Float Your Furniture

If your couches are clinging to your walls, you're not alone — it's a typical decorating mistake "There's a common belief that rooms will feel larger and be easier to use if all the furniture is pushed up against the walls, but it's simply not true," furnish your space by floating furniture away from walls. Reposition sofas and chairs into cozy conversational groups, and place pieces so that the traffic flow in the room is obvious. In most cases, this means keeping the perimeters clear. "When you place furniture in a room, envision a figure-eight or the letter H in the middle, with clear pathways around it," LaPorta suggests. Not only will this make the space more user-friendly, it will open up the room and make it seem larger.

Conquer Clutter

Be ruthless as you go about purging your belongings. If you haven't used it in three months box it up and store it away; if you haven't used it in a year, get rid of it.

You don't have to whittle that drastically, but take a hard look at what you have and ask yourself what you can live without. "You really only need two pieces of furniture per wall: a bed and a nightstand, or a dresser and a chair," While you're doing this sometimes-painful pruning, remind yourself that every square foot you free up is prime real estate.

Make an Entrance

Glossy paint in a bold, cheerful color for the front door, new hardware (or a little elbow grease to clean and polish the existing knocker, lockset, porch light, house numbers and mailbox), a fresh coir or sea grass mat, and a trio of seasonal potted plants on the landing to dramatically brighten and refresh your home's entry and make visitors feel welcome.