5 Ways to Make a Small Space Feel Bigger

Do you have a small room or space that you want to make appear bigger than it is? Are you stuck on what to do or how to even start? Don’t know how to fit everything into a small room that you need to? I’ve been there with tiny bathrooms and my pantry. The good news is there are simple things you can do to help make the room feel bigger.

Here are 5 ways to help you transform that small space to feel bigger:

1. Color Matters

Use lighter paint colors. Dark colors make the room look and feel more closed in. Lighter paint colors make the room feel more open. In my personal opinion, this is the biggest thing you can do.

I always err on the side of lighter colors no matter the room size, but especially when it’s a small room, I don’t ever consider darker paint shades.

2. All About the Mirrors

Use more mirrors. I’ve heard this from multiple people, and it is true. The reflectors in the mirror reflect the room to give the illusion that it is bigger than it is. They also reflect the light.

Just like with the paint, having more light throughout the room gives the same illusion that the room is bigger. Add a mirror or two or three to your room decor and watch as it seems to transform into a bigger room.

3. Curve it Up

If you feel claustrophobic in your shower/tub, a simple upgrade from a straight shower curtain rod to a curved one makes all the difference in the world! The tub/shower combo in my house felt so small, but we didn’t have room to put in a bigger one. My husband suggested trying a curved shower rod, and honestly, I was pretty skeptical that it would actually make any difference. But boy, was I wrong. It makes a huge difference!

Using a curved shower rod gives the illusion that you have more space in the shower and, in turn, makes it feel roomier than it is. If you have a space that needs a bigger illusion, a curve illusion can do just the trick.

4. Organization is Key

Organize, organize, organize! Having things tidy and neat helps to give a bigger illusion too. In order to do that, you will need to declutter and organize. Go through everything and toss what you don’t need or use. Once the decluttering phase is complete, you will need to find a place for everything you are keeping.

This is where the organization comes into play. Finding ways to organize and stack items can be a huge help. In our pantry, I bought smaller containers to store food in. You can stack them and store more. I also use stackable plastic containers in a closet for all my craft supplies.

5. Get Creative

You may have to be open-minded and think outside of the box to accomplish some new decorating visions. The main focus of getting a small space to look bigger is to use the illusion that it is bigger than it is.

Illusions are your best friend! So Google and Pinterest away to find decor ideas and color schemes that can help you achieve your room vision with that important illusion of more space.

Play around with flooring and furniture ideas. Brainstorm some creative decor ideas. Maybe combine some of these tips together. Try some reflective furniture or a curved light-colored shelf. Use an ottoman that has hidden storage or build a shelf into the wall so it’s not taking up floor space.

The possibilities are endless when you use your imagination and get creative. Play around with some different ideas and see what you like and what suits your unique style and needs. And have fun!

DIY Mermaid Headband

There is something so magical about mermaids. I, for one, am obsessed. I mean, who doesn’t want to be a mermaid for a day or even an hour?

My daughter and I did a Mommy & Me mermaid photoshoot in May, and I wanted to make something special for it. I decided to make these mermaid headbands and was so happy with how they came out! My daughter loved it and actually kept it on the whole photoshoot! I made ours pretty simple but identical to match.

In this post, I will show you how to make your very own mermaid headband. They are simple and fun to make. You can accessorize with whatever shells or items you want to make them unique to you and your style.

What You’ll Need

• Shells, Sand Dollars, or other items you want to put on the headband
• Headbands
• Hot glue gun & glue

SHELLS/SAND DOLLARS

You will need some mermaid/beach themed items to decorate your headband with. For my headbands, I chose to use starfish and sand dollars only. I got a pack of 3 different-sized starfish and a pack of small sand dollars, both at Hobby Lobby.

HEADBAND

You will need a headband to attach your shells to. I got a pack of 4 multi-colored headbands at Hobby Lobby for about $2-3. You can also find a 6-pack at the Dollar Store.

HOT GLUE GUN & GLUE

You will need the hot glue gun and the glue itself to get your shells and items in place on your headband so that they will stay in place.

Let’s Get Started

STEP #1

First, you will need to decide which shells/items you want to use on your headband. How many will you use, and where do you want them located on the band itself?

