300 square feet is not the most expansive amount of living space one could possibly have. That said, it worked well for me for a couple years and I saved a ton of money while living there. When I finally built my home up the road (over the hill in Lincoln) my brother joked that I'd be found in the fetal position, on the bathroom floor, unable to cope with all the extra space. Turns out he was wrong. It has been my experience that we tend to "expand" into the space we have. As I write this, I'm sitting in my basement office (that doubles as our workout room) that is larger than that first cabin I lived in. There is literally no reason for me to have this much space for an office, but the room was empty so I claimed it.

While there is likely a high percentage of folks reading this that are living with more space than they need, there is the other half of the equation living in less. Cramped spaces, limited storage, a tiny kitchen and multi-function rooms are all factors we deal with when living in the limited square footage. Let's explore a few ways that we can make the most of those conditions. There are a number of interior design techniques that are fairly simple, won't break the bank and won't require permission from your landlord!

One of the more troublesome factors, even in large homes, is clutter. That said we all have some of it that we just can't eliminate. Charging wires, coupons, post-it notes, pens, flashlights, magnets, pellets for the pellet gun (OK, now I'm just looking around my office!) are all things that we need and those things need a home. In a smaller space make use of attractive boxes or containers that will look pretty but keep your "stuff" nearby. If you have a "junk drawer" you can even make dividers for the space so you can keep the items better organized and easier to find. I have some pottery bowls that I made years ago and they serve as great "clutter holders" as well.

Although not always the least expensive - creative furniture (that compresses or collapses) is a fantastic way to make the most of your space. I don't know if you've been to Ikea lately, but they have some demo rooms that show you just how cool your space can be with the limited square footage. Chairs and desks that collapse to vertical, tables that fold up and even Murphy beds that are likely the biggest space savers of all, can all help you expand your livable space while maintaining all of the everyday items you need to live.

Eons ago I lived in a tiny apartment down at the beach. It was for my summer job and it was perfect since I was almost never there. The gentleman who built this little addition to the main home was a shipbuilder by trade. The usage of space in this apartment was something I'll never forget. Every nook and cranny in that tiny place was utilized for storage. Under the stairs, tucked in every corner, above the front doorway and about everywhere else you looked was a tiny door or some open shelving. I encourage you to follow his lead and reconsider all the spaces around your home.

Re-evaluate every vertical, flat surface as an option for shelves. Think about where the stairs go, how the home itself is built and if there are open spaces behind any of those walls. Harry Potter made living under the stairs famous. That space could also be used for a desk or a small office if you don't have one of those fancy stand-up desks. "If you own the home and are willing to put up with some construction mess for a while, you will be amazed at what you may find behind those walls," notes Badger Peabody & Smith Realty agent (formerly Badger Realty), Peter Pietz.

Move it on up. Just like vertical stripes help hide our "winter weight", vertical styling helps virtually expand the space in which we live. Stack pictures above each other on the wall. Hang curtain rods as high as possible. And add visual accents to where the wall and ceiling meet. Those are all great strategies for this vertical trick. These strategies draw the eye up and give the sense of space. It is also a great strategy for taking pictures of those smaller rooms when you are selling your home (but you didn't hear that from me!).

The last trick for opening that space is to literally open the space. In my tiny cabin, it was actually 2 cabins that were married together long before I lived there. That meant there were 4 doorways in that tiny little space. With the permission of the landlord (and his help!) we eliminated the remaining 2 doors and then worked on the doorways. One of these caused the occupant to zig-zag through the home just to get from one side to the other (remember we're talking about a space the size of your kitchen!). With a little elbow grease and some lumber, we moved those doorways to create a straight shot through the cabin. This not only opened the line of sight and made it much easier to walk through the home, but also allowed the heat to flow more easily and efficiently. That was a bonus we were not expecting.

I have always enjoyed living in small spaces. Aside from the lack of storage, I appreciate the comfort and simplicity they bring. With some creative use of space and a few staging tricks thrown in for good measure, you may be able to transform the "feel" of your small space and increase your enjoyment at the same time. Take a cruise around your home today and see where you may be able to be a bit more efficient with your space, regardless of how large your home is.