Mysteries of Earth that have not been Revealed

Mysteries of Earth that have not been Revealed

Despite the progress and achievements in science and technology, people still do not thoroughly understand our planet.

To explain why Earth has humidity, the scientists said that the Earth is a dry ice block after formation 4.5 billion years ago. Earth formed its reservoirs in the phase of collisions with icy asteroids. Nevertheless, the origin of water on our planet remains a mystery because there is little evidence remaining stones from this period.

Iron and nickel are absent in the crust of the planet, it may exist in Earth's core. However, the gravity measurements in the 1950s revealed that this was incorrect. Earth's core is too light. Today, researchers continue to speculate the elements leading to the lack of proportion below the Earth's crust.

There is no global consensus about the terrible collision theory between Earth and a planet the size of Mars that formed the Moon, because some details are not clear. Still, a young Earth, spinning faster could emissions molten rock enough during a collision to form a moon has a similar chemical composition, according to other research models.

In terms of the origins of life on Earth, scientists now have not detected any direct fossil traces about the first inhabitants of the Earth, which may be the natural bacteria chew rocks shui. However, the most basic elements of life, such as amino acids and vitamins, were found on the ice particles inside asteroids and in the most extreme environments on Earth.

According to scientists, our survival depends on the cyanobacteria, microorganisms helped fundamental change Earth's atmosphere. They emit oxygen and make the atmosphere full of oxygen for the first time about 2.4 billion years ago. However, ice shedding, oxygen levels up and down like a rollercoaster for 3 billion years, until it was stable in the Cambrian period, about 541 million years ago.

The thin arrays on the Earth’s crust are collisions create the spectacle of majestic mountains and volcanic eruptions violently. However, geologists are still not aware of the time of onset of collision of plate tectonics.

Statistical models can generate forecasts about the possibility of earthquakes in the future, similar to the meteorological experts warn of upcoming rain. However, that does not help people get rid of the failure to predict the next earthquake.

Are Aliens Hiding From Us?

Are Aliens Hiding From Us?

After observing 100,000 galaxies using NASA’s WISE orbiting observatory, scientists concluded that there is no evidence of ET civilizations.

Jason T. Wright, an assistant professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the Center for Exoplanets and Habitable Worlds at Penn State University explained that “The idea behind our research is that, if an entire galaxy had been colonized by an advanced space-faring civilization, the energy produced by that civilization’s technologies would be detectable in mid infra-red wavelengths—exactly the radiation that the WISE satellite was designed to detect for other astronomical purposes.”

Moreover, he added that “Whether an advanced space-faring civilization uses the large amounts of energy from its galaxy’s stars to power computers, space flight, communication, or something we can’t yet imagine, fundamental thermodynamics tells us that this energy must be radiated away as heat in the mid-infra-red wavelengths. This same basic physics causes your computer to radiate heat while it is turned on.”

Freeman Dyson’s theory in 1960s stated that ET could be detected by telltale evidence of their mid infra-red emissions. And this is how WISE satellite works when it measures the radiation emitted in the space.

After searching, Wright and his partners said “We found about 50 galaxies that have unusually high levels of mid infra-red radiation. Our follow-up studies of those galaxies may reveal if the origin of their radiation results from natural astronomical processes, or if it could indicate the presence of a highly advanced civilization.”

They also found a bright nebula near the star 48 Librae and a group of objects that seams black when observed by telescopes that only see visible light. Scientists believe they are young star in the forming process inside an undiscovered molecular cloud. However, more research should be done in the future to study carefully about them.

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After all, Wright came to a conclusion “We should be able to push our sensitivity to alien technology down to much lower levels, and to better distinguish heat resulting from natural astronomical sources from heat produced by advanced technologies. This pilot study is just the beginning.”

Apparently, our understanding of outer space is still limited and scientists will need to explore more in the future.

Flying Saucer Hovering Above British Scientology HQ

Flying Saucer Hovering Above British Scientology HQ

The UK pilots reported that they saw several flying saucers hovering above the Church of Scientology’s UK headquarters.

It was about 9AM in December 30th, 2012, a Boeing 777 pilot told traffic control staffs about the strange plate molded objects he had found in the region of the religious group's HQ in East Grinstead. He and alternate pilots on the flight deck had an opportunity to examine the UFOs before arriving on Gatwick. They portrayed the objects as exceptionally reflective, stationary (or marginally moving) disks that seemed to demonstrate a distinct fascination in the building beneath them.

