt for sleek, light looking pieces rather than heavy, dark items. Transparent furniture gives the illusion of a space looking larger than it is. We love keeping things green and making use of what you have by converting your furniture to be multipurpose. Beds take up a lot of room so why not use some of that space by putting baskets under the bed. If you are handy, try remodeling chests, benches and ottomans for use as storage units. Another good option is to convert your desk into one that folds into the wall- you can even add a chalk board on the flipside!
Find hidden real estate
Your home is filled with hidden real estate-- you just have to get a little bit creative with it. Magnets will be your best friend when you are looking to gain space. Free up space in your cupboard by making your spice rack magnetic. Attach a magnetic strip under your kitchen cupboards then add magnets to the top of your spices – now the spices can just hang out there and you have gained prime cupboard real estate! Feeling down about finding space? Time to look up! You can save space in your home by utilizing vertical storage space, trade in your closet hangers for a hanging organizer.
Show your door some TLC- doors are often neglected when it comes to home storage solutions. Use your door by attaching an organizer to the back of it-- and don’t forget about the space above your door! build a shelving unit above to store boxes, books, etc.
c/o C21 Canada
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