Top 10 'Shrinking-Room-Reversing' Cleaning Tips to do for a Visibly Larger-Feeling Home
It’s a feeling we all know. You look around your living room, and the walls seem a little…closer than they were yesterday. That hallway feels more like a tunnel, and the bedroom has somehow shrunk by a few precious square feet. You haven’t moved the walls, so what’s going on? More often than not, the culprit isn't your floor plan; it's the slow, sneaky creep of clutter and grime that visually steals your space.
Before you start browsing for a bigger home or planning a costly extension, take a deep breath. The solution to reclaiming your square footage might be hiding in your cleaning cupboard. This isn't about just tidying up; it's about strategic cleaning. It's a series of targeted actions designed to trick the eye, maximize light, and create clear, unbroken lines that give the illusion of a much larger, more open home.
Think of it as 'Shrinking-Room-Reversing'—a powerful, budget-friendly renovation you can perform with a bit of elbow grease and the right know-how. We're about to dive into ten specific cleaning tasks that go beyond the surface to fundamentally change how your space feels. Get ready to push back those walls and breathe a little easier in your own home.
1. Unleash the Light with Crystal-Clear Windows and Mirrors
The Heading: 1. Unleash the Light: Master the Art of Crystal-Clear Windows and Mirrors
It sounds almost too simple to be true, but the single most effective way to make a room feel larger is to maximize natural light. Grimy, streaky, or dusty windows act like a filter, dulling the light that enters your home and making the entire space feel drab and confined. Cleaning them properly is like turning up the brightness setting on your home. Every speck of dust and every fingerprint scatters light, creating a hazy effect that visually shrinks your surroundings.
Don't just wipe them with a paper towel and a generic spray. For a truly transformative, streak-free shine, mix a solution of equal parts distilled water and white vinegar with a tiny drop of dish soap in a spray bottle. Spray the window generously and use a high-quality squeegee, wiping the blade after each pass. This professional technique leaves nothing behind but pure, light-welcoming glass. Do this for every window, and you’ll be stunned by the immediate difference.
Mirrors are your secret weapon in this battle. They are, in essence, light-bouncers and space-doublers. A large, clean mirror can reflect a view, a window, or a light source, creating an illusion of depth and openness. But a dusty or smudged mirror just reflects a blurry, dim version of your already-cramped room. Use the same vinegar solution to clean all the mirrors in your home until they sparkle. A well-placed, gleaming mirror opposite a window is one of the oldest and most effective interior design tricks in the book for a reason.
2. Draw the Eye Upward with Vertical Cleaning
The Heading: 2. Draw the Eye Upward: The Forgotten Dimension of Vertical Cleaning
We spend so much time focusing on cleaning what’s at eye level and below that we often forget to look up. This is a huge missed opportunity for creating a sense of height and spaciousness. Dust-caked ceiling fan blades, fuzzy cobwebs in the corners, and a layer of grime on top of your kitchen cabinets or tallest bookshelves visually lower your ceiling. They create a 'lid' on the room that makes it feel shorter and more cramped.
To reverse this, make vertical cleaning a priority. Arm yourself with a long-handled duster with a microfibre head. Carefully run it along the seams where the walls meet the ceiling, banishing every last cobweb. Gently wipe down the blades of your ceiling fans (placing an old pillowcase over each blade and pulling it back is a great trick to catch the dust). Don't forget the tops of high picture frames, curtain rods, and tall furniture.
This simple act does more than just remove dust; it encourages the eye to travel upward. When your vertical spaces are clean and clear, it creates an uninterrupted line from floor to ceiling, enhancing the room's height. It’s a subtle psychological trick that makes your ceilings feel taller and the entire room more grand and airy.
3. Reclaim Your Territory by Uncovering the Floor
The Heading: 3. Reclaim Your Territory: The Great Floor Uncovering
The floor is the foundation of your room's perceived size. An open, uninterrupted expanse of flooring creates a strong visual base that makes a room feel expansive. Conversely, a floor that is cluttered and broken up by 'stuff' feels chaotic and significantly smaller. We’re not just talking about dirt; we’re talking about floor clutter—the stacks of mail, the pile of shoes by the door, the gym bag you keep meaning to put away.
Your first mission is to get everything off the floor that doesn't belong there. Find a permanent home for shoes, bags, books, and toys. Once the floor is clear, you can perform a truly deep clean. This is your chance to get under the sofa, behind the TV stand, and beneath the beds. Pull furniture out if you can and vacuum or mop every last inch. This removes the "dust bunnies" that visually shrink the usable space.