Not far after 9 a.m., two more pilots reported the same abnormal event. Pilots of a Boeing 767 and an Airbus 319 said the UFOs had rose to around 1,000 feet height and that they looked anything but natural.

As air traffic controllers checked their radar screens to confirm the pilots' claims, four more similar objects showed up in formation around the initial two. The UFOs were visible for a couple of minutes, before totally vanishing. This profoundly uncommon occurrence determined the UK Airprox Board to open an examination went for revealing the trespassers' personality. Unfortunately, their endeavors have stayed fruitless.

Since its beginning, Scientology has held high convictions in the presence of extraterrestrial elements working UFOs. Could this occurrence demonstrate them right?

UFO in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

UFO in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

On May 22nd, a shining disk-shaped UFO was photographed by a group of students nearby the Bitexco Tower, which is located in the center of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

While walking and taking photos of the tower, this group of 4 students noticed the unusual object in a photo. This photo is believed to be taken around 8.30pm in the evening.



It did not look like a helicopter or an airplane but an UFO with a band of lights going around its circumference.



The size of this disk is hard to calculate but taking into consideration the fact that the tower is 861 feet in height, the UFO must be enormous. While its goals are obscure, it seems to demonstrate an interest towards the highest building in the city.



The students assured that the photo is certifiable and genuine; no altering techniques were used to add the unexplained craft.

Mysterious Hands Spotted In Photos Taken in Borneo, Malaysia

Mysterious Hands Spotted In Photos Taken in Borneo, Malaysia

A couple of dull free hands, like that of "The Thing" from the Addams Family, showed up in two photographs taken at Mount Kinabalu soon after the 5.9 magnitude earthquake which hit Sabah, Malaysia.

Samasuddin Yusop, member of the group of donors who was in the ghostly photos, said that neither of those images were altered.

“Many people asked us about the photographs but even we have difficulty determining if was a makhluk (mysterious creature) or a problem with the cameras”, the former Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) corporate communications head told The Star Online when contacted.

The photos were taken by different devices, including a mobile phone and a Nikon camera. While the one taken by mobile phone showed a pair of extra hands, the photo caught by Nikon camera showed only one extra hand. And in both photos, the positions of the limbs were also not the same.

ThePersatuan Komuniti Bugis Sabah, a group of donors, visited the mountain to donate after the earthquake in Mount Kinabalu.

A Haunted Pub by TWO GHOSTS

A Haunted Pub by TWO GHOSTS

A paranormal expert says a grade II ranked pub is spooky by TWO ghosts after a spooky face seemed flashing between a group of friends on a photo.

Rachel McKeown was looking through photographs captured a night out at The Lisbon bar in Liverpool when she saw a shocking face "photobombing" one of the photos. She had performed in a production of Queertet at the Unity Theater on Friday evening and joined cast members for beverages at the bar a while later.

It was not until the following day that she saw the spooky face in one of her photos.



Tom Slemen, a paranormal expert says the Victoria street pub has two ghosts, one is an unknown woman and the other is the former manager and owner Sir Archibald Tutton Salvidge.



He said “Salvidge’s story is very intriguing – he rose from humble beginnings in Birkenhead and ended up as a Tory firebrand speaker. After leaving Liverpool Institute he landed a job at the local Bent’s brewery and ended up as its managing director, and then he embarked on a political career – building up the Conservative Working Man’s Club – and then becoming an Alderman and later the leader of Liverpool City Council.”

“Around 1907 something very odd happened; Salvidge’s admirers had tried to persuade him to become the Mayor of Liverpool for many years, and whilst enjoying a meal and drink at the Lisbon Restaurant and Public House one evening, Salvidge suddenly rose at the head of the table and announced that he was not only going to run for Mayor – he was also wondering if he should have a shot at becoming the Prime Minister in the 1910 election.”

“A prominent major and several magnates rose from the table and gave a toast – and the fire in the room suddenly flared up, throwing cinders all over the carpet. A month later in the Lisbon, another toast was given to Archibald Salvidge’s political campaigns and all or a sudden, three words written in what looked like blood appeared on the wall near the fireplace: Tell Them Archie.”

