If there’s one thing that pandemic has taught most families, it’s that their homes need more space. Every square inch of that space goes to premium needs during shutdowns, and most families had increased needs! If you don’t intend to build onto your home, or relocate, you’ve realized that you need to find ways to maximize the amount of space you already have. But what can you do to make your spaces more simplified?
Use a Minimalist Design
You want all of your space, but also for that space to be functional to the needs of your home and family. This means using a minimalist design strategy. Minimalist design involves simple lines, simplistic furniture, and no extra fluff. While some pops of color and texture are used, because the goal of minimalist design is to offer a soothing, meditative space, the majority of textures and colors used are coordinated in such a way as to make sure to not be jarring to the senses. Minimalism doesn’t have a lot of things lying around, and limits things like bookcases, pictures on walls, and even visible knick-knacks and toys.
Buy Furniture That Is Easy to Clean
If you have children, pets, or parties, having furniture which is difficult to clean is not for you. Dragging out a cleaning machine to deep clean a white microfiber sofa after a red wine mishap should be the least of your worries. If you need to have cloth furniture, use tightly based patterns or textures of fabric that is treated with anti-stain sprays like Scotchguard. A treatment with a hydrophobic solution goes a long way to repel stains from fabrics in general.
Stop Collecting Junk
Ok, ok, it’s not actually junk when you collect it. But, the best way to maximize your household space is to have household space to maximize. Whether this means not accepting that lamp Aunt Ginny wants out of her house, or not picking up that cute chaise off the side of the road (at least not without immediately jettisoning something else), stopping the flow of stuff is a great idea. Many gifts, especially at the holidays, can be aspirational—things you might wish your child would like to do, or used to do, or which you someday hope they will do. Looking at purchases and getting rid of the ones which are merely aspirational can help diminish your stuff, while helping your budget!
Declutter Your Space
Clutter comes from two sources. One is things you get and keep because you might need, want, or use them someday- aspirational clutter. The other tends to fall into the category of things which you once did use, love, or need—memory clutter. The question is, what items are of service to you now, in the person and world you inhabit at this time. If you don’t love it, it does not deserve to be in your space. However, there are sometimes things which, for one reason or another, do need to be kept- something like medical equipment which will be needed in the future, equipment for hobbies and projects which are off season, even items for pets. Choose ways to close off visible storage which you cannot move from the space. Try to store things on site, but out of view, if storage is absolutely necessary. Off-site storage tends to be a waste of money, as it’s easy to forget what is stored, and whether it is needed or clutter. A modular garage gives you more space to store items and declutter your yard.
Invisibly Stored
After you’ve stopped bringing things in, and then decluttered, only then is it a healthy time to begin purchasing the fun storage boxes that you have wanted! By first choosing to declutter and sort items, this gives you the freedom to know what sizes of storage boxes you need for essentials. Look for ways to minimize visible items by using storage which is either away from common areas, or else in opaque containers which hide the clutter from view. Things like storage cabinets and built-ins are useful, but only if they do not just become stashing areas for more bits and things, of course!
A Place for Everything
One way to minimize visible strain in a room is to create restful places for the eyes by keeping like items together. Sets of things displayed together create less visible stress than displaying items all over the room. But, even then, don’t go overboard! Some decorators like to use colored paper on sets of book covers, and then to add small labels if necessary, for example. Bowls can be stacked together in like hued groupings. Even files which must remain in the open on a desk can be organized to diminish visible clutter by offering an inbox with file folders which have similar patterning.
Everything In Place
This sounds simple, but often isn’t in a home filled with family members—putting things away immediately can make your life so much easier! For example, when you go get the mail, never set it down by the door or on the table. Your first sort of mail happens immediately, and the trash gets tossed! Bills go to the bill place for later needs. The same is true of purchases. If you buy dog food and there’s no places for it to go, you have a problem. If it has a home and can immediately be put away, there’s no problem. If your living spaces are being used as storage instead of for living. You need your space to be filled with life, not things.
Use What You Have
Space, that is. Look, you are the boss of your space. You are paying for every square foot of it. You get to be in charge of whether that square foot has your prom dress in it from 1991, or your father’s golf club collection, or that set of love letters from that weird guy you dumped a decade ago. You are the steward of your space.
Only you can choose what is of value to you. A book, or a pan, or a toy that might not be a genuine treasure in another house, might be for you. Some things you have kept for sentimental reasons might not be critical to you anymore, and it’s ok to allow them to go elsewhere. Your space is sacred to you, and you plan on using every bit of it. In order to do that, you have to look at all of it and choose what is genuinely important to you.
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