Making The Most Out Of Your Space

The thing about real estate is that it never grows bigger. What makes it worse is that you often find yourself having more and more stuff to store leaving you with less and less space to work with.

Fortunately, the problem is not without its solutions. And if you're tough enough to brave some of these measures, you may be able to reclaim lost space and maximize what you have.

- The principal principles
The main idea in making space is being able to use it well. This does not only mean getting the smallest items but also allowing an efficient flow of activity within a space.

For example, instead of settling for a small kitchen AND a small dining room, why not allot a big kitchen space and make it work around a dining table setting? Or perhaps combining the living room with a home office setup, which makes entertaining clients a possibility.

- The right stuff
Fortunately, appliance and furniture designers have caught on to this need and have developed a wide range of products making the most out of your real estate. A great trend is giving a single item multiple functions such as sofa beds. For household appliances, a machine incorporating an oven toaster and coffee maker are great space savers. Even office equipment such as fax machines, copiers and printers have been integrated into one device saving desktop space.

- Space saving savvy
It is also important to know some tricks of the trade that saves you more space. Some are listed below:

- In designing a small room, focus on a corner of the room and build the layout around it. You'll find that as you move out from the corner, you're maximizing every inch of space. By the time you've reached the edge of the room, your activity area has been laid out completely but doesn't feel crowded.

- Don't overlook vertical space. Build tall shelves. (Even ones that almost reach the ceiling!) Place frequently used items on the lower shelves and less-needed items on the top. Don't forget to have a ladder ready though.

- Conduct regular maintenance and sorting. Be vigilant in keeping your spaces neat to avoid clutter. Also make it a habit to take stock of what's stored in your space and decide what you can do without.

With a little elbow grease, some prudence and a lot of creativity, finding ways to fully use the space you've got will make for a home/office that's more fun to live/work in with still some room to spare.