Have you ever been in a house with an ample amount of square footage that seemed small? We’re not talking about a cozy kind of small—we’re talking about spaces that haven’t been optimized to their full potential. Whether you live in a studio apartment or a 5000 square-foot mansion, you can strategically structure your furniture and choose colour palettes that will maximize space and make any home feel much larger.

When you maximize space to its fullest potential, you are not only making your home more enjoyable for yourself, you’re also making your house look more attractive to potential buyers. Maximizing your space is kind of like a magic trick, people will be in disbelief when you tell them what the real square footage is. So, without further ado, here are 6 (magic) tricks to maximize space in your house.

Mirror, Mirror On the Wall … Who is the roomiest of them all?

The more mirrors, the merrier! Mirrors immediately capitalize on living space by elongating the room. Use floor-length mirrors, hanging wall mirrors, and everything in-between to make your home feel larger. Mirrors can typically be found for a bargain from department stores, yet they make a big bang in a small room!

Say No to Angled Furniture

We get it –sometimes it’s fun to play around with your furniture configuration. Sometimes this results in placing your furniture at an angle from your walls. It’s a nice way to switch up furniture placement and make the place feel like new again. However, when your furniture is not aligned with the contours of your walls, it quickly eats up space in your room.

Push furniture flush against walls and be strategic with shelving units. If your furniture begins to take up prime real estate in your home, the place will quickly shrink.

Ceiling Height Curtains

Not only do ceiling-height curtains look better, but they also serve as a room maximizer as well. By purchasing curtains that begin at the top of the wall and gently float on the floor, your ceilings will instantly look higher – resulting in your living space looking roomier.

Say Goodbye to Clutter

There is no benefit to having clutter around your home. Not only is it bad for your mental state and feng shui, but it also makes your living space look smaller. The eye is drawn to the mess around the home when it should be drawn to the beautiful living space that is neatly decorated.

Take a look around your home and see what you can eliminate. Clutter isn’t just junk that you don’t need – it’s also décor that is unnecessary and wall hangings that draw negative attention to the wall. Scrap the pieces that aren’t adding space and interest to your living space.

Let the Light Shine Through

Light is your best friend – especially in a small living space. When having guests over, open all of your window coverings to ensure that natural sunlight beams through the room. By drawing attention to windows, the endless freedom of the outdoors suddenly takes precedence in your living room. Keep blinds and curtains open to make a large impact.

Play with the lighting throughout your home as well! Utilize lamps, dim cabinet lighting and other lighting features to your advantage.

Choose Light Colours

Unless you have a large space and an affinity for moody tones, the best hues to use are the light ones! Decorate with natural shades such as whites and beige to liven up and maximize space. Paint walls lighter colours so they don’t swallow up the living space in your home.

By making just a few small tweaks to your home, you can add a huge impact to both guests and potential buyers!