We’ve shown you how to make your home cozy, but here are a few smart ideas from Ashley La Fond, founder of home organization company Of Space + Mind, to prevent it from feeling cluttered and claustrophobic.
Clean Out
Death, taxes … cleaning out clutter. It’s the answer nobody wants to hear, but tidying up starts with cleaning out. “We need to be intentional about what we keep in our homes when we are living in tight spaces and recognize that too much volume without enough storage will create clutter no matter how organized we are,” says Ashley. “Prioritize clearing off surfaces first, as this has the biggest impact on how a space looks and feels. This might mean putting away appliances that you’re not using daily, getting rid of stacked papers or containing small items like keys and mail onto a tray or in a decorative box to get rid of that visual clutter.”
Look Up
Ashley says the most overlooked storage space in small homes is vertical and wall space. “Using all of your space means considering the backs of doors, open wall space and high up in closets to be usable space,” she explains. “You can add hooks to the backs of doors, additional shelving high up in closets, wall-mounted shelves or stackable bins to optimize storage.”
Shop Smart
In addition to cleaning out, be selective about what you bring in. In petite homes like cabins and cottages, choosing furniture that can serve more than one purpose is key. “This might be choosing a bed frame that has storage, nightstands that have drawers, an entry table with drawers or a media console with cabinet space,” says Ashley. “Every piece of furniture should be working double duty for you in a small space.”
