It’s that time of year again when the grass is green, flowers are nearly blooming and people are starting to think about or prepare their gardens. It can be tough for some who wish to plant, but feel they don’t have the room or ability to plant anything where they currently live.
Here are 5 Ways To Grow A Garden In Small Spaces that will help anyone, no matter the size of their living space or yard, to be able to grow some type of garden that will supplement their groceries as well as bring the joy of watching a garden grow.
Create Window Boxes
Using ready made window boxes is a great way to go when trying to garden in tight spaces. There are many to choose from or you can create your own with a long narrow basket lined with plastic. (Make sure to poke a few small holes in the plastic to allow for drainage.) Windows are great for the sunlight plants need while using space that is otherwise typically empty in your home.
Container Gardens
Whether you use traditional pots or the empty containers and baskets you have around the house container gardens are an excellent way to grow vegetables in a small space.
Herbs and tall plants do best in container gardens as they can grow up instead of out. Tomatoes, Peas, Green Beans and Corn are all great for containers, just make sure you also have plenty of room for them to grow upward and proper support to hold them up.
Hanging baskets or a great way to grow vegetables that tend to create longer vines. Cucumbers, Squash and Zucchini grow nicely in hanging baskets as long as you don’t crowd too many in one basket.
Repurpose regular baskets with some plastic sheeting in the bottom and some small chain woven through the sides to create a “hanger”. Make sure to invest in sturdy material so you don’t wake up to a basket of vegetables and soil all over your floor.
Turn a Flower Bed into a Vegetable Garden
Sure we love the tulips, lilies and roses around the front of the house, but would it be better for you to use that space for vegetables instead? You can also leave the bulk of your flowers in place and grow only a few vegetables in between. Weeding back what you currently grow as flowers and filling in empty space with herbs, lettuce, cucumber, squash and more will help to create food and beauty at the same time.
Use a Trellis on the Side of Your House
Many vegetables actually grow on vines that will easily trail upwards on a trellisif trained. Planting in the ground beneath or in a sufficient container beneath a trellis and training the vines for peas, green beans, and more to grow up the trellis is a great way to use otherwise wasted space. It also creates a bright visual attraction for your home.
Just because you live in a small space doesn’t mean you can’t easily grow a garden to help supplement your grocery budget.
These 5 ways to grow a garden in small spaces are just the beginning of many ideas available for creating small gardens in any space. Thinking outside the box is the best way to go when trying to create great gardens in a small home or small yard.
The more I think about it, I really think that being organized is the key to saving money. Not only does my sanity thrive when things are organized in my home, I find our bank account is happier too. 🙂
Here are 6 ways being organized can help you save money:
Know what you already own
Having a spot for everything will help ensure that you know what you have on hand at all times. No need to buy the beans that are on sale because you know that you already have plenty in the pantry! Being organized (or more organized because we can’t be perfect!) stops you from spending money to replace items you can’t find.
You’ll avoid late fees
When you have an organized system in place for paying bills and returning borrowed items on time, you’ll certainly avoid the ugly late fees. Avoid paying late fees by implementing a system that will work for you. I have to tell you a story about the one time I had a late fee on the Visa bill. My bill paying “system” is not how my husband would do it and he suggested I try it his way. His way was to pay off an amount as soon as there was a balance. My way is to pay it once a month on the due date, the balance of the statement in full. As soon as I receive the statement in the mail, I log into our online banking and schedule the payment to be made on the due date. Sure, it may be a larger amount doing it my way, but I’m never late in paying it! My husband has learned to just let me do my thing in that regard. 😉
Have time to plan a menu
When you’re organized, you’ll have time to set aside to plan the menu for the week. I’m a firm believer that having a menu plan in place will save you unnecessary trips to the grocery store and your sanity. In our case, it saves us a ton because we’re avoiding the drive thru and actually eating what we buy from the grocery store.
Have time to cut and use coupons
If you’re a coupon user, being organized means you most likely have some time set aside for printing and organizing your coupons. Which also means you are probably organized to use the coupons at the store to pay rock bottom prices!
