How to make a small home feel bigger

Most manufactured homes have less closet space than site-built homes of the same size. The fix is less about buying more storage and more about using the space you already have.

Start by clearing out

• Go room by room with three boxes: keep, donate, and trash.
• Anything you haven’t used in a year, and wouldn’t miss, goes.
• Seasonal things, like holiday decorations and winter coats, are the first to move out of prime closet space.

Use the space you already have

• Under the bed. Low, clear bins with lids hold off-season clothes and bedding. Bed risers add a few more inches if you need them.
• The backs of doors. Over-the-door organizers hold shoes, cleaning supplies, and pantry items.
• Up high. Shelves above doorways, the washer, and the toilet use wall space nobody else is using. Anchor anything heavy into studs.
• Inside cabinets. Shelf risers and pull-out bins make deep cabinets usable.

Keep walkways open

• Measure hallways before buying furniture. Narrow halls and tight turns are common.
• Pick pieces that do two jobs: a storage ottoman, a bed with drawers, a drop-leaf table.
• Keep paths to both exits clear. It’s a fire safety issue, not only a tidiness one.

Outside storage

• A small shed keeps tools, bikes, and the mower out of the home. Get written approval from your community before you set one up.
• Never store things under the home. It’s a fire risk, it’s against most community rules, and it hides leaks and pests. See skirting care.