There seems to be a tiny house phenomenon sweeping the nation, with numerous TV shows and Pinterest boards galore featuring these mini abodes. Though a tiny house might not be for everyone, they are good examples of how to use practical organization in small spaces.
Some people use the excuse that they don’t have enough space as a reason for why they have clutter or are unorganized but the truth is sometimes we just have too much stuff. In fact, we only use 20% of the things we own and 80% of the clutter in our home is a result of disorganization, and not lack of space. So let’s explore ways to declutter and organize based on the space we have.
Declutter
The first step to creating order in a small space is to make sure you have sorted through your items and only kept the items you use regularly and are sure you want. Remember that 80% of the things you own you don’t use so make sure you use the items you are keeping. If you have questions on this declutter process reference our 5 steps of organizing.
Dual purpose
There are so many 2-in-1 products on the market today, like the ironing board that is also a step stool or the camping chair that turns into a tent. These 2-in-1 items are great space savers when it comes to storage.
With this 2-in-1 idea in mind, try to think of items around your house that you can use for multiple purposes. We don’t expect you to discover the next best thing, but something simple like using your large serving bowl as a fruit bowl will free up some cabinet space and allow you to get rid of extra bowls you don’t use.
We also love dual purpose furniture, like an ottoman that can store various items as well as provide extra seating when needed. Think about other furniture pieces that might have a place for storage like under the bed or dresser.
Create Storage Space
When you don’t think your space provides you with enough storage, look around to see where storage could be added. Kitchen cabinets are great storage units but sometimes they aren’t enough. Adding spice racks to the inside of the cabinets gives you more space in the cabinet and makes it easier to find the spices you are looking for. You can also add command hooks to hang grilling tools, oven mitts or cookware tops.
Look around, do you have any blank wall space? Think about hanging large cutting boards, serving platters or even add shelves for additional storage. You can also hang decorative boxes to store as well as display items.
Also, don’t forget to look up. Though your space may not be large, see if there is any room vertically. There may be useable space for shelves above a doorway or even above cabinets. These high spaces are out of the way and good place to store items you don’t use very often.
Don’t over buy
Like we said before, sometimes we just have too much stuff and it’s important to keep this in mind when you go shopping. This might mean that going to a wholesale store and buying bulk packages of items isn’t ideal when you don’t have the space to store them. When you are running low on these items, check out your local grocery store’s weekly deals for a sale that will save you just as much as buying bulk but doesn’t require the storage.
Though we are not following the trend of building tiny houses we still believe it’s important to remember bigger isn’t always better! Organization is possible in any home, small or large. It’s just about making it work with what you have. So next time you use the excuse that you don’t have enough space, sort through your clutter and look around to see what you can do to create storage.
