There seems to be a clash between our desire for our own living space and the high cost of living. Too often we are forced to sacrifice our comfort for the sake of affordability. Everywhere you look, big old houses are being converted to multi-family townhomes, old factories and schools are being converted to condominiums, and forget about a backyard. If you want to live close to the city, you will almost certainly look for an apartment, a studio or a smaller house. However, a smaller living space doesn’t necessarily mean cluttered, cluttered rooms: with a little creativity, living in less space can be living big.

There are some big changes you’ll have to make to adjust to living in a smaller space, and the first is your mind. Instead of looking at what you don’t have, consider what you do have. Every bit of floor and wall has the potential to be used. Proposing intelligent and unconventional solutions will give your home a touch of personality. Increasing your flexibility can give you more options, instead of designating each room for a purpose, get more from each space. While it’s nice to have a guest room, it’s a waste of space to have a room that’s only used occasionally. Instead, look into some of the dual-use furniture that’s now available and affordable.

You might be surprised how far these pieces have come from the heavy daybeds and ubiquitous college futons. Now you can find sofas, loveseats, and chairs that fold into comfortable daybeds in every size to fit any decor, from cutting-edge to classic. You may find yourself doing more work in your home office with additions like these, since you’ll have a place to stretch out and take a break. Many pieces double as storage units—tuck all those DVDs under the cushion of a storage ottoman, and store extra bedding in the drawers of a trundle bed. Nesting tables look sharp when stored together, and if you’re hosting a party, you can place them in different rooms as needed.

If your kitchen seems cramped, consider a table that folds up when you’re not using it. Or do away with the dining table entirely and create a stylish countertop dining room. Free up cabinet space with a pot rack. The less intrusive your furniture is, the more space you seem to have. If you have high ceilings but not a lot of floor space, divide a room horizontally by building a loft. A bedroom with office space below and bedrooms above looks modern and stylish. Using glass or acrylic blocks will let in more light and give the illusion of a more open space. Finally, take advantage of wasted space in your home: closets and cabinets occupied by pipes and water heaters can often accommodate a few shelves for storage. The space under the stairs can be used for many purposes: shelving, bike storage, laundry station, and tool storage to name a few.