Maximising small spaces will enhance your accommodation

WHETHER you are retiring and buying a smaller home, moving in with room-mates or have just bought your first start-up home, it can be a big advantage to find ways to maximise the space you have and make the most of what is available, says Adrian Goslett, regional director and chief executive of RE/ MAX of Southern Africa.

He provides a few tips for moving into a smaller space:

It’s best to reduce clutter as much as possible and only keep essential items. Holding onto unnecessary items will make it harder to find space for necessary ones. Confront drawers that have been classified as the “everything drawer” and see what is useful and what is just taking up space. Often the reason an item lands up sitting in a drawer for months is because there is no longer any use for it.

Try to deal with each item once and decide whether to keep or get rid of it. This may seem like a difficult task, especially for those who struggle to let go, but ask yourself whether the item could be replaced if it was lost and how often it really gets used.

While packing you could find a number of hidden treasures that may not match your new home. There are several organisations that could benefit from a donation of household items. Donating unwanted items is a great way to reduce clutter and provide assistance to less fortunate members of the community.

Selling off items is another way to get rid of unwanted items while making some money to put towards the move or buying more suitable items to fit the new space.

If practical, keep only the current season’s clothing in your cupboard. Winter coats and winter boots take up a lot of space, so if possible these items should stored in sealable containers and packed away until needed. Although the object is to get rid of items, it can make sense to buy contain-

It’s best to

essential items

ers that can help to reduce the amount of space needed.

Getting rid of clothing and unwanted items could mean you no longer need a large set of drawers. Large pieces of furniture can be sold or donated to make space for more suitably sized furniture. Instead of aimlessly storing items, have a plan when packing them into cupboards and drawers. If an item is not used very often but is to be kept, pack it into a box and label it. Boxes and containers are easily stacked to make more space and will help to protect the items inside.