Whether it’s a cramped kids room, or a claustrophobic kitchen, if you aren’t making full use of the space in your home it can start to take a toll on your life, as well as your house’s aesthetic.

Without the right organisation techniques you can soon find yourself having to pick your way through clutter in a small room, hindering your home life and giving guests a bad impression!

If you’re struggling with storage or the layout of one of your smaller rooms and need some tips on how to get your house back in order, then read on.

This article has all the space-saving ideas you need to turn a tiny room into a place you can be proud of.

Clever bed choices

If you’re struggling with a kids’ bedroom constantly being cluttered, leaving you tripping over toys whenever you enter it, then it may be time for a revamp.

Choosing a bed with a desk or storage underneath provides more floor space for the little ones to play with toys, and helps to create more space by having somewhere to stow them when playtime is over!

This benefits you by leaving everywhere much more clean and tidy at the end of the day, and gives your little one more space to grow.

Bathroom tips

A small bathroom can leave you struggling for storage solutions at first, but with a few clever tricks you can turn this space into your own personal paradise.

Corner sinks with vanity mirrors or cabinets mounted on top are great in small bathrooms, as they mean that there is more space leftover for storage and movement.

As well as this, shower enclosures can help in creating space for bathrooms of all shapes and sizes as they only take up a small portion of a room, without impacting their performance.

In addition, they help to keep the rest of your bathroom dry, reducing the risk of damp forming, whilst still creating privacy and comfort when showering.

Create storage in dead spaces

A great way to free up some space in your home is to ensure that no storage options are being overlooked or wasted.

Think about it, what’s under your stairs apart from a hoover and a recycling bin? Consider putting other items which aren’t a daily necessity in here, such as an ironing board, and you will soon find that you have more space than you originally thought!

Sliding shelves

One of the best storage solutions available for smaller rooms is adding sliding shelves.

Turning one side of these into a bookcase can help to free up heaps of room and also allows for more display potential, leaving your home feeling brand new!

As you can see, smaller rooms in your home don’t have to feel cramped. With a little bit of attention, they can cater to your practical needs or provide a cosy space that you enjoy relaxing in. Simply follow these steps, and see the difference straight away!

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This is a question that people should perhaps ask themselves before embarking on a self-build project of their own. While the world at large appreciates that naturally-occurring materials provided by Mother Nature herself (think wood, mud and straw) are the most organic and environmentally sustainable as you’re ever likely to find elsewhere, that doesn’t necessarily mean all other man-made materials should be automatically ruled out.

As more and more people in the western world are struggling to get their foot on the first rung of the cost-spiralling property ladder, another type of ladder is being  sought by those individuals, couples and even families looking for alternative, cost-effective and above all else, environmentally sound ways to set up home.

Steel Every Bit as Sustainable as Straw

They’re turning back the clock to times when by and large the only raw materials available to housebuilders were cob (a mixture of clay earth, sand and straw), rammed earth (similar technique to cob, but forces wet material on to a wooden frame at high pressure as means of speeding up construction process), Adobe (adding water to a cob mix to enable brick-moulding held together using a clay mixture), cordwood (firewood stacked and filled with lime or clay-based material to tighten structure) and/or hemp (a blend of hemp, lime and water, also used as an insulating material in roofs).

Steel is 98% Recyclable

All this is very impressive and incredibly resourceful, of course, but also sounds like a great deal of labour intensive work to achieve an environmentally-savvy des res. But what about existing materials which might not have been around for centuries (and can be relatively brutalist in aesthetic and in stark contrast to the aforementioned eco-sensibilities), but do offer energy efficiency? After all, so-called ground-up builds don’t always have to have recruited materials which have physically grown to qualify as eco-friendly, do they?