Since then, the men withdrew from his political campaign. He died in 1928; his spirit has been reported to be around in the Lisbon, also with a young woman.

Rachel said “I saw the face but didn’t recognise it. At first I was trying to figure out if it was the light but it doesn’t look like a reflection and I don’t think there was anyone behind when it was taken.”

Transforming into a GOAT to Follow A Herd in the Alps

Transforming  into a GOAT to Follow A Herd in the Alps

Thomas Thwaites, a 34-year-old scientist from London, has spent the previous year making prosthetics that permit him to roam around on all fours. He's studied on their behavior, learns in their method for communicating and even endeavored to make a manufactured goat stomach to permit him to eat grass.

His endeavors, subsidized by the government, reached a state of perfection in a three day trip to the Swiss Alps, where he lived as a goat, roaming the hills with a heard.

He said “I suppose it was because it could be fairly difficult, depressive and just stressful being a human being.”

“I initially wanted to be an elephant, but it wasn’t going very well,’ said Thwaites. ‘I visited a shaman, and she said “you’re an idiot”. So, I decided to be a goat.”

The researcher set himself an objective of intersection the Swiss Alps and, and on his route, figured out how to persuade a goat agriculturist to give him a chance to live with his herd.



He likewise persuaded Dr Glyn Heath, a previous zoologist in Salford, to make the unusual prosthetics.

However, living as a goat, Thwaites soon found, was not as simple as he had anticipated.

The prosthetics were painful, the scene was tough and Thwaites was continually battling the cold.



Those difficulties, be that as it may, were nothing compared to the errand of persuading the group he was one of them.

He said “It’s much easier to walk up on my prosthetic front legs. So I ended up quite high on a hill surrounded by goats. That was possibly a goat faux-pas, because it shows dominance by how high in the herd you are. I looked up and all the other goats were looking at me. Everyone else had stopped chewing and it was in that moment, when I thought, “those horns look quite sharp””.

He continued “Luckily, I think I made a goat friend. He made a move, and it kind of diffused the situation.”

A farmer, whose herd was brushing adjacent, saw the occurrence and told Thwaites he thought the goats had at long last acknowledged him.

After his three days living with the herd, Thwaites spent an additional three days as a goat living alone.

He said “It was an interesting experience, I guess, I just think perhaps it would be nicer to live a simpler life.”

Thwaites manages to showcase photographs of his task at London's Studio1.1 Gallery from September 3 to 17.

Vampire Castles in Transylvania

Vampire Castles in Transylvania

Besides the Count Dracula legend, Transylvania is also famous for horror legend about Hunyad castle, a famous vampire castle.

A horror, traumatic story about castle Hunyad - vampire castles in Transylvania handed down to the present day makes people shiver and chill.

Hunyad Castle, also known as Corvin, in Hunedoara is an excellent building dating from 14th 15th century, is a part of the Duchy of Transylvania. It is believed that here was where bloodthirsty Count Vlad III of Wallachia (commonly known as the bloodthirsty Count Dracula) was detained for 7 years in a dungeon after he was deposed in 1462.

Interestingly castle had a tower named Hunyad Nje Bojsia (which means "no fear") by the Serb mercenary soldiers who fought in this castle.

Locals have long circulated anecdotes about castle Hunyad was extremely creepy haunted. One of the horror stories happen at the castle of vampire related to three Turkish prisoners.

Accordingly, one of the owners of this castle - Iancu gave the deal that he would release three Turkish prisoners if they dug up the water circuit of the cliffs.

Because of that promise, three prisoners had dug for 28 years and finally dug up the water circuit. However, it was unfortunate when they dug water upside down, the castle owner Iancu died. Meanwhile, the wife of Iancu was not interested in her husband's old promise with three prisoners. Therefore, the mistress of the castle ordered beheaded three miserable prisoners.

Before death, three prisoners had written on the walls of the castle bitter words about the dishonor actions of family Iancu: "Now you have water to use but no heart" and added their names. Today, visitors can see the inscription in Turkish.

A Bike Built from Plastic Bottles

A Bike Built from Plastic Bottles

The bicycle is an excellent means of transport, especially because of their characteristics linked to sustainability: not pollute, it's practically free and helps to keep fit.

