Please tell me your best tips for small space / minimal life...

[cranberryicelolly]

We're downsizing our home to save some money, (hopefully) blitz the mortgage, and live closer to work. We've had a 3 bed semi; we have 2 kids under 5 (sharing) and we are moving to a 2-bed flat with direct access to a private garden.

I know the decision wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea; I'm not so much looking to be told that we're crazy. But would LOVE to hear tips / products / ideas which have helped others live a smaller or more minimalist sort of life.

(We're already those sort of pseudo minimalists who don't have loads of stuff and love a bit of Marie Kondo and an organised cupboard).

Hopeful bump

Get into the very strict habit of putting things away as soon as you've finished using them. Makes a massive difference

Billy bookcases. I have 7 of them in my 50sqm with no build in storage. They are a lifesaver due to being so narrow.
32 inch telly. Sofa bed. Be ruthless with clothes. Only 2 sets of bed sheets per bed. 1 or 2 bath towels each. Storage boxes in the billies with labels on. Dont keep paper records unless originals needed. Scan and shred. Get used to living with a small fridge freezer! Get a dishwasher if it fits.

Make use of the full height of the walls - eg shelves round the top of the room for little-used stuff, ceiling-height wardrobes, 'top box' type kitchen cupboards, tall bookcases, etc. Amazingly a tall slender unit can make the room look bigger too

Some kitchen companies make shallow units, which are great for things like bathroom cupboards so you can have loads of interior space for stuff but it doesn't take up loads of floor space.

So me, my partner & our daughter live in a very small 2 bed flat. We have only 1 storage cupboard which is the airing cupbaord , so yeah not alot of storage. Basically we try not to buy things we dont need. I sell / give away things that we dont use as soon as I can. Those storage beds are really good! I keep the xmas decorations under there along with other things. I keep my pram in the car.. If you have a relative you can store certain things at that you cannot get rid of but not using , i do that with my mum. I cant think of much more but defo look for smart storage ideas online.

Storage beds are AMAZING when living in flats. We had a super-king ottoman lift up bed and I reckon we had as much in there as most people fit in an attic.

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We downsized big house to small flat closer to work for more time with family, less money/time on commuting. We have a access storage facility for suitcases, Christmas things and other things you would normally put in a loft or garage. It holds a lot and is reasonably priced as we got the space on offer It means our flat is minimal yet easy access to our other stuff. It's our compromise. Other tip is to have full length floor to ceiling units to maximise floor space.

Everything has a place and everything in its place. We had a baby in a 2 bed flat and the loss of the extra room was quite difficult to begin with so lots of getting rid of stuff.
Plants- I've started getting some hanging and medium sized potted ones for the windowsills and they help the flat feel a lot fresher and a bit more private.

We used www.Shelfstore.co.uk to get shelving/drawers/cupboards that exactly fit in our corners, use the full height of the room and are adjustable as our needs change. Their customer service was great, and it’s made storage much easier.

Ooooh thank you so much, this is amazingly helpful. Maybe feels obvious to you all but very useful.

Watch Tiny House Nation on Netflix!