Summer is a time to enjoy the outdoors, host gatherings, and make the most of your living space. To create an environment that maximises space and allows for seamless indoor-outdoor living, it’s essential to organise your home and garden effectively.

Here are eight tips to help you make the most of your space and enjoy a stylish, carefree summer.

Declutter indoor spaces

Start by decluttering indoor areas to create a sense of spaciousness. Go through each room and remove items that are no longer needed or used. Consider using a self storage room for items in good condition but which you’re not using right now. Some people keep a regular swap system going with their self storage room, removing or including items in their storage unit according to the season.

Create functional zones

Divide your indoor spaces into functional zones to make the most of each area. For example, you could create a designated entertainment area for watching movies or playing games, a reading nook with a comfy chair and bookshelf, or a home office corner. This helps define the purpose of each space and avoids a cluttered and confusing layout.

Use your vertical space

Making more use of the walls helps free up floor space, giving you more room to move around or seat guests. Install shelves or wall-mounted storage units to keep items off the floor indoors, and use hooks or pegboards to hang tools and equipment in the shed. This not only maximises storage capacity but also adds a decorative and practical element to your indoor or garden space.

Invest in smart storage

These include storage furnishings such as ottomans with hidden compartments or coffee tables with shelves. Use storage baskets, bins, or decorative boxes to organise items neatly on shelves or in cabinets. The key is to find storage items that blend with and complement your decor while giving you somewhere to tuck away the clutter some bits and bobs.

Take smart storage into the garden

Invest in weather-resistant outdoor storage solutions such as cabinets, deck boxes, or furnishings with storage built in. Many of these can be used to store gardening tools, outdoor cushions, or keep seasonal items protected from the great British summer elements. When summer winds down, you can move those expensive outdoor-living furnishings into your seasonal self storage unit for safekeeping.

Create outdoor living spaces

Just as you might consider creating activity zones indoors, you can do the same in the garden too. You could have a cosy social seating area, a separate area for playing outdoor games and another for outdoor cooking and dining. Consider adding shade structures such as umbrellas, pergolas, or awnings to provide relief from the sun (or the rain) and create comfortable outdoor living spaces.

Beautify small gardens vertically

If you have a small garden or limited space, vertical gardening can be a game-changer. Install vertical planters or hanging baskets to grow herbs, flowers, or even vegetables. You can use your fences, sturdy trellis, or the side of the shed. Some people make amazing floral spaces using just tubs and planters when bedding areas aren’t available, and it makes more room for seating.

Clean and tidy regularly

Both indoors and out, have a cleaning routine to keep everywhere neat and welcoming. Sweep patios and decks, prune and deadhead plants, vacuum the carpets, and cut the grass outdoors.

Most people spend more time outdoors in the summer, and while it can seem you have a whole second area to maintain when the weather’s good, little and often is the key. That way, tasks are done quickly and don’t build up into a mammoth muddle. Get everyone in the family involved if you can, including the kids, because they benefit too.

When you’ve taken the time to create lovely home and garden areas, it’s fun to have people over spontaneously without the stress of sudden, big, tidy-up operations.