Know what projects you have on the go
Let’s pretend that I don’t know all about incomplete projects. (you know, those unfinished sewing and knitting projects that I found…) Every once in a while I get an urge to do something creative. But when I take the opportunity to have an organizing session, I usually discover a few unfinished projects.
Most recently, as I was going through my fabric stash, I found two unfinished projects. A purse, which only needs to have the handles sewn on, and material for a sweatshirt I’ve cut out for my husband. I now have two projects to finish to satisfy my creative urge without spending any more money!
Buy gifts well in advance
When you’re on the ball with upcoming special occasions, you can buy ahead when you find a great deal online or in the store. Helping you to avoid paying full price for something near your deadline.
How does being organized save you money? In what ways would you like to be more organized so you can save more?
Living in a small home with children doesn’t have to be a bad or hard thing. Living in close quarters is possible, if you have the right tools and tips to help get you through! Check out these 11 tips for sharing a small home with kids:
11 Tips for Sharing a Small Home with Children
1. Less stuff = more room
This is a tip that everyone should already know. However, when you have less stuff in your home, you always have more room, making a room feel more spacious.
2. Bunk beds
When you have kids and they need beds, going “up” is a great solution for leaving the floor space open. Triple bunks work wonders if you have more than 2 children sharing a room.
3. Utilize closet space
Closet space can be a real organizational nightmare, especially if you have a limited number of closets in your home. But learning the best way to maximize their usability is key. Use baskets, bins, shelves and even rolling cart techniques for linens and clothes to make the best use of the closets you have. Although that might mean you have to store some kitchen appliances in the linen closet ;).
4. Have strict rules on keeping items off the floor
When you have a small home with the addition of children, things have to be off of the floor or your home will end up looking messy in no time. And that’s the worst.
5. Purchase items that have double uses
Purchasing items that have two uses is genius. For example, an ottomanthat has storage space within is a smart idea! Doubles as extra seating and storage!
6. Get rid of any bulky items
Is your couch too bulky? Trade it in for a slimmer version. Is the coffee table taking up precious play space? Maybe it’s time to donate.
7. Slim down the amount of clothing
If the drawers are stuffed full of kids’ clothing, it’s time to eliminate some items. Here are some tips for paring down your clothes that you might find useful!
8. Utilize storage in the attic, garage, or shed
If there simply isn’t enough room in your home for your everyday stuff and stored items, try to store stuff in another area of the home if you can, like a garage or attic.
9. Stay as organized as possible
Organization is key when space is at a premium. Try to make sure that everything has a spot to call home. Encourage the kids to put things in their “home” by making labels with pictures indicating where each item goes.
10. Use wall space as much as possible
There’s always room on a wall for storage. If you’ve run out of room, use wall space. Build some floating shelves. Or create a command center with a white board to keep all the activities running smoothly. Pinterest is full of ideas for wall storage.
11. Reevaluate the way you have items set up in your home
Maybe it’s the current layout that isn’t working in your home. Reevaluate your home’s setup to see if there could be a better way, then change it up!
Making room for everyone in your home shouldn’t be a problem if you follow these tips. I’ve noticed that the less items we have, the less frustrated we get.
What are some ways you deal with living in a small space with children?
Simply Clutter Free Day 21: Declutter your Outerwear
Oh my goodness, we’ve reached the final day of the Simply Clutter Free Challenge! My house is feeling so much lighter! Even cleaner because I’ve been cleaning in those areas that don’t often get cleaned!
Today, we’re going to tackle our outerwear. That means we’re finally going to let go of jackets or snow pants that no longer fit. Or we just don’t care for any more. Donate or sell the items you no longer want. This task also includes winter gloves, hats, scarves, etc.
How many items do you think you’ll be getting rid of today?
I will be posting random progress reports throughout the week over in the Simply Frugal Facebook group and Instagram! Follow me on Instagram @simplyfrugal and use the hashtag #simplyclutterfree to get updates and see what others are up to during the challenge!
Also, I have set up an email list that you can join if you would like me to send you the daily tasks each day to your email address! This is also the email list to be on if you are interested in any of the future challenges I have planned for 2020! You can sign up for the Simply Clutter Free Challenge emails, here!
