Everyone needs space. The addition of a new family member, or a new hobby, can leave homeowners scratching their heads thinking about how they can free up space in their home.

Here are some ideas for homeowners looking to make more space in their property:

1. Have a clear out

The first thing to do, that doesn’t cost a penny, is to take a good look at all the rooms in the house. How long has that wicker basket sat in the corner holding magazines? Do the baby books that the kids used to read 10 years ago, still sit on the bookshelf? Often, we accumulate clutter that we just don’t need. The first step to gaining more space is to take a good look at the contents of the home.

• Throw away items that are just rubbish. Homeowners with large amounts of rubbish may find it convenient to hire a skip! There are many skip hire companies that can provide skips for reasonable rates. Make sure you choose a company with green credentials.
• Give books and old clothes to charity/friends/family.
• Sell good quality items on ebay.

2. Room use

Right – got rid of all the junk? In doing so, did you notice that there are rooms in your house that aren’t perhaps being overly used? For example, a family with a young child could find that a seldom used office could double as a playroom during the day, and an office at night. Or maybe a guest bedroom could double as a workout room if the spare bed was swapped for a sofa bed. For more tips on dual room use, check out this blog post from theinspiredroom.net.

3. Furniture

Evaluate if existing furniture is being used effectively. It may be that some of the furniture in the home isn’t required, or could be reused in a different way. This page on Pinterest shows some great space saving furniture ideas!

4. Make the most of outdoor space

Lesser used objects be stored in the shed or garage, freeing up cupboard space. Adding a patio heater and a cosy area close to the house, makes the patio feel more like an extension of the living room or dining room, giving the illusion of more space. Those with larger gardens could even add a garden studio or sun house to provide outdoor rooms. Getting an electrician in to run an exterior power supply is not that expensive and providing power to these outdoor rooms increases their usage potential enormously.

5. Extend

This one’s a last resort, as it’s the most expensive option. Relaxed planning laws make it relatively straightforward to obtain planning permission for a house extension. There are also many types of house extension. Examples include loft extensions, conservatories and flat roof extensions – the only limitation is a homeowners property type, budget and preference.

Looking at the house with a fresh eye, and spending a bit of time on de-cluttering is a good start. However, the key when trying to make more space in a property, is to have a bit of imagination!