The Covid-19 pandemic caused us all to spend far more time at home than we had ever planned. For many people, this laid bare the deficiencies of their living spaces. After all, they suddenly had nowhere to go, and cramped spaces became a huge issue. By the time lockdowns were lifted, many of us felt very claustrophobic.

Unfortunately, we have another problem keeping us at home at present. Sky-high gas prices and high inflation has raised the cost of living across the world. Going out to restaurants or for group activities has suddenly become unaffordable for many. People are also choosing to work from home to avoid the cost of commuting to work each day.

In this context, now is the perfect time to find ways to maximize the space you have. There are tips and tricks you can use, including DIY hacks for extra storage space, which will help you make the most of every inch of your house or apartment. These interior design strategies will both open up extra space and make your space feel bigger than it is, giving you a much needed mood lift.

Knock down unnecessary walls

One of the simplest ways of creating more space in a home is by knocking down unnecessary walls. Architects a few decades ago took a maximalist approach to wall building. They focused on creating individual spaces by putting barriers in between rather than using alternative means. For this reason, many living rooms and dining rooms are separated by walls that take up a significant amount of space.

You can knock down walls between the kitchen and the rest of the house, as well as those confining a leisure room. This is as long as they are not load-bearing, of course. While you may not find a specific ‘use’ for the extra space, it will add to the sense of space, making you feel less claustrophobic.

Put up mirrors

Want to create a sense of space without actually creating extra space? The classic, always-effective approach is to use strategically-placed mirrors. Mirrors that are used well can make it look like there is twice as much space as there really is. While this won’t magically make that space available, it will help you feel less cramped.

Mirrors are also a great way to amplify the effect of your interior design and provide an opportunity to flex your creative muscles as well.

Create DIY storage spaces

Every home needs space for storage, which is always regrettable. Can you imagine if we could just use that extra space for living? Well, you can put a dent in that extra space by creating DIY solutions. These may be floating shelves that hold whatever you don’t use on a day-to-day basis out of sight. They may be containers built to fit under your bed.

Whatever the case, they should look great while actually providing useful storage. Finding a way to store a few extra items of clothing may not be worthwhile.

Another solution for the storage problem is to outsource it. If you get a storage container, you can move all of the possessions you're not using there. Of course, this is not useful if you are going to need those things fairly regularly, and it can also be costly.

If you still have access to your childhood bedroom in your family home, this may be a free alternative to a storage container. Many people’s parents are letting childhood bedrooms stand empty, and this is an easily accessible space you could use.

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Feng Shui

Learning to maximize your space by getting rid of stuff you don’t need and finding out exactly how to position what remains is an actual art, even something spiritual, if you’re that way inclined. Take a feng shui or Marie Condor course online and use that knowledge to perhaps cut down many small pieces of furniture for one larger one, to know exactly where to put decorations and where to leave things as they are, and to help you decide what you really need to keep and what you can do without. Minimalism can actually be fairly expensive but there are ways to do it on the cheap, such as by cutting down old furniture and repurposing it, by scouring online marketplaces, or selling items you no longer need and using the proceeds for new things that you do.

Learn to Digitize

This might seem to have little to do with DIY or interior design but improving your skills with computers can be a huge help if you want to learn how to safely and easily get rid of things like documents, books or CDs while still keeping the content on or in them. Convert old VHS home movies to digital files and you can open up tons of space, while also keeping your precious memories much safer.

Redefine Your Spaces

If you have a knack for interior design, this is where you can get really creative. Take a look at the spaces and rooms in your home and ask yourself a simple question: are these spaces being used for their best purposes? Let’s say you have a study, a spare bedroom and a TV room, perhaps decide if your spare room might offer more space and more storage options to remake it as a study and then use your study as a spare room. Or, if you know that your spare room won’t be used for at least the next few months, maybe pack it full of the extra files, supplies, or spare tech. Make it into a new storage room, basically.

Declutter

Finally, you may find that significant space is being taken up by nothing more than clutter. If you're used to living in organized chaos, this may not bother you until you need the extra space. Decluttering does not necessarily equate to giving away your possessions. On the contrary, if you simply tidy up, you might find that you have more space than ever before.

Your home should never feel claustrophobic. If you are spending a lot of time in a small apartment, use the above tips to maximize your space.

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