You may have bought your current home because it was well priced although small. With the growing family or the need for space, you now wish you had a bigger house. You don’t have to move. Instead, do the following things to live large in a small abode.
Reduce
An easy and no-cost way to free space in your home is to get rid of some of the stuff that you’ve been accumulating over your lifetime. Go through each room and empty its closets, drawers, and other storage areas. Before returning an item to where it originally the long decide whether you really need it. If not, you can either try to sell it at a garage sale or an auction site and make extra money, give it away to a friend or charity, or throw it. In future, resolve to get rid of at least one item whenever you bring something new into the house.
Expand with Color
You can visually expand room by eliminating any dark colors, which tend to make a space look smaller. Repaint any strongly colored walls with neutrals and light pastels. Use lighter colors on upholstered pieces and fabrics, such as those used for curtains, table cloths, and other linens. If you can’t afford a newer more lightly colored couch, use a slipcover to change its appearance.
Move Up
To take advantage of the often unused space toward the ceiling, use storage pieces that go up rather than sideways. Rely on tall shelves and if you can, remodel your kitchen so its cabinets go all the way up to the ceiling. If you have blank walls, consider attaching wall-mounted shelves that don’t take up floor space.
Adjust the Furniture
If you find that your rooms seem crammed with furniture, then you either have too many pieces or they’re far too big. Remove any unnecessary tables and chairs, and replace large sofas with smaller versions. Use pieces with legs: being able to see the floor will expand the space visually. Rearrange furniture to allow for easy traffic flow between rooms.
Consider a Remodel
Consult with a professional decorator or contractor to see if remodeling within your budget will let you live small better. She’ll be able to point out areas that use space inefficiently. For example, she may suggest removing a non-load-bearing wall so that two small rooms become a large expanse. If you have a large lot, it may even be possible to bump out a room or build a new addition.