Furthermore, the PET bottles are a big problem for modern societies: each bottle takes 10 thousand years to decompose and today, with the amount of packaged products, there are millions of bottles are discarded every day in the world that can not be degrade.
Muzzicycles is a Brazilian company that brought these two issues in a project consisting of 200 recycled PET bottles per bike is manufactured.

The creator was Juan Muzzi, a Uruguayan artist who took the initiative to make plastic bottles in a bicycle frame, creating a means of transport based on simplicity, "ecologically correct" and accessible because, as told in his Web, "this bike can reach an audience of 70 million people who need a cheap transportation model"

Plastic bottles began to be used in Brazil since 1993. At first, it was a groundbreaking invention as glass bottles occupied much space in factories and required a lot of water and chemicals for sanitation and high transport costs and it was very heavy containers.

The PET containers are well convrtieron in everyday objects and in a few years became a highly polluting material by the large volume of waste generated and how much it takes to decompose. This waste is housed in rivers and oceans, and the components that have the plastic affects the health of animals and humans.

It is clear that the harmful effects of plastic are many, is why we have designed different ways to recycle and reuse packaging to create other things. Along with Brazilian NGOs in charge of recycling, Muzzicycles believe their own solution: Bicycle hacercuadros. Thus began a project designed from two angles: first recycle PET containers and on the other, creating a sustainable, cleaner, quieter transport and, above all, economically accessible to the whole society.

Thus, to use recycled PET, the welding of other materials is removed, which is a cheaper way of manufacturing bicycles. The process involves slicing bottles, crushed and subjected to a hardening process. Then, the paste is injected into a heated steel mold. Once this process is allowed to cool and the finished picture emerges.

The great benefits of this product can be listed as follows:

• PDL (Process Clean Desenvolvimento)
• Reuse of PET bottles
• Ecologically correct
• It's cheaper
• Does not rust
• Eliminates welding
• Does not require buffer
• Injected color
• Eliminates Paint
• An organic and comfortable design
• Made of recycled blends of thermoplastic resins
• Have a smooth ride
• self-sustaining project
• Extract less iron ore and bauxite
• Processes least alumina
• Benefit CO²
• Reduces Greenhouse

The Brazilian company speaks of this initiative as the "fulfillment of a utopia" and recognize that such attitudes as that Juan Muzzi are "the possibility of a new type of holistic art able to gather literature, philosophy, science , sociology, technology, and the creation of new elements made of pure abstractions such as solidarity, peace, non-violence and love "

Sail between the Virgin Islands

Sail between the Virgin Islands

Paradisiacal keys, secluded bays and real aquariums to sea. Noise and pollution of engines, a way to travel with the wind and access to the most exclusive spots in the Caribbean.

Tortola, the largest island of the archipelago.

Cast off, hoist the sails and sail wherever the wind takes us. That was the general purpose of this trip: to ground routines city and surrender to the sea, breathe, swim, enjoy the sun, silence and Caribbean beach postcards promising us the BVI . They say that sailing is the best way to be late anywhere, and without doubt, this definition applies for a shipped in this archipelago of sixty islands, cays and islets, located to the right of Puerto Rico vacation. The first step then was to get a boat.

With green mountains rising up to 530 meters and hugging bays full of yachts and sailboats, Tortola is the largest and most populated island of the archipelago. Here they operate several companies that rent boats of all sizes, with or without crew, snorkeling equipment, boogie boards, kayaking, and even cook on board! In The Moorings , international boat rental company, we fell in love at first sight with "Citation" a French sailboat design that would become our home for a week. While we did not have a preset schedule, we knew what the Top 5 of must.

1. The Baths

Giant granite stones at The Baths.

Declared National Park in 1990, this site is a collection of huge granite boulders that form labyrinths, tunnels, natural pools and narrow aisles where the sun's rays are filtered. Well advised, we arrived early in the morning and we could cross it virtually alone. Averaging noon tourist traffic had increased significantly.

2. Virgin Gorda

Class kite in Bitter End Yacht Club.

This is the second largest island of the archipelago, has calm beaches, shaded by palm trees and open air restaurants. Moored in Bitter End Yacht Club for an afternoon, take a kitesurf, we ran in hobie cats (Super lightweight catamaran) and ended the day at the spa with a massage and sunset in the jacuzzi.

