You might think that to create extra space you need to throw out all your old furniture and buy some snazzy desk/table/bed/chair/sofa combo from a crazy interior designer, but there are actually plenty of ways to create extra space and on a budget too.
Create extra spaceThe first, and most obvious, method is to have a good old fashioned de-clutter.
Get rid of anything you haven’t touched in at least six months – that toastie maker gathering dust in the cupboard, the scanner you bought to scan all those old family photos into the computer that’s still in its box and the side table which is currently used as a dumping ground for the post – can all go.
Either sell them for some cash at a car boot sale or, if you don’t fancy getting up at 6am on a Sunday, pop them in a secure storage unit.
Talk to an expert storage company, such as Kelly Store, to ensure you don’t pay more than you need to and stay within your budget. Then enjoy all that free space. Simple.
Want to take the next step? Well, you might think that removing walls in a property is costly, but it’s actually not too expensive a job and immediately opens up the home, offering more space.
Always consult an expert first, such as a builder, architect or structural engineer, to ensure you aren’t attempting to remove a load-bearing wall. Then all that you need to consider is the cost of hiring a small skip, plus plastering and paint once the wall is gone.
However, if you’re considering having a builder do the work then here’s a helpful guide on what to consider and rough costs.
Alternatively, if you have French doors installed in a wall partition simply swap these out for sliding ones. When opened, they will immediately create the illusion of more space and if you want to keep a single room warm simply shut them up again.
When it comes to creating more space in a room the good old 2-in-1 trick works well with furniture. Only pick pieces that double up as storage, such as sofas that offer drawer space underneath or ottomans that open up to store items in but also work as seating. It will save you space and money on extra storage solutions.
It’s easy to create extra space in the kitchen on a budget, simply get rid of all the clutter on the side and enlist the help of the insides of your cupboard doors.
Hang a magnetic board on the inside of a cupboard door and stick magnets to your spice holders, pop them on the board, shut the door and throw out that ugly spice caddy.
You can also screw hooks into the sides of cabinets and hang those larger utensils on them, freeing up even more side space as you eliminate the need for a utensil pot.
Another quick and relatively cheap idea is to hang shelves in the room as close to the ceiling as possible. Not only will this make the space feel taller, as your eyes are drawn upwards, it also creates more storage space.