Home improvement - Space-saving solutions for micro-living
Taiwan's tiny flats can start to leave you feeling claustrophobic. But don’t lose hope! With cutting-edge designs and a little creativity, you can turn your small space into a comfortable and highly functional home. Here are a few of our top tips to help you maximise your efficiency.
1. Get more space with a storage bed
A bed with storage space underneath makes use of every inch of available space without impacting the overall look of your house design. Whether it’s a lift-up hydraulic bed or one with drawers on the side, you’ll finally have a convenient place to store extra sheets, towels and clothes, freeing up valuable closet space.
2. Open things up
This advice is more for owners than renters: walls are great for privacy but when you’re living in a tiny home, too many walls can leave you feeling boxed in. Knocking down walls will open up the room and give the perception that your unit is a lot bigger than it is. Just make sure that you aren’t tearing down a load-bearing wall and that your plan complies with fire regulations.
3. Convert wall space into storage
If you have a fairly large room, consider ditching the wardrobes and going for a built in closet instead. These are usually more efficient than standalone wardrobes, and give you more space, as they run wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling. Plus, you can customize it with as many drawers, shelves or rods as you like.
4. Use transformable furniture
If you have a fairly large room, consider ditching the wardrobes and going for a built in closet instead. These are usually more efficient than standalone wardrobes, and give you more space, as they run wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling. Plus, you can customize it with as many drawers, shelves or rods as you like.
5. Take a cue from Marie Kondo
The latest Netflix hit “Tidying up with Marie Kondo” has inspired millions of people to take a second look at everything they’ve collected. In a nutshell, Kondo says you can clear up clutter by only keeping things that bring you joy. By getting rid of clothes, books and knick-knacks you don’t really use (or even like), you can really expand the space in your home.
Even the smallest spaces can be turned into a comfortable home but it does come at a cost. Major DIY projects can start at NT$200,000, and bringing in a professional designer will cost you much more. Applying for a personal loan may be a good option to cover the expenses. With an HSBC Personal Loan you can take up 84 months to repay.
Applying for a loan
You can do an e-loans online loan application 24 hours a day, and be approved in as little as one day.
Existing cardholders and account holders can complete their applications very easily – no signatures, printed or mailed applications are required.
New customers can complete an online form, and send scanned copies of the certifying documents to us online. Our designated staff will help you do the rest.
Take advantage of HSBC's personal loan promotions: phase-1 preferential interest rate starting from 0.01%, and phase-2 interest rate of 2.54%~15.99%.