Do you feel like you’re constantly tripping over toys and clothes? Are your closets and cabinets overflowing with stuff? If you have kids, space is probably at a premium in your home. That’s why we’ve put together this list of essential space-saving hacks and ideas for your home that work no matter how many kids you have!
These tips will help you reclaim some much-needed space in your living areas and storage spaces.
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9 Essential Space Saving Hacks and Tips for Your Home When Living With Kids
There are endless ideas and tips for saving space and staying organized as a family all over the internet, but here are 9 tips and ideas that we consider to be essential.
Think of them as a foundation rather than just clever hacks! When you use them as foundational pieces to how your home runs, they remain flexible and adaptable for any season of life. The organizing tricks that work when your kids are babies won’t be the same as when they’re toddlers and so forth. Likewise, you’ll discover that some hacks just don’t work for you long-term, and that’s okay! Try a couple at a time, evaluate, and readjust as you go.
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1: Discontinue The Flow Of Clutter
Clutter can only come in where it’s allowed, so to keep space top priority, make sure you’re stopping the source in addition to decluttering efforts. This space-saving hack means being thoughtful about what comes into your home in the first place.
Here are a few ideas to get you started on the right foot:
– Don’t allow your kids to bring home every school project they make. Keep a few select items and send the rest back to school or to the recycling bin.
– unsubscribe from unwanted emails and junk mail that come in regularly. This will reduce physical clutter as well as digital clutter on your devices.
– When you’re out shopping, think about whether or not you really need an item before bringing it home. If you can’t make a decision on the spot, sleep on it! If you still want it after 24 hours, then go ahead and buy it.
– Be thoughtful about any freebies or hand-me-downs you take. Just because it’s free doesn’t mean you have to take it!
2: Declutter Consistently
One of the most space-saving things you can do in your home is to keep clutter to a minimum. This hack is especially important if you have kids because they tend to generate a lot of stuff! A good way to keep clutter at bay is to have a place for everything and to teach your kids to put things away when they’re finished with them. You can also declutter your home regularly by getting rid of any items that you no longer need or use or storing toys away in a bin as part of toy rotation on a recurring timeline, like once a month or every quarter.
So, dedicate some time to go through your stuff. Then have a garage sale, donate items to charity, or simply throw away things that you no longer need or use. You might be surprised at how much space you can save by getting rid of just a few items.
3: Encourage Your Kids To Get Involved In Decluttering And Space-Saving Efforts
Kids can be surprisingly helpful when it comes to getting rid of unused or unwanted items. They might already have systems and ideas of their own, too. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to teach them about the importance of taking care of their belongings and living space. Ask them to help you sort through their toys and clothes and decide what they no longer need or use. You can also involve them in space-saving projects like decluttering the pantry or organizing the mudroom.
4: Don’t Be Afraid To Downsize
You can apply this concept to anything from the size of your furniture to the amount of stuff you have, even if you don’t consider that stuff to be clutter. For example, bed frames and dressers take up a ton of space and most aren’t very functional or small-space friendly. If it doesn’t have a special meaning to you, consider replacing it with a more functional, slimmer, and a smaller piece. There are many brands on the market today that create furniture for small spaces that make any room feel bigger.
5: Create Zones
Another space-saving tip is to organize your home into zones. This means designating areas of your home for specific purposes. For example, you might have a play zone, a homework zone, and a relaxation zone. Creating zones helps to keep your home more organized because it provides a place for everything. Plus, it helps kids and adults know where they should be and what they should be doing when they’re in each space. You can separate them with curtains, privacy screens, or even a temporary wall. The goal is to maximize the space while still allowing flexibility and organization within each of the dedicated areas.
6: Get Organized
One of the best ways to save space is to simply get organized! Invest in some good storage containers and label them so you can easily find what you need. Take the time to declutter your living spaces on a regular basis, and you’ll be amazed at how much space you can save. But don’t just buy cute and trendy baskets and bins for the sake of an Instagram picture (as tempting as they are!) Make sure you account for the things you actually buy on a regular basis and know you’ll keep organized, like staple pantry items (and the ones that you don’t buy as much). This will help you know what even needs to be stored, and you can apply the concept to any other area of your home or life. Also, think ahead and measure your storage areas, shelves, and cabinets so you know which sizes of baskets and bins will even fit. It doesn’t matter how cute they are – if they don’t actually fit into your space and function with your lifestyle, it’s not worth it. And on that note…
7: Get Creative With Storage
When it comes to space-saving hacks, getting creative with storage is key. Get rid of bulky furniture and opt for slimline alternatives. Use under-bed storage containers to tuck away out-of-season clothes or extra bedding. Install floating shelves to display books and other items. Hang baskets under your kitchen cabinets for fruit and produce. And don’t forget about the space behind doors! Hang an over-the-door shoe organizer on closet doors to store shoes, hats, and gloves. Getting creative with your storage solutions also tends to be more budget-friendly, especially if you have things like sturdy boxes and scrap fabric laying around. You can simply velcro or glue fabric to a durable box and you have an instant storage bin!
8: Invest In Multifunctional Furniture
When space is tight, it’s important to invest in furniture that can serve more than one purpose. A coffee table that doubles as a toy box, for example, or a daybed that can be used as a couch during the day and a bed at night. Look for pieces that can be used in a variety of ways to get the most out of your space. These are often called modular furniture, and there are so many brands to choose from that all have pros and cons. Like buying storage containers, you’ll want to measure your spaces and consider your needs and limitations beforehand. It’s also important to prioritize function over looks in this area, too when it comes down to the two. There are many ways to dress up a piece of furniture if need be, but it’s much harder to make it more functional in a tight space.
9: Think Vertical
One of the best ways to save space in a small home is to think vertical. Utilize wall space and closets with shelving, hooks, and racks. Install shelves on empty walls and use floor-space-saving furniture like bunk beds and loft beds. This will help you clear surfaces and open up floor space. You can also hang curtains higher than the window to make the space feel taller. And don’t forget about the space under your stairs! This is often an unused and forgotten space, but oftentimes it can be transformed into a play area, storage space, or reading nook.
Bonus Tip: Go With the Flow of Your Family
No matter how many tips and tricks you learn about and experiment with, none of them will work long-term unless you and your family can get on board and feel good about it. Just because it’s popular on an organizing show or Instagram doesn’t mean it’s a sustainable solution for you and your family.
Try different strategies and when in doubt, ask yourself and your family for ideas and suggestions — you might just be surprised at what you all come up with! Above all else, prioritize the function of aesthetics and just go with the flow of your family. You’ll have much more success staying organized when you do!
The Gist
These are just a few space-saving hacks and tips to help you make the most of your home, no matter how many kids you have! By getting organized, thinking creatively, and utilizing vertical space, you’ll be surprised at how much space you can save. And your home will feel so much more spacious and inviting in the process.
Give some of these space-saving hacks and tips a try and see which ones work best for you and your family. Some will work okay, others great, and some won’t work at all. It’s okay either way, as long as you continue to evaluate and adjust. And don’t forget to involve the kids in the process! They just might surprise you with their good ideas!
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