Do you ever feel cramped for space at home, like you could do with an extra room or two, or even just another closet or cupboard?

You’re not alone. Space is becoming more and more precious, and seemingly harder to come by. When it’s not possible to move house or build an extension, the next best thing is learning a trick or two to make more of what you already have.

Be Choosier About Decorative Ornaments

Decorative items make a house feel homier, but too many of them just create clutter and chaos. When it comes to displaying items you love, less definitely packs more of a punch.

Being choosy though, doesn’t mean you have to get rid of a load of stuff. We gather items throughout life, and it would be heart-breaking to part with something that evokes memories or has a sentimental value just because it doesn’t suit the current decor or living space.

When you’ve got more possessions than space, consider self storage for safekeeping of precious items. Carefully pack away the things you want to preserve then move them out of the house. The space you make means there’s more room for items in everyday use.

Learning a couple of display secrets will also help you show off your artistic flair when arranging items together:

• Large items make a strong impact and are better on their own.
• Small items look best in groups of odd numbers.
• Arrange by colour or theme.
• Arrange things non-symmetrically for visual interest.
• Vary the height of items places together to create structural interest.

Limit the numbers of items on display so you can swap and change items to refresh the feel of a room.

Use Light and Shade

These opposites play a big role in creating a sense of spaciousness.

• Choose furnishings on legs so light can travel further and cast fewer block shadows. Another benefit is that you can see partly under them, giving the illusion of more floor space.
• Use mirrors to bounce light around the room while also making rooms feel bigger than they are.
• Have table or wall lights, floor lamps or candles as part of your decor, and use these instead of one overhead light. The light is softer, warmer and can make a room feel cosier or more intimate.

At the same time, use lighter colours in your decoration. There’s no need to go for total white unless you love that clean, blank canvas, but rather avoid strong, deep colours in already shady rooms. Use those sparingly, as accents, and bring them out with matching accessories or soft furnishings.

While these strategies don’t actually make more space, they do give the impression of space and sometimes that’s just as important.

Fit More Shelving

Even if you think you’ve put up all the shelves you have room for, there’s probably a bit of space you didn’t think about. 

Often overlooked, the space above a door is usually tall enough for a shelf. Use one in bathrooms for spare towels or decorative tubs for toiletries; in bedrooms for linen storage; in kids’ rooms for toys such as board games or things they don’t use often, and in living rooms for books or ornaments.

If you don’t fancy the idea of running shelves up walls, what about fixing just one running around the room at picture rail height? It’s a great way of getting precious items high enough that curious little fingers can’t reach.

Shelves can also help make more closet space. Fit an extra one at the top or bottom for folded items or shoes. If shelves won’t work in the wardrobe, go for rails instead, inside the door or even a second rail for hanging clothes if most of your clothing is trousers, shirts or skirts.

Bespoke Self Storage

Keeping just half your possessions at home can work when you’re really struggling with storage at home. Lots of the things we own have a seasonal use, from clothing to gardening machines, DIY tools or car maintenance equipment.

Clogging up cupboards, sheds or garages with items not in use is a waste of precious space when you’re short of it, so moving those things into Manhattan self storage until they’re needed makes sense.

You’ll find things feel fresh and new again when you go to retrieve them, and you might even have some nice surprises when you discover stuff you’d forgotten.

If you’ve never looked into self storage, a quick search for storage unit prices will give you a starting point and helpful information.

It’s sometimes a challenge to try and make a home feel spacious when it’s really not. From sorting everyone’s possessions to rearranging furnishings and improving the decor might sound like a lot of work, but each step is relatively easy, and you don’t have to do it all in one go.

Make it a process, and you’ll gradually reveal the spacious home you’re after.