Metal Buildings Can Compete with Traditional Methods

Steel is one of the materials which challenges this theory that modern is somehow bad and only old is gold, as people begin to learn that this very versatile commodity harbours many advantages of its own. And yes, one of them is offering an efficient means of contemporary living. And not just for domestic arrangements either, as pre-engineered metal building systems manufacturer, Armstrong Steel would concur. This firm creates a range of constructions covering all sectors, including agriculture, commercial, aviation, industrial, recreational and even religious!

1. Recycling and Waste Reduction – Steel is one of the planet’s most reusable materials within the construction sector, and is repurposed for a variety of alternative uses (new studs, joists and other components used in construction of new buildings), being acknowledged as 98% recyclable and therefore more sustainable than wood

2. Energy Efficient – Supports dense layers of insulation which means winter heating bills kept to minimum. On average insulated steel homes reduce energy bills by 30%

3. Can Support Solar Panels – Given rigidity of structure, steel homes can house solar panels with ease. And bear in mind that typical energy returns associated with solar panels stand at around 15-20%.

4. Environmental Resistance – Your home will never be susceptible to mould, decay or insect infestation if constructed from steel as it can’t absorb moisture. Ergo it can’t sustain bacterial growth. Plus its resolute construct protects against snowstorms, earthquakes and floods.

5. Adheres to Green Building Codes – Cold-formed steel meets highest sustainability standards, including the National Green Building Standard for residential buildings and the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design programme.

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Our culture has seen a turn back toward organically grown, non-GMO foods that will better nourish our bodies. And while grocery stores have followed this trend, the majority of goods are not certified organic, which can make that weekly trip to the shop stressful when the vegetables you’re looking for aren’t available.

For someone so dedicated to putting healthy foods into their body, this is the time to start thinking seriously about starting your own greenhouse. You’ll spend less time and money at the grocery store, caring for your own food instead--food that you know is well cared for and unaffected by pesticides. So, how can you get started?

Plant Choice

Your motivation for starting a greenhouse may be the tomatoes and onions you go through super quickly, but don’t look over the other plant choices available. You’ll want to start out with plants you’re comfortable with caring for and can be sure will be used, but when you’re ready, branch out to more fruits and vegetables.

Consider things like leafy greens, herbs you love cooking with, mushrooms, lemon or peach trees, and even bamboo and wheat. With careful planning, you can have the perfect crop year-round to eat at the dinner table, and you can start selling some of that surplus to neighbors and friends who value good produce as much as yourself.

Don’t forget that a greenhouse is also a wonderful place for a year-round flower garden or exotic plants that you can’t typically grow in your home climate.

The Right Greenhouse for You

One of the biggest concerns you have will be the greenhouse itself. The three big questions you’ll need to answer before getting started are:

1. How much space do you have for your greenhouse?
2. What type of structure and production system will work best for you?
3. Should you buy a pre-manufactured structure or build your own?

You might have the ideal yard to put in a greenhouse: tons of space with exposure to the perfect sunlight and proximity to water and gardening tools. But it’s more likely that you’re working with a unique space. Choose a structure size and type that will fit comfortably into your space. Depending on where you live, you may need to acquire a permit for your greenhouse.

There are many types of greenhouse structures to choose from, but a few basic types you can start researching are:

• Cold frame – placed in your normal garden and accessible by an opening frame.
• Attached – shares a wall with your home where water and electricity are easily accessible.
• Hoop House – uses PVC pipes and is covered using plastic sheeting.
• A-Frame – uses minimal construction materials and most commonly covered with glass.

Take a look at some different systems for regulating your greenhouse as well. Irrigation can be done with a drip system, ground and sprinkler systems, or hydroponics. You’ll want to pick a good soil and set up controls for ventilation, temperature, and pest control.

With so many options, you may choose to build some parts of the greenhouse on your own and purchase others.

Storage

With all this extra produce you expect to come in throughout the year, it’s a good idea to look into storage space at the same time as your building your greenhouse. You may want additional wheat storage or space to store canned fruits and vegetables. This is something to keep in mind from the beginning, making sure you don’t produce more food than you are able to eat, store, and sell cumulatively.

