Do you have a small living area? Don’t fret. There are several ways to maximize the space in order to make your tiny home look more spacious and let you move around without feeling constricted. It just takes some planning. Here are some tips for you.

About Your Tiny Home

The modern tiny house movement came about due to rising housing costs around the world and the desire of many aspiring homeowners to adhere to the tenets of sustainable living. In general, a tiny house is cheaper than a regular-sized home or townhouse, and with a smaller living space, utilities will cost less as well.

Moreover, some eco-conscious homeowners see tiny house living as a more sustainable alternative to mainstream residential living. With fewer materials needed for construction, reduced electricity and water consumption, and features like composting toilets and solar panels, it’s no wonder tiny houses are associated with an eco-friendly lifestyle.

Families and individuals considering moving into a tiny house should be prepared for the changes that come with it. While they are a popular alternative to typical residential real estate, tiny houses may not be for everyone.

The dramatically reduced space for living and resting may be a deal-breaker for some. That said, for those who can thrive living in a scaled-down space, a few practical tips can help you maximize your tiny home.

Pare Down Your Things

Before moving into your tiny house, you and your family should decide which items to keep, donate, sell, or throw away. The reality is that no matter how well-built a tiny house is, it still has a limited amount of space to accommodate all your accumulated belongings. That’s why it’s necessary to reduce the number of items to bring with you to your new home. 

For instance, you may have to let go of your four-poster bed frame as it may be too large for your downsized bedroom. Instead, you might have to get a space-saving sofa bed or a simple mattress to put in your loft space.

In the dining room, you may need to sell your old dining table and chairs and opt for foldable tables and bar stools instead. What’s great about the process of downsizing is that you don’t have to give your things away for free. You can actually post them online on secondhand buy and sell sites. And while you’re there, you can take a look at the other items for sale and get furniture that fits your new space better at more affordable prices.

Organize and Store Your Clutter

One of the keys to maximizing a small space is to get rid of the clutter. But it doesn’t mean that you need to get rid of all your things. Removing clutter is simply having proper storage containers where you can organize your stuff and keep them stowed out of the way when not in use. 

While you can go ahead and buy off-the-rack storage solutions, nothing beats custom cabinetry if you want to make use of every nook and cranny of your new home. One popular and clever way to add storage is to integrate cabinets into the staircase. Aside from providing you with a safe way to go up and down the loft or between floors, stairs also allow you to store your clothes, kitchen items, and more. Another smart way to store items is by creating under-floor storage space. You can use raised floor space to stow seldom-used items such as winter clothes, extra bedding, and the like. It’s a great idea for bedrooms with platform beds or elevated living areas. 

When you’re living in a tiny house, you have to make every space count, including the vertical space on your walls, the back of the door, and even the roof. For example, hooks on the walls are incredibly useful for hanging bags, accessories, coats, and more. As for storing pots and pans, you can hang them using a ceiling rack over a counter or table.

Take Advantage of Your Outdoor Space

Extend your living space outside your tiny home with a deck or patio. If you have available space around your home, you can fully utilize it for dining and for entertaining your guests. To make it cozy and inviting, decorate your outdoor space with weather-resistant furniture, rugs, and accessories.

Your outdoor living area allows you to have a more minimal living area indoors so you can use the interior space for other activities or for your other interests. Moreover, you can even integrate the outdoor and interior spaces to make a larger indoor-outdoor area for entertaining. You can use fully collapsible folding or sliding doors that can be tucked to one side. With the doors open, your tiny home will feel incredibly larger than it is.

Use Versatile Furniture

Having limited space also limits the number of furniture pieces you can bring into your home. As such, you have to really evaluate the functionality of each one you choose in terms of practicality. 

Functional furniture offers great solutions for tiny living spaces, as they combine comfort and versatility to match the needs of your property. For example, these Brooklyn Sofa Beds transition from a seating area for when you are entertaining guests, to a comfortable sleeping area at night. You could even utilize an expandable table, or an ottoman with storage to enhance the way in which your space is used. 

Tiny house living may not suit everyone’s lifestyle, but it provides a sensible solution to the global housing crisis and to several environmental challenges. For some, living in a tiny home is not even a compromise but a dream. Well-designed and well-built tiny houses can provide you with all the comforts of a regular house. All that it takes is a bit of creativity and ideas like the practical tips above to make your tiny house feel like home for you and your loved ones.