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Spending more time at home has given us the time to prepare perfect home-cooked meals, take cool online classes and pick up fun new hobbies. If you’re a fan of organization and cleaning hacks — like the Flylady Method — you might have even taken up reorganizing your room to bring in life and fresh air.
Without enough money budgeted, it may feel impossible to revamp a room. Luckily, there are simple tricks and fixes that can make any room look bigger than it actually is, all without draining your bank account. Try these decorating hacks to create the dream room you’ve always wanted despite the space.
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You can add imaginary space to your room by painting the walls a light color. Soft colors, like white, light gray and light blue, reflect light and will instantly make your room appear larger and airier. If you’re also hoping to make your bedroom better for sleep, opt for blue or gray walls. According to the National Sleep Foundation, cool-tone colors could improve sleep.
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Taking the time to declutter your space is a home organization hack that applies to any room in your home but can do wonders for your bedroom. A clutter-free, organized bedroom automatically looks bigger than one packed with extra furniture or knick-knacks.
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Make the furniture in your room multifunctional by giving one piece of furniture a dual purpose. When you’re working from home and want to remain productive while being comfortable, arrange the pillows on your bed against the wall to create a makeshift daybed. If you have a desk, use it as a nightstand.
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Vertical or horizontal wallpaper creates the illusion of width or height in an otherwise small room.
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Mirrors are for more than checking that your fashion game is on point. Placing a mirror or three around your room will reflect natural and artificial light and create the illusion that it is bigger than it seems.
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Staying away from mixing prints might be an outdated fashion rule you no longer have to follow, but when it comes to decorating your room, avoid clashing patterns. Too many colors, patterns or wood tones will divide your room and highlight where one space ends and another begins.
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Floor lamps will take up unnecessary square footage. Bring life and light to your room by mounting light fixtures or start a new hobby and use a DIY woodcraft kit to create a swinging arm for an above-bed light.
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Crowded tables can make a space feel cluttered. Table lamps will only crowd what little space you have and, even if you have the most gorgeous photos, picture frames can look clunky if there are too many. Keep your tables clean and clear.
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Although you might want to hold on to an old chair or table, you can easily declutter your room by removing or donating unnecessary furniture.
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Hanging floor-to-ceiling curtains will make your room appear taller. Skip out on the heavy drapes and go for cotton or linen curtains. Create a healthier home by keeping your drapes and windows open and letting fresh air into your newly updated space.
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Long curtains will make your room look taller, but no matter what size curtain you have, it’s best to match your curtains to the color of your wall. Contrasting colors can distract the eye, and too dark of a curtain can be overbearing.
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Bedding plays a huge part when it comes to getting a good night’s rest. Depending on the color and fabric you use, It can also make your room appear smaller or larger. To create the illusion of more space, aim to keep your bedding simple. Stray from bold, heavy patterns and use simple, light colors. If possible, try to match your bedspreads and pillows to the color of your walls to create one solid, collective look.
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Using too many contrasting colors can make even the largest of rooms feel crowded. Luckily, you don’t have to be Marie Kondo to color coordinate your room. Go for a simple, single color scheme and add different shades of the same color throughout the room. This will perfectly weave together the design of your room and add an element of openness.
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Small rooms shouldn’t be filled with large accent accessories. With few exceptions, you should stick to small decor in small rooms.
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Folding, sorting by category and color-coding are all easy ways to declutter your closet and give your bedroom extra space. Your room will feel overcrowded with clothes scattered about and spilling onto your floor. Make it a habit to regularly organize your closet to free up any extra floor space.
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After you’ve had a spring cleaning spree and rid your closet of unnecessary items, try installing pegs to decorate bare walls with jackets, totes or excess accessories. Hats, for example, when arranged in a cluster can look like wall art. Your closet won’t look cramped and you’ll still be able to be a fashionista.
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Woodworking is a fun new skill you can learn at home during coronavirus quarantine. Use that new skill to create open shelves for your books or picture frames. Open shelves will free up floor space and draw the eye up. Paint the shelves the same color as your wall for a flawless, coordinated look.
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Being stuck indoors has presented the perfect opportunity to start a hydroponic garden. Plants are a great addition to any room because they bring life and a pop of color. Drape plants on your wall or place one or two on a suspended shelf. And if your motto is bigger is better, add a tall plant to your room to create the illusion of height.
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Use your crafty skills and create DIY bed risers for your bed. According to a blog by Kelly Wearstler, one of the world’s top interior designers, adding legs to furniture can make a small room feel larger by extending floor space and creating more visual surface area.
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Wearstler also suggests taking advantage of space in your room by assessing how every square inch can be utilized. Don’t try to squeeze unnecessary items in your room, but take advantage of small corners.
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Your air conditioner might help you sleep better on warm summer nights, but if it’s installed in your window, its bulky presence might make your small room feel congested. Consider painting the air conditioner to match the color of your wall for a more seamless look. Do the same for bookshelves and desks.
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If you use your television to stream your favorite shows, mount it on your wall to free up space, enhance your wall and give your room a more modern look.
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Make your room feel like a large art museum by hanging a piece of oversized art. Less is sometimes more when it comes to decorating walls in a small space and one large photograph or painting will command attention and set the tone.
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The back of the door is vertical space that is usually ignored. Create extra storage space by hanging over-the-door hooks and baskets or racks of different sizes.
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Just because you might have a limited amount of space doesn’t mean the function of your space should be limited as well. Separate your work area from your bed with a rug, a pop of color or a plant. If you want to grow your own plants to display in your new and improved room, here are household items you can upcycle for your garden.
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