Living Small-20 Dos and Don'ts

I found this great article from Better Homes and Garden about 20 small house Dos and Don'ts. It is really informative and a great tool for anyone living in a small home. Here are some of the Dos I like.

"DO Include built-ins. They take up almost no floor space but yield plenty of much-needed storage -- both perfect characteristics for a small house. Sheila assigned double duties to a built-in bookcase in the living room: It not only holds books and display items but also serves as a mini-bar."

"DO Open rooms to each other. Though it's important to clearly define separate spaces, some openness between adjoining rooms makes all of them feel bigger. Sheila's cramped kitchen used to be cut off completely from the dining room, but now a large pass-through connects the two spaces. In a similar way, her office joins the living room through a French door, which allows the two rooms to share the same light and views."

And my favorite Don't.....

"DON'T Buy furniture just to buy furniture. Figure out how much seating you need for the number of people in your household and the number you typically entertain, and buy enough furniture to suit that amount. Otherwise, you end up with a cramped space that's not comfortable."