With the days brightening up again after a long, dark winter, spring is the very best time of year to renew and rethink lifestyle and decor choices. If you're suffering from a bit of winter cabin fever and looking for a way of making the house feel more spacious for spring and beyond, here are some ideas to help make it happen.
Store Your Winter GearWho else can't wait to ditch the jumpers and slip into something lighter? The only problem with changing seasons is the way wardrobes tend to become more jumbled, with winter and summer gear fighting for space. If your boots are blocking your way to your sandals, it's probably time for a wardrobe rethink.
A popular option is self storage for seasonal items. Clothes are a great example, but the concept extends to garden furniture and machines, as well as toys and indoor furnishings that take up space but are rarely used.
Self storage in Manchester (where we are) is easy to find, and there are facilities all over the country. If you're feeling a bit cramped at home, with cupboards, garages and lofts full of stuff you barely use but that you really don't want to part with, it's an ideal way to make more space at home.
Once you've reclaimed some space by removing clothes, furnishings, equipment and toys you won't use for a few months, it's time to organise the stuff that's left behind.
- Get more shelves. Whatever your decor style, there's a shelf that will blend right in whether you like rustic, country-looking things or prefer a sleek, modern outlook. In every room, there's space for shelving, but don't think they automatically have to run vertically up the wall. A single shelf along a wall at picture rail height provides lots of space for delicate items, books or picture frames, and the unusual placement makes for something of a feature.
- Find the hidden spaces. Under the stairs is a prime location. Whether this awkward corner in your home is big enough to walk in or you just have a tiny, cupboard, you can get more out of it than you think. Turn larger spaces into a cloakroom, or in smaller areas install a shoe rack to help keep hallways clear of clutter. Even just having a couple of caddies for cleaning materials will help open up some space under the kitchen sink.
- In kitchens, use the space underneath the cabinets. As long as it's clean and dry under there, you can take off the fixed boards and replace them with sliding or hinged ones. Use it for baking trays you don't often use, sports gear like racquets or bats, or slide in mops and feather dusters.
Once you have your self storage organised and you've cleared your space of items you won't need for a few months, it's time to put some other space-saving strategies to good use.
- Clean the windows. Really! Sparkling windows work wonders, letting in more light and making the room feel and look fresher. And while you're focusing on windows, consider replacing heavy winter curtains with some lighter fabrics in cheerful spring colours. Light colours push walls back, making a room feel bigger, so take advantage of the large area that curtains take up.
- Consider storage furnishings. They can help keep a room uncluttered, which may be a small thing, but it has a big impact on how spacious a room feels. Have end tables with fitted drawers or shelves, choose lift-top coffee tables or footstools with built in storage. You can hide away all sorts of living room clutter such as chargers, remotes, games controllers and spare batteries.
- Think carefully about design. If you're replacing larger items for spring, such as sofas and chairs, look for styles with legs rather than blocky designs you can't see under. The ones that stand proud of the floor give a more airy, spacious feel to the room because you can see further under them and their shadows aren't as deep.
Reorganising, sorting and storing stuff to make the house feel more spacious is a great way of celebrating the arrival of longer, brighter days. How are you getting ready for spring?
