More people want to live smaller and more efficiently. Tiny homes have become increasingly popular as households look to alleviate the added stress of simply having too much “stuff.”

As a happy byproduct, most people who live in smaller spaces end up with no credit card debt. They also leave a smaller carbon footprint on the environment.

If you are in the market to sell your house, you might need to rethink some of your design ideas as you prepare for an open house. Real estate agents will occasionally hire a professional staging company to rearrange the space, place temporary new furniture, and remove the bulkier pieces altogether. 

But if you decide to sell your house on your own, there are ways you can make your space more efficient as well as appealing to the eyes of potential buyers. We’ve gathered six tips to help you out.

Avoid Dark Colors on the Wall

If at all possible, avoid using dark colors on the walls. This can dull the room and reduce the effects of any natural light the space might otherwise have. If you feel compelled to go a shade or two darker when you paint, try doing only a single wall to use as an accent. 

Brighten Up Your Home

Light can do wonders for enhancing the apparent size of your apartment or house. Yes, you will be playing a trick on the eyes to make rooms appear bigger than they actually are.

The illusion is best executed by hanging mirrors throughout the space. Use of an oversized mirror that reflects natural light from a window, for example, can create a sensation of air, of breath, even a touch of the grandiose in the smallest of spaces.

Use Less Bulky Furniture

One of the main reasons that small spaces feel even smaller than they are is when they’re overcrowded with furniture. Many of us tend to utilize bigger and bulkier pieces, such as bed frames that include dresser drawers to help with extra storage.

Bigger pieces tend to make a room feel more congested, though.

There is nothing wrong with doing a little de-cluttering to simplify your life and your space for yourself. Take a look around your house and see which pieces are largely serving as decorative rather than functional.

Then go shopping for items that are slimmer but may also be more appropriate for your on-site storage needs.

Don’t Forget About the Bathroom

If you’re operating in a small house or apartment, you probably also have a diminutive bathroom. One trick to make the space seem larger is to hang a clear shower curtain instead of one with a pattern.

Don’t be tempted to buy a cheap one that develops a film after only a few showers, however. Spend a little extra to purchase a high-quality liner instead. That investment will go a long way.

Get Creative with Storage

This might seem counterintuitive to what we said earlier about getting creative with storage, but it can be done without overstuffing any room of the house. A headboard that adds extra shelves, for instance, is a great option that can serve as a bookshelf or replace a nightstand.

Multi-tiered shelving that can be placed under the kitchen and bathroom sinks allows more storage in-house rather than shifting out. Plus, it will keep your cleaning products organized so you’ll be able to find things faster.

One of the best hacks is to use floating shelves. They are a great replacement for nightstands or bookshelves for removing unwanted clutter from the floor. This again boosts the sense of less clutter.

Choose Your Rugs and Drapes Wisely

Both rugs and drapes as home decor can shrink the ostensible size of a room, but you can be tactical about which drapes and rugs you choose. Drapes can actually encourage your gaze upward toward the source of light, and that makes a room feel more spacious. White, sheer curtains are a subtle and airy way to draw attention back to the light.

The same applies to rugs. In a small space, avoid using too many small ones. Try to place one large rug instead, because the size of the rug can influence the apparent size of the space. 

No matter how small your home might be, there’s always a way to make the space feel less claustrophobic before an open house. You just have to get creative!