If you have a small home or live in a small apartment it can feel cramped and claustrophobic when you have just a few guests. It can be difficult to relax in your own home when it feels too small for your needs, but there are some ways you can make it feel bigger and more spacious.

How to make your home feel more spacious:

The obvious solution is to make the living space larger. If you can afford it, build an addition, convert the attic or basement to living space, or add a porch. All of these suggestions are good ideas. Any extra space will help to maximize the effect of a small house or apartment.

Take a look at the space you already have and see if any of it can be used differently. Can the garage be turned into another bedroom or an office, could a closet be converted into an extra bathroom?

Eliminate clutter of books, games and toys that won’t be used again. Go through each room in the house and get rid of anything you really don't use. The more things that are on display the more cluttered and small the living space will feel. Keep things hidden away in drawers and closets. Do not fill your home with ornaments if you want it to feel more spacious.

Have a good spring cleaning out. You'll be surprised at how much better the house will feel and you're not likely to miss anything you got rid of. Consider having a garage sale if you think all that junk has any value.

Consider the overall décor. Busy floor and wall patterns will make any space feel smaller. If you have patterned carpets or linoleum, consider replacing them with laminate flooring or porcelain floor tiles. Dark colors will also make any space appear smaller than it actually is. So repaint with light or neutral colors.

Get as much light in as possible into the rooms. If you can get rid of mesh curtains without being concerned for your privacy then you should do so. Consider replacing a window with sliding patio doors. This will let in a lot more light and in summer you can have the doors open to make the house feel bigger.

Adding a deck will expand your living space during the warmer months. A deck will be like having an extra room in your house. If you have a large lawn you could also build a gazebo that can be used as an extra room for many different activities.

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