Living in a densely populated city can be an exciting and fulfilling lifestyle, however it can also be challenging when it comes to living in a small space. Adjusting to small space living in an urban city requires time, organization and willpower to ensure that your living space is comfortable and accommodating. By following some key steps and incorporating a few smart strategies, you can comfortably and successfully adjust to small space living in an urban city.
Creating Additional Storage Space
The first step to adjusting to small space living in an urban city is to effectively utilize the space you have available. Often, the key to making a compact space work better is uncovering hidden storage opportunities. Generating additional storage space requires getting creative and understanding where every square inch of unused space could be valuable. For example, investing in stackable storage bins can help you maximize the area beneath a bed, while shelves hung on walls can create vertical space in places you didn’t know you had. Utilizing the back of doors, closet doors and wall space can all create more storage opportunities, allowing you to fit more of your belongings in an organized and efficient fashion.
Organization Is Key
Organization is also a critical aspect of adjusting to small space living in a city. When you live in a small space, having an organized environment is key to feeling comfortable and ensuring that you make the most of your space. Investing in organizational systems, such as pegboard dividers, can help you create a system for areas like your closet, kitchen pantry and the inside of your cabinets. This can also be true for space in a living room, where built-in shelving and media consoles can provide additional organization and allow for easier space utilization.
Identifying Priorities
When living in a small living space, it’s also essential to prioritize items and objects that are essential to your space. Doing so will help you better see what is needed and what can be discarded or stored elsewhere. This will require you to assess the items in your space and create a system that prioritizes the items you use on a daily basis, while eliminating items that you only need on occasion or don’t use very often. This may include storing away large items such as holiday decorations or seasonal clothing, or determining which furniture pieces need to stay and which can be used for other purposes or even donated.
Determining What Furniture is Needed
When it comes to adjusting to small space living in a city, it’s important to determine what type and amount of furniture is actually needed. You may need to test out furniture configurations to see which setup works best for the space you have available. Think about items like multi-functional furniture, such as a bed bench, convertible couch, or an ottoman with storage, which can all help to make the most of your space. Additionally, opting for smaller furniture pieces such as a loveseat over a sofa and choosing comfortable dining chairs can make your space look and feel larger.
Managing the Appeal of Clutter
Living in a small space can make it seem like clutter accumulates quickly and it can be tempting to “hide away” items so they’re out of sight. However, this won’t help in the long run and can eventually make your space feel cramped and uncomfortable. To manage the appeal of clutter, incorporate wall-mounted shelves, stackable bins and multi-level organizers that allow for longer items to be stored without taking up much-needed floor space.
Staying Above it All
In order to make the most of your small living space, it’s important to know how to “stay above it all”. This can be achieved by making the most of your vertical space and incorporating high ceilings or wall mounted shelving. Installing floating shelves or wall-mounted cabinets can not only help to keep your items organized and closer to being out of reach, but it will also make the space seem larger. Additionally, installing a ceiling fan or recessed lighting to the upper corners of the room can also create a sense of depth while brightening up the area.
Maintaining a Zen-Like Quality
Living in a small space in an urban city doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the tranquil, Zen-like quality of the area. Incorporating plants and adding greenery to your space can contribute to a calming atmosphere and create a serene environment. As an added bonus, plants are known for purifying and freshening air quality, reducing stress and even eliminating indoor toxins.
Making the Most of Outdoors
When you live in a small space, making the most of what is available outdoors can be a great way to get some fresh air and experience nature while maintaining social distancing guidelines. Investing in patio furniture and accent pieces can increase the relaxation factor while allowing you to stay organized outdoors. Additionally, you can hang trellises and lattices to grow plants and add pots and planters to your outdoor area to create a lush atmosphere.
Utilizing Technology
Finally, utilizing technology is a great way to adjust to small space living in an urban city. Utilizing a virtual assistant such as Amazon Alexa can be an incredibly useful way to maximize the use of your space, as you can use it to control lights, music, TV and engage in other defining settings. Additionally, relying on streaming services can be an easy way to reduce the amount of physical items stored in the area, such as CDs and books, by minimizing the need for this type of physical storage.
Adjusting to Living in a Small Space in an Urban City
Adjusting to living in a small space in an urban city is no easy task, however it can be achieved and even be quite comfortable if done right. Creating additional storage space, staying organized, determining what furniture is needed, maintaining a Zen-like quality and utilizing technology can all help to make small space living in a city easier and more efficient. With these strategies, you can make the most of your small living space and enjoy the citylife to its fullest.
