Need your best ideas for too small living space!

[BMW]

Since the housing market crashed, new dh's house doesn't have the value to add on and banks are tight fisted with loans for that kind of stuff. So, we have tried to be creative... the garage will be emptied into storage and we will put in windows and 2 bedrooms (electrical and heat/AC, too). That will make the house 5 bedrooms, in addition we have a trailer that we will allow the oldest 2 boys to share - not to live in full time, but to have space for homework/sleeping and it along side the house.

That said, the living space is still too small... I don't have a lot of kitchen cupboards and the living room/dining area is filling up fast... were talking an original 3 bedroom house for 11 of us!!

The only thing I am coming up with is storage bins under the beds and shoes hanging over the backs of doors. Any other ideas?

We will be looking to buy a bigger home next year and keep this one to rent out... I just can't imagine any room without stacks of boxes and no where to put things.

Thanks,
Bee

[mcconnellboys]

Yes, someone here had the fabulous idea (I thought) of using those big plastic crates under their beds in place of frame and box springs. Maybe they'll come along and tell you exactly the size they used. They said a certain number of that size fit perfectly. I'm sure other sizes could be modified for various sizes of beds. They were storing extra pantry items and supplies in theirs, but you could use them for out of season clothing, or anything.

Also, do you have any attic space that you could finish out for extra storage of things that might not mind the heat? Or perhaps you could even finish and vent it so that it would be climate controlled storage?

Good luck to you!

[Ottakee]

I would say that one of the TOP priorities would be to get rid of as much STUFF as possible. Downsize and then downsize again. Sell it, ebay it, donate it to charity for a tax deduction, etc.

I just read in a magazine about a mom with 8 kids that went out and got them each a bowl, plate and cup and after they ate the CHILD was responsible to wash and rinse their own dishes. This cut WAY down on her dishes load to only pots and pans. It was very easy to see WHO left it out and if it was dirty the child had to wash it before eating the next meal. You would likely need a few extras for guests, etc. but the idea is great.

You could do the same thing with bath towels--a different color for each kid--maybe 2 of them so that one could be used while the other is being washed. Cut back on linens so that you have just 1-2 extra sets between the kids--make the extra ones neutral ones so they would work for boys or girls.

Utilize under the bed storage---maybe give each child a tote or bin, etc. to put their favorite stuff in that no one else is allowed to touch.

For kitchen/pantry, you can store canned goods under the beds, in linen closets, etc. Pare down the amount of serving dishes, tupperware type things, pots and pans, etc. to what you NEED and use regularly. In a big pinch, borrow from a neighbor or relative for that once a year party or holiday get together.

I would pare down the clothing as well. Try to store out of season stuff in rubber maid totes---maybe in the trailer???

Hope this helps. Our home is bigger and right now I only have 3 kids but we still have WAY too much stuff. The less STUFF you have the less you have to clean, dust, etc. as well. I figure if the kids only have 4 stuffed animals, I can't have 25 of them on the floor.

Books is another thing to downsize, esp. if you have access to a good public library. Keep some classics, favorites and non fiction reference type books but donate most of the fiction stuff---you can get nice state tax deductions for this in our state.

Encourage gifts that have few parts, are smaller, are experiences (trip to........), passes to the zoo, museum, etc.

[Renee in FL]

There are 8 of us in our 1300 square foot house (no garage, no basement.) In January there will be 9. It's crowded, but not so crowded that we feel like sardines.

I second, third, whatever the idea that you have to have no stuff. As in absolute minimum to live with.

Rethink living areas - can the living room double as a bedroom at night?

Our dc actually share beds, not just rooms.

Check out the book Material World from the library - most people in the rest of the world live in much smaller spaces than we do and it was a good reference to see HOW they lived in small spaces.

[Whisperlily]

I absolutely agree with the "no stuff" rule. I've read a lot about downsizing, and we've done it before. I remember at the time, we pared down to:

One set of sheets per bed, and only one extra set of twin sheets in the house in case of illness, midnight emergency, etc.