3. The Invisibles

Visiting candle is 100% friendly to nature.

One of the best diving spots in British Virgin Islands. This is a huge stones that are submerged just a meter and a half of the surface and they are very difficult to see, hence the name. It is a place in the open sea where there is usually quite common and therefore much marine life stingrays, lobsters, trumpet fish, lionfish fish, barracudas, turtles and sergeants.

4. Norman

Hermit crabs in Norman Island.

Better known as Treasure Island, here legends forged the Blackbeard and Bluebeard Francis Drake Pirates. A few meters from Norman, you can snorkel at The Indians and The Caves. The first is composed of four islands emerging from the sea with covered vertical walls of corals, algae and fish; and second, they are carved into the rock which highlight some fluorescence of marine biology caves.

5. Willy T

Party aboard Willy T.

Anchored in the bay The Bight, this is the most festive pirate ship of the British Virgin Islands. It is a floating bar with two masts and a small pier, where at night the pirates disembark to drink, dance and jump dive into the sea.

Trendiest Outdoor Patio Looks

Trendiest Outdoor Patio Looks

Today, Zillow Digs announced the top outdoor patio trends for 2015, and three fads to ditch from last summer. The results were published in the Summer 2015 Zillow Digs Home Trend Forecast, a one-of-a-kind report that combines data from a survey of leading interior design experts and an analysis of the most popular photos on Zillow Digs.

So what are this season’s hottest trends? Check out the surprising results!

Want to try these trends out in your own backyard or patio? Zillow Digs and hayneedle.com are teaming up to give one person a $5,000 shopping spree to hayneedle.com to create their own outdoor oasis. Enter now for your chance to win.

 Lime green accent colors
Lime green will be the most popular accent color for summer 2015. Expect to see this fresh, natural hue manifest in a variety of materials and textures — from throw pillows and vases to outdoor umbrellas.

 Vertical gardens
Low-maintenance plants and succulents will be very popular this season, especially in regions that have water shortages and drought. Vertical or wall gardens offer a sophisticated home for succulents, herbs and other low-maintenance plants, and will be one of this season’s biggest outdoor patio trends, especially in condo and apartment decks where floor space is limited.

Hurricane candles
Hurricane candles are this season’s most popular outdoor lighting solution, and will be equally prevalent among budget and luxury spaces. When grouped together on tables or lined up along the patio floor, hurricane candles are romantic and create a wonderful ambiance that can be enjoyed on any budget.

Three fads to replace - 1. Tuscan colors
“Khakis or yellow-based neutrals are out, as well as anything muddy or Tuscan-inspired,” says Zillow Digs designer Marc Thee of Marc Michaels Interiors. While these muted hues can bring warmth in moderation, they feel heavy and out of place in outdoor spaces, and don’t reflect this season’s fresh, streamlined aesthetic.

Shabby chic furniture
Intricate, shabby chic patio sets will fade away, as summer 2015 is all about simplicity and clean lines. Detailed wrought iron patio sets will be replaced with sleek outdoor sofas and loveseats adorned with pillows and throws in this summer’s hottest citrus colors.

Excessive patterns
“People grow tired of busy patterns, so keep them to a minimum,” says Thee. Instead, add interest and texture with natural greenery and pops of citrus colors. Look for more solid color choices on pillows and throw blankets this summer.

Painting An Entire Town Into A Massive Rainbow

Street Artists Paint An Entire Town Into A Massive Rainbow To Unite Community

Street artists and lawmakers are usually at odds. But this time graffiti artists and the government teamed up.

With the goal of rehabilitating the small town Palmitas in the Pachuca district, the Mexican government called on a youth organization known to use graffiti to take on a huge project: beautifying up – and ultimately bonding together – the small town. Under the moniker “Germen Crew,” the squad painted 209 houses into a single rainbow mural. 

Especially when viewed from afar, this is now one gorgeous town. But the impact of the project goes a little deeper than good looks. According to Street Art News, the project has been a tool of social transformation: during the process, violence amongst younger people was eradicated and several jobs were created. Plus, 452 families are now part of a brilliant rainbow!

