Best Storage for Small Spaces
Small spaces have special storage requirements. For example, sleek modern lines make it easiest to create space and reduce clutter.
This means that if you are an incurable romantic and want to surround yourself with frilly curtains and a four poster bed, you may have trouble creating the efficient storage zone that you desire. Designers recommend plain surfaces, light colors and streamlined furniture to create the illusion of more space than you really have.
Scaled down furniture will make your room look bigger. Streamlined curves and neat compact designs take up less space and create the illusion of more space. If your space is really tight, look for folding and stacking designs or furniture on wheels that can be pushed out of the way when not in use.
You can find all sorts of multi-purpose designs that give you a two-for-one feature by providing a piece of furniture than can double as something else (i.e. a couch that becomes a bed or a table that doubles as a work area).
Fitted furniture makes a more efficient use of small spaces than free-standing pieces, and provides more storage. Shallow shelves or cupboards that are fitted floor-to-ceiling along one wall of a room will provide ample storage for small items such as CDs and books, and will be less obtrusive than a series of individual bookcases or cabinets.
You can completely streamline your life and get rid of everything that you don't have to have, but this isn't as easy as it sounds. We love our junk and we tend to accumulate more as we go along.
After you have weeded through your possessions and decided what "stuff" you absolutely cannot live with out, you must decide how you are going store these items efficiently. Just throwing everything in a closet and closing the door is not the answer and you will need that closet for other things. Create organized small storage spaces whenever possible by using cube systems and stacking units. Look for furniture that provides hidden storage space in tables and stools and under beds. Best of all, build floor-to-ceiling shelves and cupboards along an entire wall to provide optimal storage space without dominating your living areas.
If you want your favorite things neatly on display go with shelves but if a wall full of books screams clutter to you, go with closed door storage to keep them out of sight.
If you can't keep up with daily clutter such as the three newspapers that you subscribe to, masses of junk mail, bills and anything else that piles up on your hall table, you can create holding areas using attractive boxes and baskets. Keeping clutter out of sight instead of stacked on the floor or on any other free surface, will go a long toward creating an interesting but less claustrophobic atmosphere. The entire concept of living small revolves around making the most of the space you have. Creating storage for small spaces is the answer and the tools are available to help you. Living small is a trend that is here to stay.
Further reading: Small Spaces for Modern Living: Making the Most of Your Indoor Space
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