How to Live in Small Places and Spaces
With effort, it's possible to live in a small area. The largest obstacle of living in a small space is where to put everything. Most people own more stuff then they need or use. When you downgrade your belongings and organize, your small living area will look neat and clean. If possible, do these steps before you move in. Because there's little room, organizing after you move in can turn into a large mess you will have to live with until you finish. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Divide all of your stuff, including furniture and papers, into three piles: Need, Want and Trash. The items in the trash pile can also be things you donate or sell. When sorting, ask yourself how much you use the item. For example, the cappuccino machine may be nice to have, but using it once every six months doesn't make up for the space it takes up. This includes clothes. Ask yourself how often you wear each item. Three different party dresses are fun, but unless you attend several events, you need only one.
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Sort through the "Want" pile. Place each item either with the items you plan to keep or the trash pile. Ask yourself how much you will use the item and why you want to keep it. If you have to think about it for more than 10 seconds, then you don't need it.
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Get rid of the items in the trash pile. Sell, donate or trash the items quickly. Leaving them to pile up only makes a disorganized mess.
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Put the items you are keeping away in an organized fashion. Hang up clothes in closets. Use tall shelving units and bookcases to store items.
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Utilized multi-use devices such as under-the-bed storage containers. For example, store clothes in the containers and slide them under the bed. You will no longer need a dresser.
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Clean up after yourself. In small areas, a mess grows quickly. Take out the trash and clean frequently to avoid smells building up in the room.
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Hang shelves from the wall. The walls offer more storage space without taking up floor space. Use bookend and other items to keep things from falling off the shelves.
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After six months, sort through your stuff again. Get rid of anything you did not use in the previous six months.
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References
- Photo Credit Yellow and green shelves image by Charlie Rosenberg from Fotolia.com
