It really is the little things in life that matter most. More people are realizing that and seeking new ways to downsize their homes, their styles, and their lifestyles alike. From the idea of a tiny home nation to the rise in popularity and prominence of Marie Kondo’s KonMari Method for “tidying up” that results in cleaning out the clutter in your closet, your home, and your life, people everywhere are ditching excess for simplicity.
Going big or going home isn’t always the answer. While people will always strive to have more space in the home, this is sometimes a call for getting rid of things and downsizing your lifestyle to get the extra space you require. If you have any doubts, think back on the Yiddish folktale about the man who lived in a tiny hut with his wife, his mother, and his six children. Upon asking his Rabbi for advice, he was instructed to bring his chickens into the home, then his goat, and then his cow into the home. This only made the problems and crowding worse. Then the Rabbi instructed him to remove the animals. Guess what the man discovered? His life was now far more peaceful, his home more spacious, and his life greatly improved. All because he cleared out the “clutter” and chaos caused by bringing the animals in.
That is how people are making the tiny home or small living philosophy work for them. They are clearing out the clutter and chaos and living smaller lives that allow them to be satisfied with fewer possessions. There is even a movement some are embracing to limit their possessions to 100 things. People find that drastic measures like this make them happier because it encourages them to focus only on things that bring them pleasure, peace, or make them happy.
How does going smaller help when it comes to home décor? In more ways than you realize. The good news is that you don’t have to limit yourself to 100 or fewer things to enjoy a more minimalist lifestyle. These are a few quick examples of why going smaller can yield massive results.
Small Mirrors Reflect Light Making Your Rooms Appear Larger
One trick realtors and home stagers use to make small spaces appear larger when trying to sell homes is using mirrors to reflect light into the darker corners of a room. This brightens up the corners giving the visual effect of a room that is larger than it happens to be. It’s a great tool for selling homes and driving buyer interest.
Eliminate Overstuffed Furniture
Overstuffed furniture makes normal-sized rooms feel smaller. It can make smaller rooms feel absolutely claustrophobic by comparison. Going smaller with furniture and limiting the amount of furniture you keep in your home can make a huge difference when it comes to spaciousness inside your home.
Clear Out Visual Clutter
This isn’t about eliminating paper (though that certainly can be part of it) in your home. It’s more about removing things that draw the eye in your home. Go for clean lines and surfaces in your home. Make sure everything has a space where it can be kept out of sight and out of mind. This provides greater peace and serenity inside your home and allows your mind to rest.
Invest in Small Ceiling Fans
Oddly enough, small ceiling fans can make your rooms look bigger while also helping you keep your home more comfortable throughout the year. It’s another visual effect, like using light and mirrors, that makes the room appear larger than it is. A small ceiling fan occupies less space on the ceiling of your room. However, most people do not notice the size of the ceiling fan as much as they notice the amount of space around it. A larger ceiling fan might highlight the smallness of the space while a smaller fan diminishes it. Further that impression by choosing a small ceiling fan that has lights attached so you do not need an additional light fixture from the room that might detract from your desired effect.
Choose Low Profile Furniture and Décor
While you don’t want your walls and surfaces to be busy, you also want to create a large amount of visual “white space.” What that means is areas in the room that appear to have nothing in them. Choosing low-profile furniture allows that visual space to be vertical and horizontal alike. Additionally, opt for one focal piece of art rather than having a wall full of art or photographs. You want one thing to draw the eyes and not a lot of visual clutter taking up valuable mental (and actual) real estate on your walls.
These tips are meant to remind you that sometimes going small is the best way to go big for your home.
