1) Your attitude matters more than you think. If you’re totally stressed and sad that you have to live in a place so small, then you won’t get much done for a while. A negative attitude can cloud your judgment and keep you from using your creativity to make the space work. You need to adopt a minimalist attitude. You don’t need a million possessions to be happy. Possessions don’t make you who you are. Society dictates that we consume more and more each day. However, you have the power to rise above and live your life more efficiently.

2) Now that you’ve adopted your “can do” attitude, it’s time to get to work. You are probably surrounded by boxes and furniture. Go through and categorize everything. Rate your belongings on a scale of 1-10. If you really need it to live and eat, rate it as number one. These things will be the highest priority. Scale everything down to ten. Now, decide how much room you have by putting away everything rated as number one, then two, three, and so forth. When you run out of room, everything else should go.

3) Be picky about what you keep. You don’t want piles of junk all around you or you’ll always feel cramped and stressed. Try to get a few functional pieces of furniture that have storage inside. Install shelving above your doors, in the corners, and under the windows. Invest a little in closet organizers and a pantry organizer. Put large drawers under your bed and couch. Create storage wherever you can if you need to store more than your small living space will allow.

4) Bulky furniture is often unnecessary. You can make room for a large capacity armoire by getting rid of a dresser. Dressers are very inefficient. Clothes are stacked inside where you can’t see them or get them out without unfolding half of the stack. We end up hiding miscellaneous items in the drawers and soon they become crowded with junk. Using an armoire for blankets and other bulky household items saves you closet space. With some space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, some baskets, shelves, and storage bins, you can put every piece of clothing you own inside of the closet. When you store something, ask yourself if this is the most efficient way to store before you decide that the item is in its permanent spot.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.

1) Living simply gives us more time to enjoy life. Just imagine how much less time you could spend cleaning, organizing, shopping, and worrying if your life was streamlined into a wistful, predictable bliss. Of course, things will come up. But, having a commitment to making your life more livable and less stressful will give you the outlook that you need to make it through the rough patches.

2) Start by reducing your possessions. Ask yourself if you really need it or if it really makes you happy. Why did you buy the item in the first place? Did it make you happy when you bought it? Does it still retain its value to you? Getting rid of things that clutter your home will help you to free your mind. It is a very powerful feeling to have control over the number of possessions that you have. Many people are so happy with the control that they feel that they don’t miss the things that they got rid of, at all.

3) Go through your home and find piles of junk. Everybody has some clutter that could be reduced. Focus on one section of your home at a time and try to keep only what you really use. If you have a lot of dishes, keep only your favorite ones. If you only have one frying pan, you’ll have to clean it every time you use it. No more dishes piling up in the sink. If you don’t have back-ups for putting things off, then they’ll have to be done in small doses. No more weekend days that consist of only cleaning. You can’t procrastinate doing the laundry or housework if it has to be done for the next meal or day of work to happen. You’ll be so happy never having clutter pile up that you’ll revel in your small daily routines of making it work.

4) You will need to optimize your storage space to get some things in order. Take your closet for example. If you’re serious, you may want to get rid of bedroom furniture. Many folks love only having a bed in their bedroom. It’s a great way to enjoy space. You will still need somewhere to keep the possessions that you need. Get a good closet system that has spaces for little things, like ties, socks, jewelry, and gloves. Use space saving hangers to make your clothing that you keep fit into a smaller space. Velvet hangers are great for this, because they’re slim, strong, and can save you more space than you may have imagined. Once you get your closets done and your home clutter-free, you can relax in the space that you have created.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.

Many people who rid themselves of excess possessions find that their life is less cluttered, less complicated, more predictable, and more comforting. Minimalists report that it is much easier to organize and the simple life has many rewards.

Simplifying your life can even have financial rewards. As your priorities shift from buying things that you like to only buying things that you need, you’ll notice yourself getting pickier about what you buy. You will not want to clutter up your limited or organized space, so you will only buy things that fit, are of a high enough quality to last, and that you know you’ll love. Buying only quality products may seem more expensive, but the money you save on frivolous spending and replacing junk will more than cover the few investments that you make.

Once you’ve decided to go minimal, it is time to get rid of the excess. Trim the fat, so to speak. Go through different areas of your house and concentrate on one area at a time. Ask yourself as you go how much you use certain items. Is it enough to warrant keeping it forever? Is it worthy of your limited storage space? Can you donate it to charity, friends or family? There are usually problem areas in the home that are actually unnecessary. Declutter your counter spaces, shelves, kitchen drawers, bedside table, and cabinets.

When you’re done, assess how much space you actually have. You may want to set goals for yourself. For example, you may decide to implement the two week rule with your wardrobe. Force yourself to choose your favorite two week wardrobe for each season and toss the rest. Choose two weeks of casual clothes, two weeks of work clothes, and two weeks of dress clothes. Keep fourteen pairs of socks and underwear, a brown belt and a black belt, and so on. If you add new clothing to your wardrobe, you have to get rid of something older that you don’t wear as much.

This may seem like a small amount of clothes, but you may be surprised how much space those two week wardrobes can take up. You can minimalize the space that your clothes take up by using space saving hangers, like slim velvet hangers. These specialty hangers allow you to hang a lot of clothing in a small space, without sacrificing quality like you would with wire or plastic hangers. By saving space with your space saving hangers, you can make room for more storage in your closet. You may decide to get rid of bulky dressers and keep all of your clothes in a closet system that effectively manages the space that you have.

Save space, save time, save money, and reduce stress by minimalizing your home this year.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.

Many people choose to live in a small space, such as a small apartment, because of cost or proximity to their jobs. If it isn’t your choice to live in a tiny environment, then you may find yourself being forced to change your habits. But, if you prepare, embrace the positives and get ready for a few sacrifices, you can really learn to love a tiny space. Just because it’s small does not mean that it cannot feel like home.

Some people choose to live in a small space, even a camper trailer, to escape the consumerism that has consumed us. Lots of families get caught up in buying things because they’re hip, more attractive, on sale, you name it. We waste so much money on things that are not necessarily needed, but wanted. We do this so much, that it has actually become a detrimental addiction for many people. Forcing yourself to switch gears from acquiring possessions to deleting them from your existence can be more of a struggle than you might anticipate.

Make a list of benefits for yourself. Concentrating on and embracing the positives will help you to transition into living in a small space. Get excited about how you are breaking free from what society and advertising has led you to believe that you need. Think about how only 100 years ago we only owned dishes, farm equipment, maybe a desk and maybe a mirror to pass down to our sons and daughters. In only one or two generations, we have gone from having what we need to having whatever we want. What do we have to show for it? A lot of bankruptcy and debt. Break free and live simply.

Okay, so you’ve decided to take the plunge and live life minimally. That doesn’t mean that you have to throw away everything that you own. Pay attention to what you really need and use on a daily basis. Keep things that make your home yours, like artwork, mementos, and photographs. Figure out what you just can’t live without and then see how much room is left. Narrowing down your belongings is liberating! You can give so much to charity or needy friends and neighbors. You can sell things that may be worth money and save even more.

Think about how to fill the small spaces that you have and how you can utilize wasted space, such as space near the ceiling. Use specialty hangers and space saving hangers in your closets to double the space available for clothes. Use companies like YesterTec for small space furniture. They even have an armoire that opens up to be a full sized kitchen. There are a lot of surprising “luxuries” on the market that can keep your small space from feeling small. Be creative and have fun coming up with clever ways to use your spaces!

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for slimlinehangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.