Just because you have to live in a small place does not mean you can not enjoy being there. By adhering to a few simple rules you can avoid feeling cramped and still have all the things you need and not have to make a project out of getting to them.
Contain, Having too many things to look at can really make a space feel cluttered and cramped and even depressing. Make a habit of putting things away. By large attractive containers to conceal things with, use storage ottomans, or a chest for a coffee table.
If you start a have stacks of boxes, get a room divider or an attractive panel and put the boxes behind it. Locate your room the way a designer would and try to minimize the number of objects the eye has to take in. It will make your space seem more restful and more spacious.
Lighten up, Many small spaces tend to be dark, and this can really have adverse effects on how you view your apartment. It is very subtle, but if you have to look around your room and kind of squint because the light just is not quite bright enough, it gives you an unpleasant feeling, and makes you not want to be at home.
The solution is not just to get more lighting, but better quality lighting. There are reading lamps made specifically for people who have seasonal affective disorder, and these are bright enough and in the right spectrum to help much more than the standard fluorescent bulb. If you don’t have the surface area for another lamp or the floor space for a floor lamp, look to the walls. Architects lamps and wall sconces provide light without using up any more space. Try to keep the number of lights small. It is better to have two really bright lights than eight less powerful ones.