When you first buy your home, it’s incredibly exciting being able to decorate and change things as you see fit. But when the kids grow up, there may come a time when the house needs a bit more practicality to work for the whole family.
Boosting functionality is a key reason people look to re-design their home or invest in new furniture. If you’re finding yourself stuck in a rut, struggling to re-invent your space to fit the needs of you and the kids, we’re here to share three tips for adding functionality and practicality to your home.
Declutter
Of course, the first step to adding practicality to the house is giving yourself more space. You’d be surprised how much space you can create in the old four walls with a little decluttering. Old toys that are no longer being used, that collection of magazines collecting dust in the office, all of it can go. Clutter can not only make you feel a little claustrophobic, but it can also make the house harder to clean and takes up valuable space around the house.
Try to declutter one room at a time and get the whole family involved. Once you’ve got a clearer picture of how much space you have to play with, you can start getting creative.
Don’t forget to donate or recycle as much of your clutter as possible, too!
Storage Ideas
Even after decluttering, we all have stuff that would be better out of sight. Finding cool storage solutions that take advantage of the space in the best way possible is the best way to add functionality to the house with very little effort.
Shelves and hooks can be a great way to keep airflow and light traveling throughout the house while still providing more surfaces to store away items. Adding more furniture like clunky bookshelf cabinets and drawers can quickly make the space feel stuffy again.
If you’re really keen to use more of the space available, consider renovating the under-the-stairs section of the hallway. These are great little nooks for a small office space, a cloakroom, or even a downstairs bathroom.
Moveable Seating
One of the biggest pet peeves families have is the lack of space or seating to entertain guests. If the kids have their friends round, or the parents have a dinner party, there’s often very little space to fit everyone comfortably.
Investing in moveable seating – such as a gaming bean bag chair – means you can add practicality to the space as and when it’s needed. When not in use, bean bags or floor cushions can be neatly stored away in a wardrobe or cupboard out of the way.
Adding functionality into the house doesn’t have to mean a full refurb. With a little thought and a few tips and tricks, you can make your house much more practical while staying comfortable and to your tastes. Discuss with the family what everyone would like to be able to do in the house, that they can’t currently, and see what solutions you can come up with together.
