Living small

Agree with the principles of living smaller but really like your regularsized house? No problem. Try these ideas for living smarter and simpler.

+ Buy less, only functional stuff – before you buy anything new, think carefully about whether you need it and how useful it will really be. Do you need a whole knife set or will one goodquality knife be enough? Do you need a whole lounge suite and a guest bed or could a modular sofa serve as a couch, chair and sleeping space?

+ Smart storage – think built-in furniture with storage incorporated into it, find ways to use wasted space on walls and cupboard doors, and hide extra storage under stair risers and inside walls. How can your space work harder?

+ Multi-use spaces – look for ways to make your spaces do double duty. Can a desk or study area be incorporated into a cupboard so that the study can become a play room? Can folding screens be used to convert your living areas into a guest area? Get creative!

+ Prioritise space – what’s most important to you? Cooking for friends or making artwork? Playing with the kids or watching movies with your partner? Prioritise spaces for the really important things in life. There’s no point in building a large kitchen if you’d rather read books than host dinner parties.

+ Share and swap – get to know your neighbours and brainstorm how to share resources such as power tools, lawnmowers, firewood and garden produce. This way everyone can save on storage or garden space and enjoy better community connections.

+ Go solar – living smaller is a great way to reduce our impact on the environment. Setting up a small solar energy system to heat your water or generate power can make a big dent in your family’s greenhouse emissions. Check out energywise.govt.nz to find out more.