Do you live in a small home or an apartment? If so, you may feel like your home is crowded and cluttered. Here are a few tips to help you create more space.

Think Vertically: If you have a small space you want to think tall. Try slim bookshelves and hanging paintings high on the walls so the eye is drawn upward. Hang shelves about 18 inches below the ceiling. This will help your room by keeping clutter off the ground and moving items on the floor to the walls.

One Piece of Large Furniture: Having too much furniture in a room makes it feel cramped and cluttered. You need just one large piece of furniture to help save space in a room. This would be a sofa in the living room, the bed in a bedroom, a table in the dining room, etc. Also be reasonable. Don’t try to fit a full size sofa into a tiny room this will not help the space issue.

Declutter: Having clutter in a room is only going to make it feel smaller. Next time you buy something new, make sure to get rid of something old. For example, if you got a new magazine in the mail don’t place it on the coffee table with all of the others. Throw away or recycle the one from last month. Keeping a room simple without knick knacks is the key to making a room feel spacious.

Using space you have: When your living in a small space you have to make the most out of what you already have. Use hooks, shelves and plastic storage bins in your closets to provide more storage space. Bookcases are no longer just for books. Place photos or try adding baskets to put the remote, DVD’s, and other items in. Become as creative as you can be with space under your bed, behind doors, and in cabinets.