Our Top 5 Tips to Maximize Space
The pandemic has changed the function of the home in so many ways. While in quarantine, families across the world experienced their once spacious homes suddenly being filled to the brim with new home office furniture, school supplies, gym equipment, and more. Now, perhaps more than ever before, creative designs and home storage solutions are vital to cultivating a space that you love coming home to.
As a home builder, we know a thing or two about design and function. Here are our top 5 tips to maximizing space in your home :
1. Go on a donation spree!
Think shopping spree, but better!
We know you don’t want to hear it, but going through all of your belongings is the first step to maximizing space in your home. Why go through the trouble of implementing creative storage solutions or redesigning your home, all for items that you no longer want or need?
Beyond that, the rate of unsheltered families with children has increased by 13% in the wake of the Pandemic, according to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development .
Your donations could positively impact the life of someone in need . And that is what we call a win-win!
2. Think: Parallel Designs
No caddy-cornering allowed here!
When placing your furniture, use the structure of your home as a guide. To avoid any dead space, you’ll want to position your furniture so that it runs parallel with the walls of your home. This will make the room feel more open, and you won’t lose any valuable square footage behind a caddy cornered couch!
3. Invest in Large Scale Storage Pieces
Credenzas and armoires and buffets, oh my!
Because maximizing space is the goal, buying a large piece of furniture may seem counterintuitive. But let us assure you – it’s not!
Of course these pieces will provide more storage, which is a perk! But beyond that, these eye catching pieces will be statements in your home, and their large scale will actually make your home feel more spacious. Check out the diagram here:
Believe it or not, both of the orange circles above are the same size. Now picture yourself being the orange circle in your home. By surrounding yourself with larger objects, it diminishes your human scale. In effect, you will feel smaller and your home will feel bigger!
4. Storage Within Your Storage
It's what's on the inside that counts!
Nothing is more anxiety-producing than a cluttered closet or cabinet. Small shelves or baskets that fit within your existing storage spaces can not only help organize the items held there, but also limit dead space that can’t be utilized otherwise.
Think about the areas that you struggle with now. Is it the kitchen cabinet with toppling stacks of pots and pans? Or is it the collection of half empty bottles in your bathroom drawers? Wherever your pain point is, someone has probably already thought of a storage solution for you , and you can find lots
of them on Amazon!
5. Dual Purpose Rooms
How many functions does your home have?
We know that today, homes have become our office spaces, classrooms, gyms, restaurants, and more. Instead of hosting those activities haphazardly across the house, split up your rooms into designated spaces for each purpose that it needs to serve.
The mock-ups show how to accomplish this for a living room and office. Instead of keeping everything against the walls like shown in the first photo, utilize your furniture to create distinct areas for each activity as shown in the second photo.
If all else fails, it might be time to make a change!
Sometimes, you just have to start over – and that’s okay! This doesn’t necessarily mean upsizing, just finding something that will serve your lifestyle more efficiently. It could be that the same amount of square footage with a smarter floor plan might just be the change that you need!
And lucky for you – now is a fantastic time to buy a home! Want to learn more about this?
Come grab a cup of coffee with us and let’s chat about it!
See you soon!