Pay special attention to the transition between the floor and the wall. As you'll see in a later tip, clean baseboards are crucial, but the act of clearing and deep-cleaning your floors is the first step. A clean, clear floor reflects more light, whether it’s hardwood, tile, or even a light-coloured carpet. You are reclaiming your home's footprint, one square foot at a time.
4. Banish Visual Noise by Deep Cleaning Surfaces
The Heading: 4. Banish Visual Noise: The "Clear, Clean, Curate" Surface Method
Your flat surfaces—kitchen counters, the coffee table, your nightstand, the dining table—are magnets for clutter. Each item sitting on these surfaces acts as a visual stop sign, breaking up the clean lines of the furniture and creating a sense of chaos. A cluttered surface makes the entire room feel cluttered and, therefore, smaller. The solution is a three-step process: Clear, Clean, and Curate.
First, Clear everything off the surface. Everything. Don't just shuffle things around. Put it all in a box or on the floor temporarily. This step is non-negotiable because it allows you to see the surface for what it is—a clean slate. Second, Clean the now-empty surface thoroughly. Wipe away the dust rings, coffee stains, and crumbs. Let it dry and appreciate that clean, open space for a moment.
Finally, Curate. This is the most important step. Do not put everything back. Be ruthless. Only return the absolute essentials and perhaps one or two decorative items you truly love. On a coffee table, this might be a small stack of books, a candle, and the remote control in a neat tray. On your kitchen counter, it’s the coffee maker and a fruit bowl, not every single utensil and appliance. This minimalist approach creates "negative space," an interior design concept that refers to empty areas that allow the eye to rest. This visual breathing room is essential for making a space feel larger and more serene.
5. Brighten Every Corner by Cleaning Light Fixtures
The Heading: 5. Brighten Every Corner: The Surprising Impact of Clean Light Fixtures
You've cleaned your windows to let the natural light in, but what about when the sun goes down? Dingy, dusty light fixtures can significantly reduce the amount of artificial light in a room, casting a yellowish, gloomy pallor that makes any space feel smaller and less inviting. A light bulb coated in a year's worth of dust can lose up to 30% of its brightness!
Take the time to systematically clean every light source in your home. For safety, always turn off the power at the breaker before you begin. For glass shades, pendants, or covers, carefully remove them and wash them in warm, soapy water, then dry them completely to avoid spots. For fabric shades, use a lint roller or the brush attachment on your vacuum to remove dust and hair.
While you're at it, gently wipe down the light bulbs themselves (make sure they are cool!) with a dry microfibre cloth. When you turn the lights back on, you will be shocked at how much brighter your room is. Well-lit rooms, especially in the corners, feel more open and expansive. This is a ten-minute task with a high-impact reward.
6. Lighten the Mood with Freshly Cleaned Textiles
The Heading: 6. Lighten the Mood: Unify and Brighten with Textile Cleaning
The soft furnishings in a room—curtains, rugs, upholstery, and throw pillows—absorb a surprising amount of dust, odours, and light. Over time, they can become dingy and heavy-looking, visually weighing down the space. Dark, heavy, or dirty curtains can make a window feel smaller, while a stained or faded area rug can make the floor look cluttered and tired.
Start by taking down your curtains and laundering them according to their care instructions. If you can, rehang them while they are still slightly damp to let the wrinkles fall out. The difference a pair of clean, fresh-smelling curtains makes to a room is astounding. Next, tackle your area rugs. A professional cleaning is ideal once a year, but in between, a thorough vacuuming followed by a spot treatment or a pass with a carpet cleaner can revive the colours and texture.
Don’t forget your sofa and chairs. Vacuum them thoroughly with the upholstery attachment, getting deep into the crevices. If the material allows, consider a steam clean to lift out embedded dirt and refresh the fabric. Washing your throw pillow covers can instantly brighten up a sofa. The goal is to make your textiles look and feel lighter, creating a more cohesive and airy atmosphere.
7. Conquer the "Hidden" Clutter Hotspots
The Heading: 7. Conquer the "Invisible" Clutter That's Stealing Your Space
Every home has them: the "clutter hotspots." It’s the chair in the bedroom that has become a second wardrobe, the entryway console table buried under mail and keys, or the corner of the kitchen counter that hosts a collection of random odds and ends. These zones might feel "out of the way," but your brain still registers them as clutter, and they eat away at your home's usable and visual space.
