Using "Space Savers" to Get Better Organized

If your home or apartment is a bit on the small side, you might find it is especially challenging to get it organized. Small living spaces can often be difficult to organize properly, because there's only so much room in which to work. If you'd like to get your small home or apartment better organized, here are some handy ways to make space savers work for you.

Hidden Storage Space

Utilizing furniture pieces and other household items that provide hidden storage space can be a great way to get better organized. Although these items work well in any size of living space, they can be absolutely indispensable in a small home. Storage benches and coffee tables with tops that lift or slide off can be a great way to maximize your home's storage capacity. Platform beds that include drawers in the base can also be a great solution. End tables and small stands that feature built-in cabinets and drawers can also be a great option.

If your existing furniture pieces do not offer hidden storage and new furniture is not in your decorating budget, you can always improvise. For example, try using a few low-profile plastic bins under your bed to provide plenty of dust-free storage space. Over-the-door organizers can be used on the inside of closet doors and on the backside of room doors to maximize your storage options.

Decorative boxes, bins and baskets can also be used throughout your home to provide attractive storage space. For example, a row of decorative boxes in the living room could be used to store craft projects, family games, children's toys or hobby equipment. In the kitchen, try hanging decorative baskets on the walls to hold kitchen utensils, tea bags, spices, and other supplies. The baskets will add a decorative look to the kitchen while also freeing up valuable space on your countertop surface.

Creative Storage Solutions

If you keep your eyes open, you'll find plenty of handy devices on the market today that can help you save storage space. For example, there are air-tight bags that can be used for blanket, bedding and clothing storage. Once you place the items inside, use a vacuum to suck out the air. This process will compact and compress the items, thus providing you with a much smaller item to store. You can also use tiered clothes hangers in order to store multiple clothing items in the same amount of space you're currently using to store just one.

Off-Site Storage

If you simply do not have enough living space, you might need to consider off-site storage. For example, your seasonal clothing and holiday decorations might be taking up valuable space that could be better used for other purposes. If you can't find enough room in the basement, attic or spare closet, perhaps an economical storage unit might be the perfect solution. Many people are surprised how much storage space even a small unit can provide. If you are on a tight budget or if you only have a few bulky items that you'd like to store, ask your friends if they'd like to share a unit. Or, you might even find that one of your friends will offer to store your off-season items in their own storage shed, basement or attic.