Living in a small home for 10 long years has taught me more about home organization and decluttering than any book or blog on the internet. Over the years, I have realized that an ideal abode is that which isn’t only pretty but also makes itself liveable for those who call it their home. And for those of us who live in a small home, it becomes more important to be mindful about how we organize our homes because we need to make every corner count. You need to make the most of that living space while also trying to make the home look beautiful and tidy.
With furniture taking up a major part of the living space, organizing a small home becomes more challenging. You have no option but to utilize the limited space in a way that all your furnishing needs are met without compromising on your ability to walk around the house without hitting your toe.
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Even though I live in a comparatively bigger home now, I prefer not to buy furniture that will occupy unnecessary space. Moreover, I’m a big-time miser who likes to save every penny that she can. So while redesigning my home a couple years back, I abruptly decided to go for furniture that wasn’t too expensive and could serve more than one purpose. I was initially sceptical about the idea as I thought that multifunctional furniture didn’t last as long as the single use furniture. But I hadn’t been more wrong as every piece of multi-purpose furniture that I bought was totally worth the money spent on it. All I did was go for good quality items that also happened to be easy on the pocket.
Multifunctional furniture works perfectly for homes where items like end tables, sideboards or table tops are not needed much but are still taking up a lot of space. Multifunctional furniture gives you all these functions without occupying too much space in your house.
Today, when there are so many options to buy amongst the furniture that adapts to your lifestyle and budget, worrying about living space shouldn’t even be a thing. All you have to do is choose what suits you best while fulfilling all your furnishing needs.
1. Storage Ottoman
As someone who has always had a habit of working on the couch, I can’t do without an ottoman that can be the perfect footrest for me while I work.
A few months ago, while exploring different online stores in search of a nice footrest, I came across this amazing storage ottoman from HomePop that checked all the boxes. It has a removable lid and underneath it lies enough storage space for my laptop charger, cellphone charger, notepad, remote controls, daily newspaper and many other random items that I always carry with me. The fact that it’s a storage rack wrapped up in a footrest makes it a must-have for small homes because you don’t have to make separate investments in a footstool and a living room storage box.
2. A Storage Bench For The Entryway
Years ago, I had an open shoe cabinet for the entryway of my home that would often give way to dust and clutter. The home was small and I couldn’t even think about having a bench in the entryway because that would have blocked most of the space.
Years later, when we were doing the interiors of our new home, the architect advised us to get a storage bench for the entryway as it could fulfil the purpose of both a bench and a storage solution.
After exploring a ton of options, I came across this amazing Upholstered storage bench and decided to buy it straightaway. It comes with a comfortable cushion and the sliding doors to the storage add a perfect modern touch to it. I use its storage section to keep old newspapers, small garden accessories and many other tools while the bench perfectly fulfils all our seating needs.
3. Convertible Chair Bed
While staying at a paying guest accommodation during my MBA days, I remember having a room so small that I couldn’t think about having anything other than a bed. And I couldn’t do with just a bed because I also needed a chair with a strong back support while working on the laptop. That’s when I started scouting for beds that could also serve the purpose of a chair with a good back support. I ended up buying this amazing convertible chair bed on a whim and have never regretted the decision. For many years, I have used it to enjoy my leisure time during the day and the backrest served as the perfect back support while working. During the night, I would just convert it into a bed to sleep.
This convertible chair bed still stays in my living room as a chair and I just can’t think about getting rid of it because of how useful it has been in times of need.
4. Lift-Top Coffee Table
I’ve never had a home office in spite of having worked from home all my life because my mom doesn’t like filling up the living space with too much furniture. But whenever I feel like working on my couch, this lift-top coffee table offers as the perfect couch desk as it has the hydraulic lifting mechanism to help lift or drop the tabletop.
Had our family made separate investments in a coffee table and a home office, we would have been at a loss because none would get used to the capacity (drinking coffee takes no more than 15 minutes a day and I know that my home office would hardly get used if I had one.) Having this lift-top coffee table fulfils both our needs at a minimal price while also saving a lot of valuable space in our house.
5. Breakfast Tray cum Laptop Desk
I initially bought this laptop desk for my sister who is a professional water colour artist and was at the risk of developing back problems because of sitting in one particular position for too long while painting. Soon, she also started using it as a breakfast tray in the mornings. I too sometimes borrow it from her to use it as a laptop desk and it ends up serving more purposes than the one it was bought for. If I had to name one piece of furniture that goes through the most amount of wear and tear and still stays strong, it’s this breakfast tray cum laptop desk.
6. Expandable Dining Table cum Coffee Table
Why have a separate coffee table and a dining table when you can have both in one? This expandable dining table cum coffee table is one of the best space-saving options I’ve come across in the recent times because it’s adjustable for all your dining needs. It allows seating for 2 or 4 people depending on the space you have and has three drawers for napkins and basic cutlery.
It can be challenging to find the perfect piece of multifunctional furniture that can serve to your needs. But when you do find them, you will feel great to have given yourself more living space while also having saved some money.