Whether you’re moving into a smaller apartment, helping a college freshman move into a dorm, or creating a home office in an extra closet, organizing and creating storage space in a small area can be a challenge.

Using these easy steps, you’ll find that organizing a small space can be simple and stress-free.

First, use a journal to get a handle on your specific organization issues. Identify specific reasons you are confined to a small space and think of how you can overcome those problems.

• Consider renting a storage space. If the move to a more confined space is only temporary, you may want to rent a storage facility rather than getting rid of items you’ll miss when you’re back to normal-sized spaces.
• Define your floor plan. Is your small space a home office, bedroom, bathroom or closet? Describe available space with approximate dimensions – then, inventory your essentials. Can they fit in your defined spaces? Consider getting rid of any extras to make room for those essential items.
• Reduce clutter. Anything you can live without should be recycled, thrown out, or donated to charity. You may also want to consider having a yard sale.

Now you’re ready to use these storage strategies to help you organize your small space:

• The furniture has it:
  Buy a bed designed for small spaces like a Murphy bed or a futon. One or two big pieces of furniture can make spaces look bigger rather than several small pieces scattered throughout the room.

  Tip: Buy a drop leaf table. These can be folded down for use as a desk, and left up for dinner parties.

• Portable possibilities:
  Put rolling casters on legs of furniture so it can be moved to create more space.

  Tip: A caddy or bucket placed under the sink or stored in a cabinet out of sight can hold utensils or seldom-used items.

• When in doubt, wall mount:
  Even frequently used items can be wall mounted using heavy-duty hooks. They’ll decorate your room while they save space.

• Super space savers:
  Vacuum-seal bags can be used to greatly reduce bulk of large blankets, thick sweaters, mattress pads or duvet covers. Over the door hooks and racks can be used to store shoes or small items.

  Tip:Containers are a great way to hold several items in one place instead of leaving them scattered around the house. Measure the space available for container storage before buying – choose large containers for the closet, and smaller ones for shelves or bookcases.

• Under bed or overhead:
  Both great ways to store items without taking up valuable floor space. Get slender drawers or boxes to store items under the bed. Or, use separators to organize existing closet shelves.

  Tip: Build a loft to create more storage overhead. You can even keep your mattress up there and make it a sleeping loft.

• Visualize your space:
  Store all your items in one or two areas to open up space and reduce the feeling of clutter. Separate areas of a room using freestanding decorative screens.

  Tip: The back of a bookshelf can be covered with fabric and used as a headboard and visually separates a studio apartment.

• Go above and beyond:
  Get a 7-foot tall bookcase and put baskets for small items, file folders, and papers on the top shelf.

2 Responses to “Big Ideas For Small Spaces”

1. Marica Russell says:

   August 10, 2009 at 11:20 am

   You missed the biggest tip. For Under the sink storage use a kitty litter box. When there is a leak all one does is pull out the box.

   AND CHANGE THE FONT COLOR IN THIS BOX AND IN YOUR ON LINE OFFERINGS IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE !! CHOOSE NAVY BUT NOT THIS WEAK GRAY

   iF I CANT READ THE MERCHANIDISE WHY WOULD I ORDER FROM YOU

   Reply
   • admin says:

     October 1, 2009 at 11:21 am

     Thank you for your feedback. The Solutions Blog had a very significant re-design in September of 2009. We hope that our readers find the site very easy to see and navigate.

     Reply