We all spend a lot of our time in small spaces because of nationwide stay-at-home orders. We spoke to interior designers, professional organizers and an organizational psychologist to find ways to make your home feel larger to combat coronavirus cabin fever.
Think about the spaces that made you feel peaceful and how they were organized before you started. The share price is a professional organizer. She says that hotel rooms can make you feel larger than they are. The decor is minimalist in most cases, and furniture placements are well thought out.
Declutter, declutter, declutter
Clearing out clutter is a great first step in clearing your space. Anyone can do it, even those with limited resources. You can go from one room to another and organize your belongings. You can store an item that isn’t decorative and doesn’t get used often or donate it to your local charity centres.
Craig Anderson, an editor at Appliance Analysers, says that you must earn your space. Any minimalist will tell that having more surface space is better. It’s the first thing we should get rid of when we become lazy and cluttered. New surfaces (desks and tables, counters, etc.) make a space feel larger.
According to Amy Bloomer, a Columbia University professional organizer, a bin for clutter is a great way to get into the habit and do regular decluttering. I encourage my clients to keep a basket on the bottom of their stairs. This basket acts as a “catch-all” for items that have moved downstairs or are out of place. Make it a daily habit to empty the basket once a day. It will not take too long, and it will help you maintain calm spaces before you go to bed at night.
Clear the floors and walls
The larger the space, the more spacious it will feel.
The floor is not meant to be a storage area, but we often make piles in corners that grow and expand over time. These piles often delay decisions or items that don’t have a home, so they end up on the floor. These piles can infringe upon our living spaces, making us feel heavy. The actual living space becomes smaller. These piles can be tamed and rearranged to create more light and bright spaces. We have found that if items aren’t viewed for a while in these piles, they can often be discarded.
Andrea Walker, Smartly Organized Certified Professional Organizer
This also applies to the space between furniture pieces and walls. Your furniture should not be placed against walls as it will draw attention to the space and define the room’s boundaries. It creates a sense of spaciousness by allowing some furniture to be placed against the walls.
Be smart about shopping.
You can be creative in organizing things, and you should be more careful about what you keep out. It’s possible to keep things simple like folding blankets into a basket or chest, having a designated basket for pet toys, hanging photos instead of resting on the furniture, and even hanging photos.
Multifunctional furniture can double as storage and is a great way of optimizing your space. Hidden storage ottomans, such as coffee tables, and ottomans that can be used as seats, coffee tables, or ottomans for seating, can keep clutter, blankets, and movies off the floor and furniture. Floating shelves can be installed to extend the walls and store items away from the floor.
Anderson recommended that you get rid of the things you don’t use every day. “There are SO MANY things we own that we only use once or twice a year.” They should be stored in a chest under the bed or a DIY cabinet.
Mirrors can make magic.
Debra Newell, President and owner of Ambrosia Home, told us that large mirrors were necessary. Mirrors should reflect into the room to create the illusion of more space.
Mirrors can bounce more light around and give the illusion of movement. They also visually double the space. Mirrors can be hung on walls, in mirrored closet doors, or floor-length.
The decor should be thoughtful.
Don’t be afraid to decorate your space with intention. Having too many small items scattered about can feel more chaotic than having a few large statement pieces. A critical “do you need this?” scan can be beneficial for walls, shelves, cabinets, countertops, and computer desks.
Price suggested that we pick one room at the moment, then take a look at the walls and surfaces. Are you truly in love with everything that you see? You can get rid of the things you don’t like, but you should keep the important ones to you.
Instead of spreading your decor all over the room, concentrate it in a few areas, such as an accent wall. Visually, a room will appear longer if it has some open walls and surfaces.
Keep your furniture low.
Keep your furniture low if you can purchase new furniture. A piece of lower furniture can make an area seem larger because it leaves more space above. The same applies to furniture legs. Large furniture directly on the floor will appear smaller and more open than large furniture with straight legs.
Newell recommends keeping the arms and backs on chairs and sofas low. Even legs on a sofa’s legs are important. For seating, add ottomans. There should be no large floating furniture in the middle.
Use lighting
A simple but powerful tool, light can transform any room. Space can be created by lighting dark corners or having multiple light sources in the room.
Spread your lighting. Although it may seem more economical to use one large lamp in the middle of the room, it will make the space appear smaller. You can create a relaxed atmosphere by placing 2 to 3 ambient lamps in your space. You’ll metaphorically stretch the room by spreading the lighting.
