As a real estate investor, sometimes it’s a wise decision to live in a small space like an apartment or condo instead of a single-family home to save money on daily living and maintenance. The same can also be said to those who just vacated their homes after signing a sales contract with the buyer.

The problem is, a small living space can present a lot of issues to the resident. You have a lack of storage area, and experience the difficulty of moving bought furniture and the general feeling of suffocation. With that said, there are various solutions to making living in a small area more pleasant.

Read on to find out what you can do. The tips you’ll find below are easy to follow and won’t cost a lot.

1. Lack of bedroom storage

Buy storage boxes that can fit under your bed, in the wardrobe, or under your dresser. Utilize the floor space where you don’t frequently walk on. If you have stairs in your abode and the space below it is vacant, use that space by stacking up boxes there or have a set of drawers built in it.

2. Difficulty moving furniture in and out

If you plan to buy a big bed, table, or dresser but cannot because it will be hard to move from the entrance to the rooms, then choose furniture that can be assembled and disassembled. You can find most of them at IKEA or Target.

However, do exercise caution by installing anchors especially if you have children. Prevent furniture tip-overs by being a responsible consumer and parent.

3. No space for an entryway table

Every American household needs to have an entryway table to easily put and retrieve keys, wallets, and other essentials. However, with a small living space, that might be hard to possess. You can still make a faux entryway table for your tray by hanging a mirror beside the entrance and installing a wall shelf below it.

4. No separators

Create the illusion of having different areas of your home by installing different tiles or using different floor carpets for each area. For example, use checkered floor tiles for the kitchen, ceramic tiles for the bathroom, wool carpet for the living room, and velvet for the bedroom.

You can also add wall tables and counters to separate your living room from the kitchen/dining room. The best part of these partitions is that they can function as a dining table for visitors if the one you use is small.

5. The interior feels suffocating

Repaint your walls and ceiling using lighter colors such as white or light beige to create the illusion of pushing out corners. Bright colors also give off the feeling of vibrance, happiness, and serenity making you enjoy your stay in your space.

6. Not enough space for sitting

If there is no space for a couch where you can sit and relax, you should trade your cabinets for a sofa with storage space under. Better yet, buy a sofa box where you can store valuables inside. They can be used as additional seats for visitors or your personal footrest.

7. No place to put lamps

The problem with replacing a nightstand with a couch that has a drawer under is that there would be no place to put a night lamp. That’s okay - you can choose to install wall night lamps for each side of your couch. You can also do the same for your bedroom.

8. Bathroom counter is cluttered

Make use of the vertical space your bathroom has by using wall-mounted cabinets. Just make sure that they are away from water sprinkles as you bathe or use shower curtains so that they may last longer.

9. The entire space looks cluttered

Sell, give, or throw away the things, decor, and furniture you don’t really need. Live the life of a minimalist. Owning fewer things is less stressful and it helps you save a lot of money.

To get the visual idea of making your small living space appear bigger, watch this video by Kristen McGowan on YouTube. You’ll also discover more interior design ideas for a spacious home aside from the 8 found on this list.

Knowledge and creativity are essential for a successful real estate investor. Read these articles to gain more about them in the business:

• Avoid These 6 Pitfalls When Investing In Real Estate
• Buying a House In 2021? Here's What to Expect
• 8 House Inspection Tips Before Buying
• 7 Questions to Ask a Home Seller Before Buying
• 7 Real Estate Tips for First-Time Home Sellers