10 Updates That Made Our Small Rooms Feel Less Cramped

We’ve had our fair share of tight spaces, and while we’re grateful for every square foot, some rooms felt more like storage closets than livable spaces. After living with it for a while, we started making a few changes—nothing major or expensive, but enough to make the rooms feel more open and functional.

These updates didn’t give us more space, but they made what we had actually work. If your rooms are starting to feel a little too full, these tricks are worth trying.

We Got Rid of the Bulky Furniture

The biggest difference came from swapping oversized pieces for ones that actually fit the room. A massive couch or deep dresser might work in a showroom, but in a small space, it eats the whole room.

We looked for furniture with slimmer profiles and clean lines. Open legs helped too—it makes everything feel lighter and less boxy. You can still have comfortable furniture, just not oversized.

We Used Matching Rugs and Curtains

When the rug, curtains, and wall color were all doing their own thing, the space felt chopped up and smaller. We picked lighter, neutral tones that worked together, and it instantly made the room feel calmer and more open.

You don’t need everything to match exactly, but keeping tones similar helps the eye move through the room without stopping. It also made it easier to switch out decor without starting over.

We Mounted the TV on the Wall

Clearing out the TV stand gave us back a surprising amount of floor space. Mounting the TV also helped clean up cords and made the room feel less cluttered.

We tucked the cords behind the wall and added a small shelf underneath for the remotes and console. It gave us more flexibility with furniture placement, too.

We Added Mirrors Across From Windows

We put a mirror directly across from the window in one of the bedrooms, and it completely changed the feel of the space. It bounced light around and made the room feel deeper.

It doesn’t need to be a huge mirror—just placed in a spot that reflects light and opens up the view. It’s one of the easiest updates with the biggest impact.

We Used Fewer, Larger Decorations

We used to have small frames and shelves scattered everywhere. It made the walls feel cluttered and the space feel busy. We took most of them down and replaced them with one larger piece of art per wall.

It gave the walls room to breathe and made the room feel less crowded. Larger pieces also feel more intentional, even if they’re simple prints or DIY projects.

We Raised the Curtain Rods

This one took no extra space and almost no money. Mounting curtain rods closer to the ceiling made the ceilings feel higher and the room feel bigger.

We also used light-filtering curtains instead of heavy blackout ones in some rooms. It let more light in during the day and kept things from feeling heavy or boxed in.

We Chose Multi-Use Furniture

In tighter rooms, we switched to pieces that pulled double duty—like a storage bench at the foot of the bed or a coffee table with hidden storage underneath.

These pieces helped us stash blankets, books, and other clutter without adding more furniture. It made cleaning up easier and kept the room feeling functional without being packed.

We Painted the Walls a Light, Neutral Color

We repainted a few rooms that had darker or bolder walls, and it immediately opened things up. We stuck with light grays, soft whites, and warm beiges to keep the space feeling clean and calm.

Darker colors can work, but they definitely make a room feel smaller unless they’re done just right. For us, the lighter walls helped everything else stand out without closing in the space.

We Used Open Shelving in Tight Corners

Instead of bulky cabinets or side tables, we added floating shelves in a few tight spots. It gave us storage without eating up floor space and helped keep clutter off other surfaces.

Open shelving works especially well in corners or near doors where space is limited. Just keep them tidy—too much on them and they start to feel heavy again.

We Cleared the Floor as Much as Possible

One of the biggest things that helped was simply keeping the floor clear. Shoes, baskets, random bags—all that stuff adds visual clutter and makes the room feel smaller.

We added hooks, tucked storage under beds, and made a habit of putting things away. The cleaner the floor, the bigger the room feels, even if nothing else changes.

*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.