Nearly every family gets to that stage when they seem to outgrow their home. Either there is a new baby on the way, or growing children are no longer happy to room-share, or even just an accumulation of years and years’ worth of stuff that now seem to be overflowing from lofts and spare rooms.
Once upon a time, pre-2008 to be exact, it was possible to just arrange a new mortgage and upscale. But those days are long gone. Now even if you did manage to get a mortgage the stagnated property market means that there are no guarantees that you’ll be able to sell your home, or find your perfect new one to move into.
So what’s the solution? Fortunately, there are a number of easy ways that enable homeowners to make the most of their current home:
Expand
The most obvious way of changing your home to accommodate a growing family is to literally expand. Loft conversions have come a long way in the past decade and are now seen as a viable and practical solution for homeowners needing to create more space. Companies such as houseup.co.uk can really take all of the headache away with a full service of design, build and project management. With better installation options and high-tech skylights now available, lofts can be turned into warm, light and comfortable rooms.
Alternatively, those with cellars are finding that the developments in skylights and installation technologies have meant that these can also be transformed into welcoming living spaces. While adding an extension is still a popular way for homeowners to increase their living space.
Re-evaluate
If a conversion or extension is not possible you need to re-evaluate the space you already have. Simple things such as having bunk beds for children instead of two single beds saves a lot of room. Also, if you’re living room is large or unusually shaped, consider dividing it into two smaller rooms using partition walls. Another solution is to use a space for more than one purpose. A small guest bedroom can easily double up as a study, for example.
If you look around you will soon find that there is a lot of furniture now available that has multiple uses. The humble sofa bed has been around for years, but now you can a range of weird and wonderful multi-purpose furniture.
Redecorate
If it isn’t actual space that is the problem but just the fact that it feels like your home is bursting at the seams with people and clutter, then perhaps all you need to do is redecorate and have a clear-out.
Many people find that with a bit of space enhancing decorating, rooms that once felt small and dark are opened up into brighter and more spacious areas. Simple things like painting the walls light colours such as while, pale blues, pinks, yellows and light greens, can help to make rooms look bigger. While mirrors and reflective surfaces help to reflect the light creating the illusion of more space, just remember that they can also reflect the mess!
De-clutter
With many families having to live in smaller living spaces than they did a decade ago, learning to live in a clutter-free home is becoming increasingly important. Try teaching your kids to clear away their toys at an early age, OK so this is easier said than done, but lead by example and make sure you clear away your own papers and books once you’ve finished with them.
Also, invest in some good storage. Again there are many storage solutions available on the market now that suit a range of styles, practicalities and budgets so with a bit of shopping around you will soon have no excuse to living in cluttered home.
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