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The Best Space-Saving Ideas and Decorating Hacks

24th May 2021

As you grow older there is no better time to think about refreshing your home as décor tastes change with age and with the accumulation of things over time storage can become an issue.

However big or small your home, unless you get items organised in your house it will always feel cluttered and untidy. It is especially important to keep your house tidy if you or someone you live with suffers from mobility problems and needs to use aids such as walk in baths or walking frames, as items on the floor can cause trip hazards.

With some clever ideas, you will be able to put some of your possessions away that you never thought you could. This guide shares some top decorating hacks that will spruce up your room and steal back space as well as some other space-saving ideas.

Built-in wardrobes

Many homes lack the necessary storage space that people need, but one great way to max out the available space in a bedroom or a spare room is to install built-in wardrobes.

There are lots of fitted wardrobe ideas that you can look at online and there are companies that offer bespoke solutions, but before you start talking to anyone about building a built-in wardrobe, you should count your pairs of shoes, coats, dresses etc, so that you can work out exactly what storage system you need inside.

Built-in wardrobes are something that Gina Kay Daniel, who is an interior design blogger, highly recommends to people that need storage ideas.

“I currently suffer from lack of storage, and my space-saving idea is to utilise every area you can. For example, we installed a built-in wardrobe just to house our Christmas decorations/workout gear and some of my gardening items. Wardrobes offer a great space for storage and they don't have to be used exclusively for clothes. Get creative with your spaces and use draws/cupboards for an array of items, not just those you think should be in there.”

READ MORE: How the UK has changed their homes during lockdown

Consider creating a gallery wall

Whether you are looking to brighten up a blank space or just have lots of family photos that are just sitting in a drawer somewhere, then creating a gallery wall is something you should seriously consider.

The gallery wall doesn’t have to consist of family photos, it could represent a hobby of yours or anything that you want. There are gallery walls that consist of artwork, ones with family photos, others that are record covers and even gallery walls that have framed fabric cut-offs so it ties in with the furniture in the room.

There are firms out there such as Desenio that allow you to arrange your prints in a virtual gallery wall, so you can see what the final display could look like.

If you will be creating a gallery wall yourself and will be hanging up frames, then interior designer Gina Kay Daniel recommends using hanging strips instead of nailing items into walls. She said: “This not only keeps the wall tidy and free from holes - but can help those who are renting to keep a secure hold on their deposit! They're extremely easy to use and can hold even heavier prints with glass frames.”

Use shelving to keep rooms obstacle-free

If you have mobility issues, then the last thing you want to do is to have things lying around on the floor that could cause potential accidents from tripping.

With shelving, you can be space-savvy, keep rooms obstacle-free and protect your floor space. There are also lots of styles and shapes on offer so no matter whether you are looking for something more modern or a bit more traditional, you will be able to find one that fits in with your house. Floating shelves come with brackets that are not visible after you have installed them so they give you a perfect floating look. They are also big enough for you to put a range of items on them.

Home Décor Ideas talks about floating shelves and how people can use them in their living room. They said: “Two-piece floating shelves having solid wood of pine will be a great option for a simple and small living room because they will give your living room a bigger and brighter look.”

READ MORE: Do you need a declutter to make your home more accessible?

Consider using more mirrors to maximise space

Mirrored surfaces will bounce light around your room and will make the area feel much bigger and this is something that has become more popular in houses across the UK.

KLG Glass says that if you are considering using a mirror to maximise a room’s space, then you need to consider where to hang it.

“When trying to maximise space with a mirror, where to hang it is the important question.

“One simple technique is to hoist your mirror high. If you’re worried about low ceilings cramping your space, angle mirrors at a slant between the wall and ceiling. This will elongate the gap between the floor and the ceiling, making your walls seem taller and your ceiling feel higher.

“Another idea is to put one near or next to a window. This will help it catch the perfect amount of light, as well as reflect the world outside.”

READ MORE: Future-proofing your home

Unify mismatching furniture by painting it

As you grow older it is common for you to inherit and accumulate items of furniture that are different in styles and colours. If you want to keep all these furniture items but are unsure about how to put all the items in one room, then there is a way you can do this.

You can unify your décor by just giving it a lick of paint. If, for example, you have a combination of dark and light wood furniture, then you could sand the furniture down and paint them with the same colour so they all fit in with one another.

If you are looking to use different cupboards or chests of drawers, then on top of painting them or glossing them, another simple change you can make is to swap the knobs on them so they fit in with each other.

These are just some simple space-saving and decorating hacks that you can make to spruce up your home or a particular room.

If you suffer from mobility problems and need aids around your home to help you, then you can take a look at our website to find out the latest homelifts and stair lift prices. If you want to read more articles like this, then check out the Mobility News section of the site.

This news article is from Handicare UK. Articles that appear on this website are for information purposes only.