Many of us live in a home with really small bedrooms. But! There are also people who live in bigger houses who just want to downsize too. The choice of downsizing could also be due to other practical or personal reasons.
Regardless of why, once you start living in a smaller home, you’ll definitely have to do some space planning and compromises to your home décor to fit everything perfectly! There are, of course, some simple methods to make a small space look bigger! #lifehacks
Keep scrolling to find out 5 simple ways to make a small home look more spacious.
1: Leaving empty spaces around
The first hack is really considering a suitable placement of furniture or big home décor pieces in your new home. #Didyouknow that you don’t have to place all of your items near the wall or squeeze them near to one another even though the space is small? Try setting your furniture at an angle with some surrounding space. This can quickly help create an illusion that you have a spacious home – a definitely must-try home décor hack if you have a small living room area.
2: Mirror, mirror on the wall
Mirrors. They can definitely help make spaces look much bigger as they reflect the illusion of depth. They are also able to reflect both natural and artificial light to make your home look brighter day and night.
For homeowners, there are many ways you can explore putting up a mirror in your home. You can opt for a few small mirrors grouped together or a statement mirror that can give you the ‘oomph’ to your home and double up as a beautiful art piece too.
3: Explore the option of building floor to ceiling shelves
Consider having your home contractor install a floor to ceiling shelving if you’re looking for ways to elevate your home. These shelving units will make the ceiling of your flat look taller. Also, these shelves are also a great storage option for knick-knacks as well as the avid reader. Keep in mind not to over pack your shelves to its maximum load as it would clutter up your home. Try to leave some empty spaces for a cleaner effect.
If you’re looking for ways to further organise your shelving, consider purchasing small storage boxes and baskets. They can serve as small home décor pieces while neatly storing your items.
4: Choose light and soft colours for your home
Dark tones can make your home look beautiful and cosy. But they tend to absorb the natural light and make a space look much smaller?
Use light and soft colours like white, and you’ll make your living space look much bigger and brighter. Light colours will reflect light and make your living space feel more open. Paint your walls in soft colours such as light grey or soft pink, or other bright colours that go well with your colour palette and furniture at home.
Painting your home is definitely one of the fastest and most price-friendly ways as compared to a complete home renovation makeover!
5: Never stop decluttering.
Let’s be frank, when we live in a smaller home, there’s definitely lesser available space after placing all our furniture and home décor pieces. It’s key that we declutter our home once at least every three months. Decluttering every day is a chore, and nobody likes doing chores! However, step by step, little by little, we can maintain a neater look and truly enjoy a clutter-free living space.
Here’s how you can start: Plan to declutter room by room instead of just randomly selecting areas to work on. This way, you’ll be more organised as to where has been cleaned up. Next, donate items which you have not used for the past year. Because if you’ve forgotten about this item for one year, it means that you no longer need this item. You should also throw away stuff that is in bad condition.
Looking for extra space to keep your memorabilia, books or even clothes which are just lying around at home?
Here’s another idea: Why not try Extra Space Asia Self- Storage today where you can still access your items 24 hour, any time and any day. If you are unsure on how much storage space you might need and the cost of renting one, you can always call us.
Try Extra Space Asia today if you’re looking for more space at home.
By: Michelle
Are you renting a mini-storage that complies with Fire Safety regulations?
Did you know: if a mini-storage unit is certified unsafe, it will seriously put your items and personal safety at risk? What’s more, mini-storage that are not compliant with the fire protection regulations may close down at any time, causing inconvenience to the customers. If you are planning to store your precious belongings in a mini-storage facility, here are some key pointers to note.
1. Windows at the self-storage facility are not blocked.
If you notice your mini-storage has messy compartments or items such as wooden pallets and boxes blocking the windows, it could mean that this mini-storage has violated one of the fire safety regulations. Obstructions near a window opening is a fire safety concern that may affect a fire rescue mission.
2. 2.4-meter gap rule between storage units
The Fire Services Department (FSD) proposes a legislation that requires a fire escape path at least 2.4 meters wide to prevent the rapid spread of fire in the facility. This space is required for every 500m of items, with the mandatory requirement of working sprinkler systems in place.
3. Adequate coverage of firefighting equipment in the facility
When choosing your mini-storage, you should make sure that there is sufficient firefighting equipment in the facility such as hose reels and ceiling sprinkler systems. The distance between the ceiling sprinkler system and the content in the storage unit should not be less than 0.5 meters. Request to take a look inside the storage unit. If items in the storage unit are piled up all the way to the ceiling, it is also a Fire Safety violation.
4. Clear exits and directional signs
Beware of mini-storage facilities with a lack of exit and direction signs. Pay attention to make sure there is clear and sufficient indication towards the direction of escape and exits as they are very important during the event of a fire.
5. Taking note of the storage size and height
Fire Safety Regulations state that the length of either side of a single storage unit cannot exceed 20 meters and the total estimated area cannot exceed 50 square meters. So, remember to keep a lookout for any oversize storage units (bigger doesn’t mean better!). In addition, the height of the storage compartment has been limited to no more than 2.35 meters; the top of the storage compartment must be at least 1 meter away from the ceiling to meet the specification of the mini-storage.
At Extra Space Asia, safekeeping your items in a regulated environment is our priority. We are proud to say that both our Hung Hom and Sai Wan storage facilities are Fire Services Department certified, in full adherence to all the Fire Services Department regulations. By storing with us, you can be assured that your personal belongings are in good hands! For reliable and secure mini-storage, call 3974 6000 or visit us today for a free quote.
By: Michelle