We all wish for a bigger home, for more space to store everything, an extra guest bedroom or another bathroom. But not many people have the luxury of just moving to a bigger place. Luckily, there are things that you can do within your home to help you to give the illusion of having a bigger home than you actually do - without creating a load of clutter somewhere else. Most of the time, creating more space does mean being strict on clutter - so be prepared to have a clear out or two.
Declutter
First of all, you're going to need to have a clear out of your home. Make piles of things and donate whatever you haven't used over the last year. And that applies for more than just clothes too - If you haven't used that ukulele in the last twelve months then donate it. You will find things that are an exception to the twelve month rule - like suitcases and items kept for the memories. But these are things that can be put into storage, either in your loft, garage, or in an external storage unit if you don't have either of the former options.
Creative storage
Developing some storage space that fits your home and maximises your living space is always going to be a great thing. Creative storage might just mean installing so shelving units into your garage, but it might also mean looking into maximising unused space in the house. Building a shelving unit, with or without doors, under the stairs is a great way to store shoes, winter accessories, and coats. Maximise kitchen space with dividers and folders to separate pan kids, baking trays and chopping boards. Invest in some command strips and you'll easily be able to create extra shelving with a standing folder underneath your cabinets.
Extension
If you do have the money, then why not look into having an extension on the house- over the garage or a two floor extension to the side or rear? A home extension isn't a small job, and one that you will need outside help with. Use a design company, like Guy Phoenix, who have good recommendations, and a construction company who have the same. Often you will find that basic extensions can be designed and created by the same team. Set a budget and let the team know it, so that they can work within those parameters.
Lighting
Rather than sticking to traditional, central lights that cut the corners of any room, look into spotlights for maximum lighting. Cutting out the corners of the room makes it feel a lot smaller than it really is - so by introducing spot lighting, you open up the whole space. You can also create this illusion with lamps rather than whole new lighting.
Rug
To create the illusion of a bigger room, use a rug instead of carpets. You can use the rug trick over a neutral coloured carpets if you prefer too. Choose a large area rug that fills the space. But ensure that the rug ends about half a meter away from the walls. This glimpse of floorboards or contrasting carpet is what creates the illusion by drawing the eye and tricking it into thinking there space has grown a little.