I played around with this for a while when I made mine. Deciding the placement of the shells on the headband took me the longest out of all these steps. I took the different shells I wanted to use and laid them out on the ground to get an idea of how I wanted to place them on the headband. Then I put the empty headband on my head and held the shells up in the mirror to decide on the placement.

STEP #2

Once you have the placement of the shells set, the next step is to glue them in place. You can mark on the headband where you want it placed. I simply held the place with my fingers.

Glue the first item in place by putting the glue directly onto the shell and/or headband. Stick the shell on the headband and hold it in place for about 30 seconds as it dries.

Add more glue if needed. Apply pressure for longer if needed while it dries. Depending on the shell, it may need more glue and/or more time to dry while you hold it in place. All the shells on my headbands took multiple applications of glue.

STEP #3

Clean off the loose glue from the headband. Once the shell was attached, I picked off the strings that hung from the glue just to clean up around the edges. Giving the band a cleaner look.

STEP #4

Repeat steps 1 – 3 for every shell you wish to attach to your headband.

STEP #5

Let it dry overnight. I tried on the headband just to ensure everything looked good and didn’t need any adjustments. Then, I let it sit and dry overnight.

And there you have it! Easy, beautiful, and completely customizable mermaid headbands done YOUR way. Happy creating!

Real Mom Talk: Instagram vs Reality

Everyone seems to have Instagram these days. If not, Instagram is something else. Social media has been on the rise for years now. I, for one, love social media. I love the connections it helps me maintain with family and friends who live far away.

But have you ever been scrolling through your feed and just felt down? Have you ever found yourself comparing your life or looks to others?

It’s because social media isn’t complete reality.

With the positive aspects that social media has to offer, it has just as many negative aspects too. Instagram and social media, in general, are typically about showing the best times in your life.

All the happy moments. The smiles. The celebrations. The things you don’t want to forget. The good memories.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to share these moments with the world. After all, who wants an unflattering photo of themselves online for everyone to see?

No one wants to post the peanut butter and jelly they ate, the messy bun instead of the cute updo, or the blinking-mid-sneezing photo of themselves.

Everyone wants to look their best and put their best foot forward.

Can you really blame anyone with all the trolling and bullying going on these days? Others aren’t always nice, and it is very scary to put yourself out there in a vulnerable post.

I’m no different. I like to make sure my photos have the right angle to hide the belly flab and the lightest eye circles possible. I’m guilty of posting only the best out of the twenty-something photo options I took to my Instagram.

As girls, in general, we all have insecurities and things we don’t like about ourselves. As a mom, we want others to know (or at least think) that we have our life together. These days, it is so hard to be a “good” mom. Everyone has this idea of what being a mom should be and what it is supposed to look like. There is so much pressure to have it all together, all the time.

What we really need more of is the raw, real truth. I’ve seen more and more moms opening up about the real issues lately, and I applaud them! Being open and honest takes guts! It isn’t easy, especially if you feel like it makes you look bad or that you will get criticized for not being perfect.

But let’s be real for one second…no one is perfect. NO ONE.

Those high-quality staged, picture-perfect photos are just that: staged. Do we all have some perfect moments? Yes. And if you’re lucky enough to capture them on camera, then heck yes, post them! Why not? But is every single moment perfect? No.

Remember that the next time you’re scrolling through your Instagram feed. Those picture-perfect people who look like they have it all together all the time? They don’t.

No one posts the ugly photos. No one posts the crying photos. No one posts the acne breakout photos. No one posts the unflattering bikini photos.

No one has it all together 100% of the time.

We all want to put our best foot forward and give off the best image of ourselves. But we are all human. We all have bad days along with the good.

Playing the Instagram “they have it better than me”, “their life is perfect”, “they always look amazing” game is so dangerous. It will beat you down and make you feel bad about what you have and who you are. Don’t let it. Don’t play.

Go ahead and post your happy moments, but don’t be afraid to be vulnerable and post the tough moments too. You have no idea how powerful that can be. Just seeing someone else post about something that you always struggle with can make such a huge impact. I know it has for me.

So I challenge you to just be yourself. Because you are enough just as you are. There is no one else like you in the world. You are one of a kind and beautiful. Life is not always perfect, but it is a wonderful ride.

Be you. Be open. Be honest. Be vulnerable.

And just be real.