(collaborative post)
If you feel as though your home is getting cluttered with seemingly irrelevant items, and objects are falling out of every cupboard whenever you open one, you’re not alone. But if you’re looking to get a bigger home in an unforgiving property market, moving house might not be a practical solution to your storage woes.
Instead of spending time and money finding a new abode, here are some clever storage tips that you can use to make the most out of your space.
1. Use all the space you have available
It can be tempting to think that your home just isn’t big enough. But are you using every inch of space? Most homes have small pockets of space that are ideal for storage – you might just not have noticed all of them!
A prime example of this is your understairs cupboard. Understairs storage is particularly great when you use it effectively. There are plenty of uses for this nook, too. If you want to be super creative, you can even create this wasted space into a home office!
2. Consider vertical shelving
Vertical shelving is a smart choice if you’re looking to enhance your organisation when space is at a premium. Vertical shelving maximises floor space, making it ideal for compact areas or rooms with limited square footage as it allows you to store more items without cluttering the floor.
Whether used in your kitchen, office or wardrobe, vertical shelving means you don’t need to spend time rummaging through stacks or piles as you can see everything at one glance. Well-organised vertical shelving is also highly aesthetically pleasing, as you can display your belongings without them taking over each room.
3. Go bespoke
If you’re struggling for space, it’s a good idea to start by planning out your home to identify the places where more storage would be useful. Then, if you can afford it, try to get bespoke furniture made. Bespoke storage can change the way you live as bespoke furniture uses every inch of available space.
If you’re looking for more space without having to move house, clever storage is your saviour. From utilising overlooked nooks to embracing vertical shelving, when you use every inch, you’ll notice a world of difference.
4. Declutter
Most of us have far too many items that we don’t use simply lying about. To help your home feel more spacious, it’s a good idea to thoroughly declutter. Try to sort items into things you want to keep, those that can be recycled and any that you’d like to sell.
You’ll probably be surprised at what you find lying around! Decluttering is an excellent way to make some money too, just remember that digital seller platform tax rules have recently changed.
Of course, the best way to maximize your storage at home is to simply live a more minimalistic lifestyle. One that doesn’t need the addition of pointless items.
In its simplest terms, minimalism is all about deciding and prioritizing. You need to identify what is the most important to you, and what you can live without. In the indulgent society we live in, it can be beneficial to go against the grain by trying to focus on what is truly essential to your quality of life.
Living in a more minimalistic fashion is becoming increasingly popular, and it has been displayed and promoted amongst a huge range of mainstream media. You might be confused as to why someone would want to get rid of their things, but there are actually many benefits to doing so. Here are just a few:
1. Increased focus
Having fewer distractions around you helps raise your productivity levels, as you are more able to fully concentrate on each of your tasks.
As well as this, minimalism generally helps you organize your energy and time more effectively, which then allows you to be more productive.
2. Raised happiness
Being less attached to material objects is a great way to reconnect with what really matters. It can help you live in the moment and appreciate the simplicity of life. This lack of complexity can also have a hugely positive impact on your mental wellbeing.
Living a minimal life that consists of fewer physical things to worry about also results in more opportunities to do the things you love! You will find yourself benefiting from having an increase in mental energy, and this positivity can then be put into productive, fun and creative hobbies, like playing sports or cooking.
3. Economically smart
Minimalism is, without a doubt, more financially demanding than maximalism, as frivolous spending and consumption quickly add up over time. Consumerism is economically debilitating for us in our daily lives, so we should perhaps try our best to avoid the trap.
The promotion of conscious expenditure is a huge part of minimalism, as you should only be buying and keeping things if it is truly necessary. The lifestyle encourages the importance of establishing needs as opposed to wants, meaning you inevitably buy less.
4. Less stress
Eliminating physical clutter also helps to reduce mental clutter, which should, in turn, help to decrease anxiety and stress levels.
Accumulating more and more items can cause worries, so removing this issue will make things easier for you in general. Minimalism also leaves you with more time, as you don’t have to clean and tidy as much. Your day-to-day life will be greatly simplified, giving you more competence and autonomy.
5. Environmentally considerate
Being more sustainable not only has great financial advantages, but it also means you are doing your bit to save the planet. Living in a minimalistic way means you are reducing the amount of waste you produce, which is great for the health of the environment.
You will also simultaneously reduce your carbon footprint, noise pollution and natural resource usage, which is an even bigger reason to give this lifestyle a go!
So, will you use minimalism to help maximize space in your home?
This post was published in collaboration with a content partner. The article is meant to inspire you how to live a slow, simple, soulful and sustainable lifestyle and may contain (affiliate) links to articles, websites or products/services that may be of interest to you.
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