This Town Has Been Transformed Into a Rainbow 

With a makeover this big, you can’t miss this cheerful town. Graffiti artists were asked by the Mexican government to beautify the small town of Palmitas in the Pachuca district, with a goal of unifying the community.

From Whites To Brights

First the town was painted white, then the team broke out the colors. Just look at the transformation! Calling themselves “Germen Crew,” the artists painted 209 houses into a grand-scale rainbow mural.

The Project Begins

The German crew at work, prepping Palmitas homes for their total metamorphosis.

…And The Results Are Incredible

According to Street Art News, the project has had a major impact: as the project began, violence amongst younger people lessened and several jobs were created.

What A Cool Place To Live

452 lucky families are now part of this brilliant rainbow. Now, our homes could use a touch up here and there too. How ‘bout it, German Crew?

7 Reasons NOT to Buy a Home

Celebrate Your Freedom: 7 Reasons NOT to Buy a Home

While buying a home often seems like the mark of adulthood and stability, there are plenty of reasons home ownership is not all it's cracked up to be. So whether you aren't in a position to buy a home at this point or you just aren't sure about taking the plunge, here are some reasons to celebrate your non-homeowner freedom.

 

1. You're not responsible for home repairs and maintenance.

If you buy a home, get ready to take on the management and expense of every single thing that goes wrong. And it's not just the things that break or fall apart like the leak that springs under the sink or the drain pipe that collapses underground. You're also responsible for replacing things that only have a limited lifespan: water heater, A/C unit, roof. The list goes on, and the repairs aren't cheap.
Maintenance is also a major expense: cleaning the cement and the outside of the house, landscaping, pumping the septic tank (theoretically, you shouldn't have to do this, but it's a possibility), changing outdoor light bulbs, termite bonds, performing other pest control, and repairing fencing, plus all the tools to do these things or the funds to pay for someone else to do them. Overwhelming? Yeah. This list should definitely make a possible future home buyer take pause.

 

2.You aren't tied down to one place.

If you are going to buy a house, you should plan, according to Moneyning, to stay put for at least five years. So much can happen in five years, as we all know- big things and little things. You could simply get tired of your neighborhood; get a new job in another part of town or even across the country; have children and need to put them in school — in a better school district that's not where you live; or you may want to move to be near an elderly or ailing parent or other family member. With the amount of reasons, many beyond our control or even imagining, that could necessitate our need and desire to go somewhere else, it's somewhat perplexing that we choose to be tied down to one place.

 

3. You aren't throwing money away.

Yes, this a reason not to buy, though it's so often tossed about as a reason not to rent. Though it might feel good to make a monthly mortgage payment to "pay into" something that in 25 years will be yours, buying a house still involves a good amount of money down the drain. Closing costs, property taxes, interest, HOA fees, and tying up the money you're putting down (not to mention all the money you have to pay for repairs and maintenance), is all money that's going out. (Yes, there are write-offs, but check out this math from Forbes.)

 

4. No pressure to remodel.

Another resounding reason people strive to own is so that they can make a place "their own," whether this is through tearing down walls, having a unique backsplash, or the freedom to paint rooms to their hearts' content. But keep in mind that these things are yet another expense. Indeed, if you stay in your purchased home for an extended period of time or you buy an older, outdated home, updating will probably become a compulsory expense when it's time to sell. But it's more than possible to make a place yours even if you're renting. In fact, without the pressure to make a place your own through tearing things down and building them back up, you enjoy freedom in your limitation: all your creativity is funneled to the non-permanent options you have for personalization.

 

5. You will have more of that most precious commodity: time.

Without all the time-suckers that home ownership entails, you also have so much more freedom with your time. You won't need to do work on the house, research and hire professionals to do work on your house, research appliances, mow the lawn or trim trees, or budget for all of these! And more!

 

6. You still have capital.

By not buying a home, you retain the capital that would be used for a down payment and can use it to invest in an investment that's not "ugly," as James Altucher describes. Investing in a house, by contrast, he says, is ugly because it's illiquid, has a high leverage, and isn't diverse.

 

7. You won't be saddled with debt.

If you're debt-free, you no doubt value the freedom in that major fact alone. Why enter into a decades-long commitment to pay off hundreds of thousands of dollars? Cherish your freedom and don't give it away too easily to a construct disguised as the American Dream.

