An abundance of homebuyers are choosing to downsize right now. Whether it’s because they’re still trying to sell a house and can’t afford to buy a large house, they’re living more practical during this economic downturn, or they want to spend less time on housework, now is the time for owners of small houses to step up and show homebuyers why small homes are the way to go!

Because homebuyers tend to feel skeptical toward smaller homes, you’ll want to do everything in your power to make your small home look big. How do you do that? Professional home decorators have plenty of tips up their sleeves to help you out:

• Declutter. Even if you live in a castle, it won’t look large or appealing if it’s full of clutter. The most important step, always, when prepping your house to sell is to declutter. First declutter the main living areas visible to the eye, and then work on closets, cabinets and shelves. These storage areas are significant to homebuyers looking at small homes.

• Rearrange furniture. The best placement for furniture is along the walls in a room or on a diagonal. The more floor space you can see in the middle of the room, the larger the room will look, so even consider taking out rugs and just showing off the natural flooring. Opt for shorter furniture in the middle of the room, such as a coffee table or an ottoman, and place the tall objects along the walls, such as bookcases and entertainment centers. Go for fewer large pieces of furniture rather than numerous smaller pieces, which cause a room to look cluttered.

• Paint. If your rooms display dark, drab colors on the walls, repaint the rooms with light, cool colors that create an open, airy ambiance. Neutral hues on the walls, combined with soft tones of blues or greens for the furniture or window treatments, makes a room look open and bright. Or, choosing furniture in the same shade as the walls makes everything blend and look less cluttered.

• Light it up! Lighting in a small home is key. You want to allow as much natural lighting inside as possible, to prove that the house is large enough to encompass a large variety of windows and views of the outdoors. Plus, a bright room just looks larger than a dark room. Open all the blinds and pull away the curtains. After the sun goes down, turn on all the lights. Opt for track lighting or recessed lighting over lamps, which take up floor space.

• Incorporate certain materials into your household can cause rooms to appear larger. For example, replacing a shower curtain with glass doors will make the bathroom seem more open, or likewise, replacing a wooden dining room table with a glass table. Hanging mirrors, such as in the foyer or on an entire wall in a room, can cause the space to look twice its size.

There is nothing more practical and comfortable than a house sized perfectly for you and your belongings. Show off the space you’ve got, using these tips, and show homebuyers that small is beautiful!