Moving to a smaller place after being used to “living large” requires a little adjustment. Not having to think about where to put things is one of the advantages of a large house, although forgetting where to put them can be a disadvantage. In any case, the creative use of space will be one of these necessary adjustments to make this new lifestyle work as well as the old one.

See the space in three dimensions and the furniture doing double duty. Pay attention to the empty walls and the space closest to the ceiling. Break down the task by room and make a list of ideas that, after your initial brainstorming, can be distilled into specific actions or acquisitions. Since everyone’s situation will be somewhat unique to them, no set of solutions will satisfy all needs. However, a discussion of a variety of options should help inspire the imagination.

Kitchens offer endless possibilities. One that will work for just about everyone is adding storage to the back of a pantry or utility room door. This is easily accomplished by using the narrow wire basket shelves available at places like the Container Store. The result is not just space for spices and small items, but you can add several linear feet to store bottles, cans, etc. However, keep in mind that a significant amount of weight can be added to door hinges that are not designed to support you. One solution is to replace the short hinge screws with 3″ long screws that will reach the frame stud. Most hinges will be fine, but if not, you can replace them with heavy-duty ones.

If you want more room for pots and pans and your kitchen has an island, create a gourmet look by hanging a pot rack from the ceiling. If there is no island and the space is large enough, non-permanent islands of various sizes can be used under a hanging shelf. Within cabinets, both in the kitchen and bathroom, space can be recovered by installing hanging or stackable shelves, and functionality can be increased by adding tiered pull-out shelves or baskets. In bathrooms, another place to get low-profile storage is to add a wall-mounted medicine cabinet. If it doesn’t already exist, install a cabinet above the dresser and add additional low-profile decorative glass-front cabinets to the bare walls.

Even the smallest utility room can usually accommodate more shelves or cabinets, and since they’re out of sight, run them up to the ceiling. The most compact configuration for full-size machines is when they are placed in a small room at the end of a kitchen or in a hallway. This room is usually as deep as the width of the machines, and they are placed facing each other with the door opening between them. As small as the room is, it’s still possible to add more than 20 linear feet of floor-to-ceiling wall-mounted shelving, leaving plenty of room for laundry access. And if wire shelving is used, it has the advantage of not dominating the small space.

Most closet shelf space can easily be doubled by adding another shelf on top of the existing shelf. Usually the same material that is already there can be obtained at a home improvement store, no finishing is required. Also, if additional hanging space is needed and the wall in question has only one bar, another can be added below. Doing the job correctly requires moving the existing shelf and bar a foot and then hanging the new one at the correct height. Yes, it does take some effort, but nothing very challenging. Depending on what’s missing, it may make sense to add a closet in the bedroom, increase hanger and drawer storage, or, conversely, place a low-profile chest of drawers in a walk-in closet.

Bedrooms benefit most from the use of furniture that is proportional in size to the room. The bed should not extend across the width of the walls. If the king size bed is considered critical, that should have been considered in the original accommodation selection process. Once the bed is in place, there are several ways to provide space for everything else in a bedroom. Storage can be plentiful by using the space under the bed for bin storage and side tables that have drawers or cabinets. However, it may be that the dressers or cabinets need a change. If the room doesn’t allow for the six-foot-long double dresser, go upright with tall, narrow dressers with seven or eight drawers, in the style of a lingerie chest. Many people prefer to iron in the bedroom, but to save space, install a folding ironing center on the back of a closet door.

Living rooms, like bedrooms, need furniture to be the right size, but there are more options available in terms of furniture that serves more than one purpose. Coffee tables and cushions with built-in storage can do triple duty by providing extra seating for guests. Wall-sized entertainment centers provide plenty of space, but make sure some of the spaces have doors to keep the wall from looking so busy. Sofa beds can extend the sleeping space for overnight guests.

Empty walls above other furniture can be used for individual wall-mounted shelves placed alone or in groups. If there’s a wall that won’t support shelving of any kind due to traffic flow, built-in shelving can always be added. If one feels it is an insurmountable do-it-yourself challenge, it could still be rented. Regardless, the low profile of recessed alcoves for displays or shelves makes them an ideal way to reclaim space.

One last area is the study or home office. Floor-to-ceiling shelves and cabinets are perfect, either built-ins or as furniture. Get fancy and show it off by adding a rail-mounted rolling ladder; otherwise, a short ladder that can be stored unobtrusively nearby is helpful. File cabinets disguised as side tables also work well. Built-in desks are nice, but if space allows, a freestanding desk enhances the room, provides work space, and frees up more cabinet space on the wall. On the other hand, if a study doesn’t exist, a low-profile desk can take the place of another piece of furniture in any room you use as an office.

Most of the ideas discussed in this article do not involve permanent modifications, which can be a problem for those who rent or lease their space. In fact, almost everything that is installed can be easily removed and taken with you on the next move. However, in the case of doing things that involve cutting through a wall, homeowners are highly unlikely to have a problem as long as the job is done right, as it only adds to the value of their property. While the saying “it’s easier to get forgiveness than permission” is often true, you might want to ask first anyway, otherwise be prepared to restore things to their original state.

For more ideas and additional details, the reader may want to review other articles focused on specific rooms that expand the possibilities related to each one. Additionally, there are many options available for garages, storage sheds, patios, and balconies.