Organizing Small Spaces


Some of the small spaces I’m thinking of are studio apartments, small condos, small eco-friendly homes – those kind of small spaces.

Spaces where you might need to get a little creative in how you think about what you buy and how it can be used.


Here is a list of items you may find useful in your small space. The more creative you get, the more original and unique your space will be.

Storage Ideas

Shelving Units

Shelves can be bought with three, six, nine, and twelve cubbies. Storage can be used for shoes, books, photos, knick knacks (if you must), dishware, clothes, purses, keys, food, and you can even add small hooks and use one for jewelry.

Re-purposing Items for Shelves

If you are someone, like me, that likes to recycle and re-purpose items, look to apple crates. I love these especially if you can find the old ones in good condition. Stack them as high as you need them and connect them with brackets.

These can be used anywhere in the home and are great for getting your things looking neat and organized.

Ottomans

An ottoman with storage is great for an extra place to put things. Many come with flip tops with a tray on one side, these are great when entertaining. These come in all shapes, sizes, and colors to suit your needs.

Old Suitcases

I like old suitcases because they have a character all their own. If they could tell us stories, I’m sure we’d be captivated. I use old suitcases to store linens, blankets, sweaters, shoes and so on.

Then you can stack the suitcases and use them as a side table or night stand.

Small Jars with Lids

If your shelf space is limited, get creative. Baby food jars or other small jars with lids can be affixed to the underside of shelves for storing herbs, candies, craft items, makeup, etc.

Hangables

Coat Racks, Wall Hooks

If you don’t have a closet or you have a small closet and need more room for hanging clothes, look for wall hooks or a coat rack. You can hang hats, coats, umbrellas, scarves, etc.

An antique hall tree might work for you. They have hooks for hanging your hangables, a seat, and some have storage and a mirror. You could even put a little table in front of the seat for eating - if you are really limited on space.

You can also make your own by using old door knobs and hooks on an old piece of barn wood or something.

Hanging Organizers

There are hanging organizers for shoes and clothes. These can hang in closets when there is no room for a dresser or behind a door for storing shoes.

Hanging organizers also work great for your personal paperwork, crafts, office supplies, and so many other things when you’re limited on space.

Sleeping Arrangements

Loft Bunks

If you are truly limited on space, one option is to think about loft bunks. With these you have a top bunk for sleeping and space below for a couch, dresser, table and chairs, or even a closet area.

Transforming Sofas

There are sofas made that transform in seconds into bunk beds with ladder and guard rail. The downfall with these is they can be a bit spendy, but definitely a great idea!

Sleeper Sofa/Futon

Futons fold out in seconds from sofa to bed, same with the sleeper sofa. What’s nice about the sleeper sofa is you can get them with storage for extra bedding materials.

These are just some ideas for you to run with. Take a look in thrift stores and don't be afraid to re-purpose items to make them your own. 

Image courtesy of Michael Coghlan

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

7 Steps to Cleaning Your Vacuum

Image
  Cleaning the Vacuum Cleaner We try to clean our home and keep up with the housework on a regular basis. Maybe it’s every few days, once a week, or less often? But how often do we think to clean the vacuum cleaner? No matter what kind of vacuum you use, I’m pretty sure it’s a veritable work horse with all the dirt, debris, hair and who knows what else we have it suck up. Sometimes it truly amazes me mine runs as long as it does, especially when my younger kids are vacuuming. So treating your vacuum and the accessories that came with it, to a good cleaning on a somewhat regular basis can’t hurt. It’s not a time consuming job and something that can be done when the weather’s keeping you indoors. Step 1: Be sure the vacuum is unplugged. I’m sure this bit of instruction isn’t necessary but you never know. Step 2: If parts need to be removed, make sure you know how to put it back together by taking pictures or labeling. Step 3: Use mild soap and water to clean the accessories and ...
Read more

Cleaning Around the House with White Vinegar

Image
I know you see posts all the time about the using white vinegar to clean around the house and I as well post about the many uses. These are some of the questions we get asked often by our clients. You may not realize it, but white vinegar is environmentally friendly, it’s a germ fighter and you probably have it on a kitchen shelf already as you may use it to cook with time and again for tenderizing meats, pickling your garden veggies and bringing out the flavor of some foods. I have to say, I think my bottle of white vinegar is used more for cleaning around the house than for using in my recipes. You can use it to sanitize the washing machine, make your own window cleaner and so much more. Vinegar can be used all around the house, from the kitchen to the bathrooms and even used to clean certain types of floors.  Vinegar is quite effective for killing household germs, bacteria, and killing most molds due to its acidic nature. However, because of its acidic nature it will damag...
Read more

Got A Grass Stain?

Image
Are you looking for ways to get grass stains out of clothing? Grass stains happen! What do you do? When your kids are playing in the yard or you’re on your knees doing yard work, it can be quite common to get grass stains on the knees of our pants. The problem with grass stains is they can be mixed with more than just grass. There may be some mud and other things in the mix but when you need to get the stain out, concentrate on the grass part of the stain first. Simple Cleaning Solution This is a non-toxic way to clean the grass stain. • Go to your local health food store or pharmacy and purchase a supplemental, digestive enzyme in powder or pill form. • Use 1 teaspoon of the powder and add a little water to make a paste. • Apply the paste to the grass stain, covering the entire area and let sit for one hour. • Wash as you normally would but don’t put it in the dryer yet. Let it air dry to make sure the stain is gone. Dry Cleaning Solvent Test in an inconspicuous spot first then fo...
Read more