Our homes are no longer the four walls we retire to after a 9-5 shift to eat, sleep, shower, repeat. Nowadays, with freedom and flexibility being at the top of our wish lists, we want to work, cook, rest, study, entertain, grow seasonal veg and practice yoga poses in the comfort of our own homes. And, almost ironically, house prices are soaring, meaning the square footage we can actually afford lends itself to no more than sofa suppers and kitchen counter stitching. Luckily, there is an answer. With a few clever storage solutions you can utilise your space in the best possible way, and squeeze more than one function into a relatively limited area.
Sort your stuff
The secret to successful dual-space living is organisation. By sensibly whittling down your possessions and storing things where they’ll be used, you can have a fully-functioning kitchen-come-diner-come-study, or any other purposes you might need to combine in one space. Keep coats, shoes and hats in the hallway, on the wall or the back of a door, make sure the cutlery, tableware and linens are near the dining table, while the laundry basket and detergent belong close to the washing machine. Small hobby items like camera equipment or dumbbells could be stored in underbed boxes, while things like easels and yoga mats might fit neatly between a sofa and the wall. Bulkier items might require racks to mount them on the wall (think guitars and surfboards) or hoists to attach them to the ceiling(ideal for bicycles, though you can also find shelf unit designs that combine cycle storage with open shelving).