9 months ago, we downsized from a large 3 bedroom home. It’s been….life-changing. In our smaller space we have encountered some downsides, don’t get me wrong, but there are so many positive things to take from living in this way. It’s absolutely no secret that I love living a clutter-free life, and living small has turbo-charged it. The small size means It’s much quicker to clean and tidy and we have a lot less stuff to store. We have more time to spend together as a family and life is simpler and easier to navigate. It also means we save a lot of money!  I’m not sure what kind of house we’ll next live in, but whether we stay small or go bigger, we want to bring with us the lessons we have learned from living here.

Here are my top tips for small space living (or for making the most of whatever space you’re in!):

Keep things simple and pared down

It’s simple but having less stuff means you have more room to move around and having that space does wonders for your mental health. We decluttered epically when we moved into this space. 

Think about it: you really need three staplers? Or multiple woolly hats? Sometimes you do, and that’s fine as long as that thing brings you joy and adds value to your life. 

If you look at that item and think ‘it’s never worked properly’ or ‘that doesn’t suit me’, then either let it go or if it’s in good condition, you could take it to a charity shop for someone else to find value from it. As you begin to surround yourself with meaningful items, your lifestyle will become more thoughtful and less careless. You’ll actually notice the lovely things around you and you’ll find a growing sense of gratitude for what you have (rather than yearning for more stuff)

Do without

Also simple, but sometimes when you’re living small, you simply need to do without. A dishwasher, for example, or certain bits of cookware, clothes. And actually, it’s fine- it’s freeing even! I released when we moved that we need a hell of a lot less herbs and spices, pots and pans, plates and cutlery, than we thought. We don’t have a dishwasher here either, and although a pain sometimes, it’s actually fine. It doesn’t take as much time as you’d think, when you factor how long it takes to stack and put clean things away from the dishwasher.

Multifunction

Buy things carefully and opt for multi-function things where possible. This means: a cardigan or coat that goes with everything, a single surface spray for cleaning, rather than separate sprays for different spaces. A kitchen processor, rather than a blender, a mixer and a slicer tool. Even toys that have multi-uses rather than single uses (like building toys).

Make use of the full height of the space

You get really good at storage when you live in a small space, and one of the most important things to consider when it comes to good use of a storage space is to utilise it’s height. Use the side of the bookcase or the full height of that awkward cupboard to get as much out of it as possible. You could add hooks, tension rods or stacking drawers to maximise the space.

Don’t forget about the backs of shelves, or the part underneath the shelf above too. You could add hooks for mugs or a rail for utensils.

Consider a loft bed or folding bed for your space

In our static, we have built a loft bed in our room which has tons of storage underneath it. Initially, we built this too high (the ceiling are low and it felt a little claustrophobic) so make sure you have the ceiling height! We slightly lowered it so although tall, it doesn’t feel too tall. We have 8 boxes under our bed, our suitcases, spare duvet covers and pillow cases, sleeping bags, as well as work stuff. If you often have guests staying, or a living situation that means you have to sleep in a different room to your partner (hello parenthood), why not consider a fold-down bed? These are typically attached to the wall and pulled down when needed, saving a ton of space and you can leave them made up ready to go!

Install mirrors

By adding mirrors to the walls, light will bounce off from different angles and will add a sense of space in the room. This will make the rooms look bigger and more spacious than they actually are. Don’t forget to place your mirrors thoughtfully to emphasise the parts of the room you love. 

Utilise every inch of wall space

Don’t forget that the wall space isn’t just for hanging pictures and mirrors, as great as they are. You can also use them for more practical solutions too. You could install built-in shelves in alcoves, hooks or racks for clothes and other necessities. Use hooks to get things off the floor- like brooms or baskets- keeping the edges of the room lclear helps make the space feel bigger. 

Use small furniture to create more space

If you’re not too tall, you might want to consider a small double bed, or swapping from a three-seater sofa to a two-seater. By making the decision to use slightly smaller furniture, you’ll create additional space that can be used for something else that will bring you joy.

Use multi-purpose pieces of furniture

There’s lots of options here, like our bed that doubles as a closet (!) and even a workspace, to sofas with in-built shelving, to beds with drawers. We opted for a second hand Ikea Soderham Sofa for our living area because it has space underneath for storage. We replaced the ages for slightly taller ones to really maximise it. By finding furniture with in-built storage, you’ll add valuable space to your home. 

Maximise storage by using hidden drawers and cabinets

I am a big fan of seating with hidden drawers, think banquette seating with cupboards or sofas with hidden storage inside. They are super practical and super stylish too. You could also consider a coffee table with a lid that you can lift to store TV remotes, board games and books.

Make sure there’s enough light in every room

Having the right amount of light is super important. It is the single most influential factor in setting the mood and making your space feel magical. It is easy to create beautiful ambient lighting with the simplest of ingredients: avoid single overhead lights – they cast unwelcome shadows, instead use lamplight. Lamps are great for nighttime reading or mood lighting. Think about swapping out daylight bulbs for warm ones and light candles when the mood takes you (and remember to blow them out before you leave the room).

If you’d like some help decluttering your home, My Ultimate Decluttering Toolkit has everything you need to get out of overwhelm and toward actual change in your home, It contains the over-whelm friendly decluttering methods I have now taught hundreds of students