We have all been there, stuck in a rut and not where we want to be with our career or where we live.

We want the better job, bigger salary and realize that it may be years until our desires are fulfilled. It can be hard to sit and wait and only dream; you can wish for the future or you can make things happen for you now until that dream becomes a reality.

Everyone needs more space. We live in more square footage than even a generation ago and there is a constant carrot in front of us for more space and room to breathe.

The reality is that the more space we have (either indoor or outdoor) the more junk we tend to accumulate! You all know it’s true! It can be too easy to pile it up if we have corners to hide it in.

If you want more space and crave room then the solution is to decrease the amount of stuff you have, open spaces in your home and create a place for yourself.

You would be surprised at the hidden nooks, reading spots and craft spaces you can discover behind those stacks of other items that you probably don’t use. I saw a great idea recently where a lady created a SHEd for herself; literally a shed in her yard just for her sanity and private time to listen to music and read – what a wonderful concept.

If you dream of living in the country, make yourself a dreamy garden in the mean time.

Even if you just carve a corner out of your yard and fill it with plants and sculpture and outdoor lanterns, this will be a space just for you to dream and to nurture.

It will give you the sense of a grand garden while you bide your time with a smaller yard. Plant items that grow to the sky and adorn it with canopy draping and strings of lights. If code doesn’t allow for a fire feature, consider a water feature or another source of illumination.

It can be a personal oasis that you will find yourself constantly drawn to as you await your life in the country with your own wide Alberta skies.

Do you ever wish you had more space to entertain?

Have you put off having people to your home because your dining room isn’t large enough? You are missing out on the important things in life, believe me!

Invest in a portable bar in your home and go a la carte for your next party. Do up finger foods (wrap anything in bacon and you have a festive feast) and serve drinks or punch from your snazzy bar which can be tucked away when not in use.

People will have so much fun mingling around and snacking that a sit down meal won’t even be missed. Make your party suit your space rather than avoiding the party because you don’t have the space.

A wise teacher once quoted, “You can have everything you want in life….over your lifetime.”

It may not all come at once but we can carve out little pieces of paradise in our existing life while we wait. It will make the time pass quickly and you won’t spend as much time wishing for when.

Kim Wyse is a Central Alberta freelance designer. Find her on facebook at ‘Kim Wyse Associate Royal Lepage Tamarack Trail Realty’.