10 Tips for Creating More Storage in a Small Home
Is your home square footage-challenged? Are your belongings starting to take over? Do you find yourself watching depressing shows about hoarding, and thinking, “I’m not there yet… but I understand how it happens,” as you look around your messy house in dismay?
You’re not alone. Many people in little apartments or tiny homes become frustrated and overwhelmed by the “too much stuff, not enough space” phenomenon. It’s really hard to keep everything organized when you don’t feel like anything has a place to go.
To help you get a handle on your home, here are 10 tips to create the storage space you need to get organized:
1. Kick the Clutter to the Curb. This seems really obvious, but many of us keep things we never use, and there’s no point in creating more storage space until you eliminate the clutter.
- First: Take a long, hard look at everything you own. Be critical. Be harsh. Tell your sentimental side to take a hike for a little while.
- Second: Anything you’ve been saving “in case you might use/wear it someday” but haven’t touched in a year needs to go. Put it in a box or bag and get it out the door immediately.
- Third: Donate things you don’t use to a good cause so you can feel good about getting rid of them.
2. Look up! When you don’t have the luxury of square footage, you have to use what you’ve got— and in the case of smaller apartments or houses, that means looking upward.
The area in your kitchen on top of the cabinets is a perfect example of often-wasted space. Consider placing belongings in decorative boxes up there. If the area is empty, or filled with unnecessary fluff like fake plants, for example, you’re wasting a storage opportunity.
3. A bookshelf is a smart idea. Do you have wall space? If so, get a bookshelf for that spot, the taller the better. Bookshelves don’t have to be used for books, either. Again, decorative boxes look attractive while giving you a place to put your things.
4. Wall shelves are your friend. If you have furniture blocking the wall, consider installing shelving. You’re already filling the floor space in that area, so why not use the space above it as well? In addition to being charming accents, shelving units add valuable storage.
5. Look down! Again, you can’t go outward, but you can utilize the under-areas available for storage. Are you using all of the lower cabinetry in your home?
Expired personal hygiene and cleaning products can build up under bathroom and kitchen sinks, for example. Throw away anything not of use so you can have maximum storage in lower places.
6. Buy the best bed. Don’t just buy a bed—get the one with storage and drawers underneath and a backboard with shelves. Or if you have a traditional bed with empty space underneath, buy flat totes and store things underneath.
7. Find furniture with storage options. Get the bedside table with drawers and a storage area underneath. Buy the coffee table or ottoman with storage inside. If you have a small living space, make sure every piece of furniture works for you by giving you storage options.
8. Don’t cut corners. Remember that any corner not being used is wasted space. Can you make a room feel bigger by getting a space-saving corner desk? Corner-shaped shelving is another great way to effectively utilize a corner.
9. Control your closet. Do post-seasonal clearing out of anything you didn’t wear, and use some of the wonderful organizational products available to keep your closet neat. Hanging shoe racks, shelves and stackable boxes are just a few things that can help.
10. Organization is king. Teach your family that everything has a place and everything needs to go back into that place when not in use. Remember that when you have a small space, it’s a slippery slope back into disarray. One misplaced item leads to a few more scattered about, and pretty soon the place looks chaotic. It’s not fair, but a small place looks messier faster, so constant maintenance is necessary.
It can be difficult to find storage space for all of the possessions each household member brings to the collective table, but don’t give up. By using the creative storage solution tips above, and some serious organizational skills, you can keep a small place neat, clean and clutter-free.
Chris Thompson is a professional blogger that provides information about warehouse supplies, storage and safety. He writes for US Storage Group, a leading supplier of drive in racks, pallet flow shelves and other warehouse storage supplies.
Share this:
Category: Home Improvements
