Space is not the only thing you ask for when you and your significant other get into a fight. There’s nothing like the feeling of having extra space around the house and having sufficient breathing room for easy movement and storage in cases of emergencies. With the benefits of extra space, it’s no surprise that more American homes have been getting bigger in recent years.
The Housing Situation
The report from the Census Bureau’s “Characteristics of New Housing” released a few interesting data from family houses in 2015:
- New houses started having an average size of 2,467 square feet in 2015. That’s over 1,000 square feet from 1,660 back in 1973.
- Even with increasing housing sizes, the living space per person has decreased from 3.01 persons per house in 1973 to 2.54 per house in the years of 2013, 2014, and 2015. This also means the living space per person has increased from 507 to 971 square feet, thereby, doubling living space in the last 42 years.
Even with stagnating wages and income equality, Americans are still buying bigger houses or spaces.
A Luxury You Can Afford
In relation to rising housing sizes and spaces, people have also found other means of maximizing their own spaces, such as renting larger properties and expanding rooms. Some homeowners go for a bathroom remodeling project (to make rooms more spacious) and other household renovations or additions. New houses are getting larger in major cities such as Kansas City, Miami, and Houston.
As we all know, space can also cost you money, but what if you can maximize the space you already have? If money and budget is something you cannot sacrifice, here are some simple steps in creating more space:
Decluttering
Aside from adding space, decluttering is time efficient and cost-effective. Visit each room of your house and gather objects that you feel aren’t needed or not being used anymore. For larger and more complicated rooms, zoning and chunking them into smaller spaces can help make decluttering easier. Consider which items to keep and donate, and decide whether to sell the rest.
Thinking Vertical
It’s human nature to think and read from left to right, but don’t let that limit your potential for spaces. Start by storing objects (such as your barely used Christmas decorations and yearbooks) in higher places. Since gravity is a reality, be sure to avoid placing heavy objects and appliances up there to reduce the risks of accidents, injuries, and possible damages. For space on the floor, storage containers are still the way to go as they can be stacked and easy to find.
The Right Stuff for Your Space
There’s nothing more frustrating than buying a new TV and having to rearrange your wall for it. Make sure you have the appropriate space for objects by measuring closets and other storage solutions to avoid the problems of trying to fit things.
A Separate Storage Solution
Organizing your storage spaces is important to live more comfortably in your space. Storage cabinets, basements, and a dedicated space for items are useful, but if there are just too many items, an off-site storage facility could be your next investment.
Labels and Organization
For the neat freaks out there, labeling has been proven to help identify objects and know where they are located. Labels help you find where your things are or where you store important documents. Using clear containers also saves you time and money and makes packing things a breeze.
By integrating organization and rearranging your current space, there may be no need to shell out hundreds of dollars for a home expansion or room remodeling. By being smart in saving space, you can reduce your expenses and learn to make things easier.
