Because of rapid population growth and housing demand, home prices in Utah are skyrocketing. While the average cost of buying a house in the country is around $240,000, in the Beehive State, it’s past $300,000. In Millcreek, it’s a whopping $400,000+, according to Zillow.
You might then have to live in a much smaller space, which can also mean remodeling and decorating it is challenging. How do you make sure you have everything you need without compromising comfort and increasing clutter? Here are three ideas:
1. Change Your Heaters
After a day’s work, a hot bath might be all you need. Besides, in Utah, frigid temperatures accompany the wintertime.
Some heaters, though, can be bulky and eat up a lot of space. To solve that, switch to tankless water heaters.
These heaters provide on-demand hot water. Instead of storing water, the liquid travels through the pipes as soon as you turn on the faucet. The unit then heats it using electricity or gas.
According to the Department of Energy, tankless water heaters are highly energy efficient. It could improve energy use by as much as 34% and provide energy savings of up to 50%.
A tankless water heater installation by specialists can be costlier than a traditional water heater. However, tankless ones can also last longer. They can remain useful for 20 years compared to about 10 years of conventional units.
Most of all, since it doesn’t have a storage tank anymore, it occupies less space. This makes the unit more favorable for people living in compact homes and apartments.
2. Use a Day Bed
Sofas are the highlight of most living rooms, but they also occupy a lot of space. Depending on the design or even color, they can make any room feel smaller. If you can’t ditch something to sit on, then perhaps you can consider using a day bed.
Day beds are a cross between a twin bed and a sofa. Their base uses sturdy materials, such as wood or metal. Some also have a panel for added design and back support. They’re usually smaller and narrower than a traditional sofa, but they have enough space for an adult to sleep in.
3. Avoid Too Much Storage
While organizing belongings is an excellent idea, overdoing it can do more harm than good, spacewise. They can add more clutter, and if you’re not careful, you’ll end up with plenty of extra bins and containers that you have to store somewhere in your house.
You can avoid having too much storage with these tips:
- Declutter. You can follow Marie Kondo’s ideas if you want to keep things that spark joy.
- Be creative. Churn out those creative juices and use whatever you have for storage and organization. For example, pile those books in the corner for some cozy reading on the floor. You might no longer need a bookshelf. Repurpose toilet paper rolls to arrange your cables, clean glass bottles for the pantry, and use tin cans to hold pencils and other small supplies.
Decorating compact spaces needs more brainstorming and planning, but it’s doable and even enjoyable. These tips will already give you an excellent head start.