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Since the beginning of time, big cities all over the world see an influx of people streaming in, each year, in search of better working and educational opportunities, and seeking the big city way of living.

With this comes more and more people looking for suitable accommodation for themselves or their families. Since the ’90s, there has been a drastic rise in the number of people that rent. Most people find it easier; as it doesn’t require one to make a long-term commitment to the property, the stress of maintaining the property lies in the landlord's hands, and for many, it’s a much more affordable way of living. Renting sure does have plenty of perks, but don’t be fooled, there is a risk of hiccups along the way, especially for first-time renters. First timers aren’t always familiar with the process and can be a little naive. This can cause some serious issues, especially if one is not aware of scams, or what is expected from both parties.

To save yourself from hassle, and finding yourself in a tricky situation, we have drawn up a list of everything you should know, and consider, as the renter. It’s a process that requires trust between two parties and calls for one to be fully aware of what they’re signing up for. It is still a contract, whether it’s for the long-haul or not, and for this reason it’s vital that you educate yourself fully on the renting procedure. If all parties know what is expected of them, it will make for a much easier, stress-free process.

Thoroughly Inspect the Apartment

Before even considering signing any documentation, and before you ask the big questions, thoroughly inspect the apartment. This will not only give you a good idea of the way in which the landlord handles situations (or lack thereof), but also gives you an idea of what needs attention before you decide to agree to a rental. Look for any broken plugs, light switches and bulbs, cracked tiles, faulty taps or shower heads. Keep an eye for any faulty windows that may not close or lock. Anything that would need attention from the landlord should be established prior to you signing on the dotted line.

What are the Costs Involved and is it Reasonable?

Other than establishing the cost of the rent-which is probably the first bit of information that you should find out, you need to understand a few other things. A vital aspect to establish is what the escalation cost is. This is the rise in the rental rate, the following year. In South Africa, the average escalation rate is around 7.5%. This will allow you to decide whether you’ll be able to afford living there, the following year, after your move-in date. No-one wants to be moving around like a nomad every year, so prepare yourself for the potential increases in the rental rates, to avoid the risk of looking for another property in the near future.

Another great question to ask is whether there is an upfront deposit that needs to be paid. Private renting parties often want an upfront deposit, that can sometimes be the total renting costs of 3 months’ rent. Any more than this is unusual and should be challenged by you, as the potential renter.

Establish the Small Details

It may help to ask whether you will get a parking bay, inclusive of the agreement, and if so, how many, especially if you will be staying in an apartment or flat. Other small details include your contract rights, with regards to the Consumer Protection Act  – these should be stipulated in your lease agreement, as well as the notice you’d need to give, should you want to move out. Find out what you can and can’t do to the property, such as painting or drilling holes. Perhaps you want to add a film to windows, for privacy or other reasons, especially if it’s a flat that faces other properties. You need to ask your landlord these questions, before making any sort of change.

What are Your Responsibilities as the Renter?

The responsibilities that you’d be signing up for, as the renter, would include; ensuring the home or apartment is maintained in the most basic ways. Such as maintaining the garden, washing the windows and so on. It’s your responsibility to let the landlord know of any major areas that need maintaining and attention. For example; cleaning and maintaining the pool, fixing up of troublesome appliances, such as electrical or plumbing issues.

Most landlords also make it the responsibility of the renter to forward the municipal accounts to them so that they can see to the payments in good time.

Opt for a Written Lease

Whenever there is a contract or a situation that requires commitment from both parties, one should always sign a written agreement, which would come in the form of a lease. This will ensure you are protected, should things go wrong, and will ensure you have a form of reference. If the landlord is unsure of how a contract is written up, it would help to advise that they call in a firm that offers legal services surrounding properties and contracts.

The lease should state the amount of time the lease is valid for, how many people can stay there, the responsibilities of each party, the rental amount, the deposit that is due and any other relevant information.

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