Making Small Spaces More Livable

Tried-and-True Tips for Making Small Spaces More Livable

It doesn't matter your home's size — if it feels small to you, look to one of these top tips for maximizing space in a home. Squeezing in as much usable space as possible makes rooms their most livable by helping a home function smoothly, keeping claustrophobic feelings (and clutter) at bay, and making a home (even a tiny one!) feel more spacious. Here are six tips that might make your small space more enjoyable to live in.
Small is, after all, highly subjective. For some, a 400 square foot space is small, but manageable. For a larger family, a 1000 square foot house could seem way too tiny. No matter the square footage, it really comes down to being smart about storage and making your space as efficient as possible. So keep these tips in your design tool belt. Not every space will need each idea to be implemented to be successfully space-maximized (and some spaces might not benefit from a darn one). But these are tried-and-true ideas that have worked for countless real small spaces in the past and they just might help your home. And folks who aren't saddled with small spaces? You can still benefit from these time-tested ideas.

1. Go vertical
Get creative when it comes to finding extra storage in your space. What about the area above your cabinets? Is there space above any doors for room for a shelf or two or three? Take a look in your closet. Is there wasted space above your clothes rack? There's just almost always some high spot you can take advantage of when you really take a look at your small space. You can even explore this idea with simple-to-install wall hooks. And yes, storage isn't the only thing that can go vertical; if you've got the DIY spirit and high ceilings, consider adding actual space up high like a loft bedroom. Here are some ideas to inspire vertical storage in your own space:

• Roundup: Making Use of Vertical Space
• Small Space Solution: Going Vertical
• The Secrets Behind Great Small Spaces
• Small Space Storage: 8 Ways to Go Vertical loft bedroom.

2. Make room dividers functional storage solutions
Some small spaces like studios require a visual divider to make a space its most livable. Don't waste what could be a great opportunity to add more storage. Instead of just a thin divider, consider a bookshelf or other storage solution so you can make your divider help tame clutter as well as visually divide a space into usable areas. Some ideas to consider:

• 5 Smart Ways to Divide a Room
• More Bang for Your Buck: Double-Duty Furniture Ideas
• Room Dividing Solutions for Studios
• Inspiration: Using a Bookcase as a Room Divider

3. Conceal
Nothing makes a small space seem smaller — and more claustrophobic — than being able to see everything. So consider all the concealing methods available to you. Curtains and other textiles are great and easy to hang across doorways and over shelving. Investing in lidded boxes and baskets you like the look of to hide loose objects is a great idea. Furniture with built-in, hidden storage is worth the investment. Ideas to consider:

• Decorator's Trick: Curtains On Bookshelves
• Smart Storage Lessons: 10 Ideas from Small Spaces
• Stylish Storage: 10 Best Ways to Organize Your Entryway
• Small Space Solutions: 5 Stylish & Modern Storage Beds 

4. Declutter
Sorry — are you sick of hearing about this? But it's honestly it's the best tip for maximizing space in your home (or you know, not having as much stuff you need to find space to store it in). We've posted about it tons of times, and certainly there are plenty of tips to try out. But honestly? The most important thing to try to remember is the idea of learning to let go of your stuff. Instead of holding on to everything or even bringing stuff into the home, consider asking yourself every time your hands are on an object, "Do I really need this?"

5. Consider double-duty solutions
Creating a room that pulls double-duty is more than just saying you're going to do more than one task in a room. It's about figuring out what each task might need to be its most successful, and making sure you have the right furnishings that allow you to do both tasks calmly and easily. In fact we wrote about double duty rooms this morning. Inspiration:

• 10 Beautiful Spaces That Do Double Duty
• Small Space Solutions: 8 Double-Duty Rooms That Work – And Why They Do 

6. Customize for the perfect fit
Sometimes a little DIY spirit and elbow grease is needed to maximize space. When you take control of building furnishings, storage and more, you can control the size of what you're making (perfect for squeezing into tight or oddly shaped spaces) and also plan ahead for what kind of things you'll need to display and store in the future. Not everyone lives in the kind of home that can be customized, but if you do, we highly recommend taking out the tools.
What do you think are the most important methods to try when it comes to maximizing space in small homes? What tried-and-true tips and ideas have worked for you over the years?