One plate, glass, bowl, set of silverware for each person, with two extra sets left unused for guests.

Minimum amount of mix and match clothing, you can really live with much less than you think you can, especially if you stick to basics. (I liked white t-shirts and jeans/jean shorts for my boys. Bleachable/replaceable, and as long as you keep the clothes clean, nobody notices that they wear a similar outfit daily.) Some people cut down to two pair of shoes per person. Everyday and dress. At the time I allowed 3 pair, tennis shoes, sandals/slip ons, and dress.

Shop for groceries weekly, plan your menu, and only keep on-hand what you need for the week to free up storage space in the kitchen, and the cabinets (even if they're in the kitchen) can be used for something else.

Only keep the minimum amount of electronics/books, etc. Take used CDs, DVDs and books to a store that gives you store credit/exchange for used items, and rotate what you have on hand instead of wasting storage space.

Hang high shelves to make the most of your wall space.

Go to IKEA! They have wonderful items for making the absolute most out of a small space.

Check out their section on small space living, and these other links too. Check out books from the library, there are a LOT of them that have interesting, uncommon ideas for making use of a small space while still keeping it *liveable.*

Ikea small space living: http://www.ikea.com.hk/living/living.html

Great article on small space how-to: http://www.wisebread.com/small-space-survival-strategies

More ideas: http://www.thenewhomemaker.com/organizingsmallspaces

This one is a MUST-read, by a family of 10 soon to be 11, who are living in a less-than-1200 sq ft house. Excellent ideas here: http://inashoe.com/2008/04/07/big-family-in-a-small-house-part-1-bedrooms/

[runningirl71]

Another vote for purging down to the absolute musts. I grew up moving every 2 years and my Mom was always getting rid of stuff. I go through my house once a quarter and get rid of stuff we don't need/use.

After you feel you've gotten down to the bare minimum, than I would "think cubic." Think of all the places your can store things that you wouldn't normally use as storage space. I don't know the makeup of your home, but we live in a home with high ceilings. I'm always thinking what a waste of space when it comes to wall space. I would definitely hang cabinets or shelves up high for extra storage, if we needed it. But, since I purge so much we don't need more storage right now! :) Good luck!

[Ashleen]

When we moved last year to a much smaller place, I couldn't fit all of my things in the kitchen. The first priority was to rethink what I need. We no longer have a microwave, crockpot, electric can opener. The coffee pot got to stay. We reduced our coffee mug collection.

In the living room we built shelving units that are four shelves tall and have doors (very important because they hold cluttery stuff, not display stuff).

We've also rethought how we use space. We store linens in the rooms they go in and the "linen closet" is now an art supply closet.

The biggest thing is to remain flexible in your thinking and keep reassessing how you're using space and what you might do instead. And declutter, declutter, declutter. It seems like we can never declutter enough.

[Stacia]

I've always loved watching the design shows on HGTV. Many years ago, I was watching one about living in small spaces & a guy who lived in a very, very tiny place. He had a boat designer come in & design his space. It was so cool & every single thing was multi-functional.

So, maybe if you have the time, get a few books or magazines from the library (or search the internet) about interior boat design. It could provide some new ideas or ways of seeing how space can be used.

Good luck! Sounds like a definite challenge. Love all the other suggestions you have received already.

[Tammyla]

Check out the IKEA web site or catalog for great ideas. Another vote for purge! We lived in 880 sqft for 3 years and it was nice living small for a while.
Bed Bath & Beyond sells bed feet/lifters to add more space under those beds. They also have a web site. Good luck.

[runningirl71]

Check out the IKEA web site or catalog for great ideas.

I was going to mention this and forgot to. If you don't have an IKEA near you, than try signing up to get their catalog. It is TOTALLY worth looking through just for ideas on organizing space. I would send you mine, but I just recycled it! :D

[Susan in KY]

I've faced two bookshelves toward each other and turned them into a closet with a tension rod and curtain. That created a little space for us.