15 Smart Hacks for Those With Small Homes and Multiple Pets

Pets bring so much joy, which is why many people have more than one. However, managing multiple pets can be challenging. Without proper management, you may end up with a cluttered and smelly space. But with these 15 hacks, you’ll find it much easier to enjoy having them around!

Designate Specific Zones

Comfort and security come from having your own space, and this isn’t true only for humans. It’s also true for pets. Boundaries can be easily crossed in small spaces, so give each pet a separate sleeping, eating, and play area. This helps them feel in control and at home.

Utilize Vertical Space

Since small spaces don’t have enough floor space, consider separating pets vertically. Cats, for example, love to stay in high spaces and enjoy the view of their areas from there, so you can make a home for them on a shelf. You may want to keep dogs in lower spaces where they are safer.

Multi-Purpose Furniture

Beds and tools for taking care of your pets can cause clutter, even if they are well-arranged. But when you have furniture that can serve pet purposes, you’ll have less clutter. For example, you can get a chair or table that has built-in storage, so you can keep their beds there when not in use.

Use Stackable Storage Bins

If you don’t plan to change your furniture soon, change your bins to stackable ones. This will ensure that storing pet items doesn’t eat up too much floor space. You can dedicate a stack of bins to a pet or one higher stack for all your pets to save even more space.

Rotate Toys

There may be no need to buy the same toy for all your pets. Instead, buy one of the different toys and rotate them between your pets. That way, pets can enjoy them better as they don’t get them often. This will also help you learn which toys each of your pets enjoy playing with the most.

Space-Saving Feeding Stations

What if you mounted feeding bowls to your wall instead of leaving them on the floor? That would save floor space. Just ensure you put them at a height that works for your pet. You can also install feeders that can slide into tables after use.

Litter Box Solutions

Multiple cats in the same space would mean more litter boxes, which would deface your home and pollute the odor. Hence, you should go for covered litter boxes that hide the mess and reduce the odor or keep the box in places with good ventilation so the smell isn’t concentrated.

Organize Leashes and Accessories

The more your pets, the more leashes, coats, and harnesses you’ll have. If these things are not organized, they may be hard to find them when you need them, and they can get tangled and make using them more stressful. Hang them separately or fold them neatly so that using them goes smoothly.

Combine Pet Beds

Do some of your pets love to stay together when they sleep? That’s good for you. You can use large beds or place their beds next to each other to free up more floor space. Some pets, including dogs and cats, spend more time sleeping than humans, so you can enjoy more space in these times.

Regular Cleaning Routine

More pets also mean more fur. Besides that, there are also more chances that accidents will happen at home, which will leave your space dirtier and more disorganized. So you’ll have to clean more. Or else you’ll end up not only in a dirty place but also in a smelly one.

Pet Gates for Room Control

Sometimes, you may need a break from your pets, like when you want to clean up a space or have a visitor who isn’t used to pets. For these moments, you’ll find a pet gate handy. They can keep your pet confined to a space for the period you need them there.

Pet-Friendly Rugs and Mats

You may find that your pets have areas where they love to hang out, sleep, eat, or play. To help your floor stay cleaner in those places, place mats or rugs there. While you protect your floor, also protect what is more important—your pets—by using mats that are safe, like rubber mats that make it hard to slip.

Air Purifiers to Control Pet Dander

Having many pets also increases the chance of having pet dander or other smells. Thankfully, an air purifier can help in this situation. Some are even designed with pet dander in mind, so you should do a little research before getting one to be sure what it can handle.

Use Collapsible Pet Playpens

Playpens are great for keeping your pets confined to certain areas when you need them there. There is a foldable version, which will be helpful if you have a small space. Collapse them when not in use and put them away so you have more space until their next use.

Create Outdoor Enclosures

You may not have much indoor space, but you may have some outdoor to spare. If you do, build or set up catios and playpens there, so your pets can enjoy some outside time while you have some space inside the house. Plus, it keeps them safe when outside the house.