People transition to smaller living quarters for a variety of reasons, and deciding what to keep and how to place the furnishings in a new residence can be a daunting task. If there is considerably less square footage than in the previous home, you have to be conscious of everything you put into the space. But always keep something that you love, feel is beautiful or know to be useful.

Eliminating large bulky pieces that take tremendous floor space -- like a formal dining room table or a sectional sofa -- is a good way to start. A drop-leaf table takes up far less space, and when not used for dining it makes a lovely sofa table. Or back it against a wall and hang a mirror above, and it becomes an attractive console table. Upholstered dining chairs can double as living room seating and are trim enough to fit in anywhere. A slipcovered ottoman on casters is an ideal place to rest your feet, but also acts as extra seating, and with the addition of a tray, becomes a coffee table. If the ottoman has storage, all the better. Sleep Sofas are now comfortable for both sitting and sleeping, as well as being very practical; and daybeds, futons and trundle beds have become increasingly popular to squeeze more room out of an interior.

A chest of drawers is one of the best home furnishing bargains you can have. Small, efficient and decorative, they offer many advantages. Chests are simple, functional and pack a lot of utility into a small space by offering organized storage, as well as display space.

The top of the chest is a wonderful display area for books, baskets or a collection of things. It also offers a place to sort mail or keep your keys. Chests can be any size or height, plain or ornate, with two drawers or 10. The best part is that a good chest can be moved from room to room and house to house, re-inventing itself for each new room, purpose and location. It will grow with you and fit into any new interior.

Light-colored walls and carpet, as well as strategically placed mirrors will help visually enlarge any space. Mirrors bring in light and also give the illusion of depth -- hang them across from a window to bring in an attractive view, or across from your favorite painting, and you will feel you have two of them.

Another decorating trick that makes a space seem larger is placing furniture on the diagonal. Placing the furniture diagonally makes a room appear larger because the eye will register the diagonal line first -- corner-to-corner. Also, wall sconces will provide soft, ambient light without occupying valuable table or floor space.

By incorporating these suggestions, downsizing dilemmas can be more easily solved, and you will be on your way to enjoying your new home and your new lifestyle.

Ruthanne Hatfield of Napa is an interior designer and a certified interior redesign and staging specialist. She can be reached at 1 (877) 441-2844 or www.interiorplacement.com