Tackling these hotspots is a two-part cleaning process. First, you must declutter. Set aside 15 minutes and deal with just one spot. Empty the chair, sort the mail, and find proper homes for everything on the counter. This is the hard part. The second, and equally important, part is to clean the newly uncovered space.
Once the pile of clothes is gone, vacuum the chair and the floor beneath it. Once the mail is sorted, wipe down that console table until it shines. This act of cleaning solidifies your victory over the clutter. It reclaims the space and makes it less tempting to start a new pile. You’ve transformed a "dumping ground" back into a functional, clean part of your home, effectively adding square footage back into your life.
8. Define the Lines: Deep Clean Grout and Baseboards
The Heading: 8. Define the Lines: The Detail-Oriented Magic of Clean Grout and Baseboards
This is where we get into the details that professional cleaners know make all the difference. Your eyes and brain love clean, unbroken lines. Dirty tile grout and scuffed, dusty baseboards do the opposite—they create a grid of grime that visually chops up your floors and walls, making them appear smaller and busier.
For tile grout, create a paste of baking soda and water. Apply it to the grout lines, let it sit for 15 minutes, and then scrub with a stiff-bristled brush before rinsing. The difference can be jaw-dropping, especially in kitchens and bathrooms. Your floor will suddenly look like one large, seamless surface instead of a checkerboard of dirty lines.
Similarly, baseboards are the crucial link between your walls and floors. When they are covered in scuffs and a layer of grey dust, they create a blurry, undefined edge. Go around each room with a damp microfibre cloth or a magic eraser sponge to wipe them down. The crisp, clean line this creates makes the walls look freshly painted and the entire room feel sharper, cleaner, and more spacious.
9. Adopt the "One In, One Out" Maintenance Rule
The Heading: 9. Adopt the "One In, One Out" Rule as a Cleaning Habit
The best way to keep your home feeling large and open is to prevent the "shrinking" from happening in the first place. The most effective way to do this is to adopt a maintenance mindset. One of the most powerful habits for this is the "One In, One Out" rule. It’s a simple concept: for every new item that comes into your home, a similar item must go out.
This isn’t just for major purchases. If you buy a new coffee mug, donate an old one. Get a new book? Pass one along to a friend. Buy a new sweater? It’s time to say goodbye to one you haven’t worn in a year. As my colleague Goh Ling Yong often says, maintaining a state of balance in your home is far less overwhelming than constantly trying to reclaim it from chaos. This rule transforms decluttering from a massive, once-a-year project into a continuous, manageable background process.
Framing this as a cleaning habit helps. By preventing the accumulation of "stuff," you are preventing the creation of clutter that will later need to be cleaned around and under. You are keeping your surfaces clearer and your cupboards less packed, which directly contributes to that open, airy feeling you're working so hard to achieve.
10. Finish with a Scent-Scape for an Airy Feel
The Heading: 10. The Final Touch: Scent-Scaping for Spaciousness
Our final tip isn’t about visual cleaning, but about appealing to another powerful sense: smell. The way a space smells can dramatically affect our perception of it. Heavy, artificial, or stuffy scents can make a room feel closed-in and oppressive. In contrast, light, fresh, and natural scents can make a space feel more open, clean, and expansive.
After you’ve done the physical work of cleaning, finish by "scent-scaping" your home. This is the final, invisible layer of clean. Open the windows for at least 15 minutes to air everything out. Then, introduce a light, clean fragrance. Avoid heavy vanillas, musks, or florals. Instead, opt for crisp citrus scents like lemon or grapefruit, clean herbal scents like eucalyptus or mint, or subtle "clean linen" fragrances.
You can achieve this with a high-quality essential oil diffuser, a light room spray, or even by simmering a pot of water with lemon peels and rosemary on the stove. This final step tells your brain, on a subconscious level, that the space is clean, fresh, and boundless. It’s the perfect finishing touch to all your hard work.
Your Larger Home Awaits
Creating a home that feels spacious and serene doesn't require a bigger budget or a new address. It requires a new perspective on cleaning—seeing it not as a chore, but as a powerful tool for transformation. By focusing on light, lines, and an overall sense of lightness, these ten tips can help you push back the walls and fall in love with the space you already have.
Don't feel like you have to tackle all ten at once. Pick one this weekend—maybe start with the windows or clear off that cluttered coffee table—and experience the immediate reward. Building these habits over time will create a lasting impact, ensuring your home remains the open, airy sanctuary you deserve.
Which of these 'shrinking-room-reversing' tips are you excited to try first? Do you have another secret cleaning hack that makes your space feel bigger? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments below!
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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