Doors are a necessity, but do they really need to take up so much room? Sometimes they just get in the way and if you're already living in a small space, they just make everything seem smaller. They create an obstacle between rooms, and just don't give you all the space you need. For those of you looking for a solution to this space-sucking obstacle, we've found 5 alternatives to the standard swinging door.

1. Create a Sliding Barn Door: With a sliding door, you're eliminating the need for the swing-radius in front of and behind a standard door. This allows you to place furniture in a closer proximity to the doorway, or just create a more open space in general. Rather than hiring someone to install this alternative, we've found a DIY for the sliding barn doors at Vintage Revivals. Even if you aren't looking to replace the doors in your home, this is a great way to create a space divider in a large room. Rather than constructing two separate rooms, this is a solution that will save $$ and time.
    
2. Install a Pocket Door: Similar to the sliding barn door, a pocket door will eliminate the need for a cleared swing-radius around your door. Even better, the pocket door needs no space besides the doorway itself, whereas the barn door will need some space to store the open door on either side of the wall it's installed on. This DIY may be a little trickier to accomplish than the last, but it's well worth it if you're trying to keep a small space looking large. Check out the guide we found on C.R.A.F.T. to creating your own pocket door.
   
3. Create a Curtain Doorway: Now if the last two options required too much handywork for your taste, you may be interested in the curtain option. Just remove the door currently in place, and install a curtain rod. This allows for more furniture around either sides of the door, and easy access to other rooms, but keep in mind that it does eliminate a lot of the privacy that a door will give you. But if you're living alone, and in the need for some extra space, this is a great option!
   
4. Functional Door: Maybe the solution to your space problem isn't to change the door, but to add function to it! You won't be wasting space if your door has another use, rather than just the open/close routine. We've seen bookcase doors, shoe racks, cleaning racks, clothes racks, shelves, and everything else! There's no limit to what your door can do for you, just get inspired and make the change!
   
5. Lose the Door: There's no rule that you have to have a door at all in your own home, so why not eliminate it all together? Many people prefer to have open doorways that separate different rooms, but don't necessarily block any enterance or view. Having an open doorway is a great way to make a room feel more open, or to allow easy access to different areas of the living space. It's clean and simple, and no DIY projects necessary!

Hopefully you found a couple of these ideas helpful in your own household. We love finding quick and easy ways to save space! Let us know what you've done in your house to save a couple extra inches.