If walls could talk, they might reveal this secret: Extra usable square footage can be found between the studs. Between the studs, which makeup the framework of every home, typically there are up to 16 inches of available space. This can often be translated into valuable extra storage.

The key is to plan ahead, said LeRoy Johnson of Four Brothers LLC, a D.C.-based design and build company. “If you are tight on space and plan it at the beginning you can gain two to three extra inches. That’s a big deal in some DC homes, especially smaller condos.”