9 Organising Lessons We Can Learn From Tiny Spaces
Furnishing a small room? Live in a tiny apartment? These nine clever tips will make every millimetre count
How do you make a cramped room work without sacrificing style? The trick is to be super-organised, to furnish your home cleverly and to beef up storage. Try these nine neat ideas for an uncluttered, space-enhanced home.
2. Work around architecture
Just because there’s a flight of stairs leading up to a doorway doesn’t mean your shelving can’t carry right on up them. In other words, the architecture of your home shouldn’t hamper your needs – in many cases you just need to work around it.
Here, the designers have made the most of the whole wall both above and below the desk. By using open shelving rather than solid cupboards, they’ve kept the area feeling light and bright.
Space Savers: Under-Stair Storage Ideas to Steal
Just because there’s a flight of stairs leading up to a doorway doesn’t mean your shelving can’t carry right on up them. In other words, the architecture of your home shouldn’t hamper your needs – in many cases you just need to work around it.
Here, the designers have made the most of the whole wall both above and below the desk. By using open shelving rather than solid cupboards, they’ve kept the area feeling light and bright.
Space Savers: Under-Stair Storage Ideas to Steal
3. Build hidden storage into furniture
If space is at a premium, building fitted furniture into your scheme – whether shelves or a window seat – will ensure every last millimetre is useful.
If you’re going to create a window seat such as this one, don’t miss the opportunity to hide storage inside it. Cupboards or drawers that can be accessed from the front are ideal and can be used for everything from out-of-season clothes to home-office files. Failing that, a lift-up lid can also do the job.
Browse more wonderful window seat designs in modestly sized spaces
If space is at a premium, building fitted furniture into your scheme – whether shelves or a window seat – will ensure every last millimetre is useful.
If you’re going to create a window seat such as this one, don’t miss the opportunity to hide storage inside it. Cupboards or drawers that can be accessed from the front are ideal and can be used for everything from out-of-season clothes to home-office files. Failing that, a lift-up lid can also do the job.
Browse more wonderful window seat designs in modestly sized spaces
4. Free up drawer space
In this small kitchen, all the everyday items are readily available on hooks or shelves.
The bonus, other than convenience, is that it frees up drawer space for less useful and unattractive items. The other pro is that a small kitchen without wall units will feel larger. Win win.
In this small kitchen, all the everyday items are readily available on hooks or shelves.
The bonus, other than convenience, is that it frees up drawer space for less useful and unattractive items. The other pro is that a small kitchen without wall units will feel larger. Win win.
5. Don’t be lured by convention
Most of us have bedside tables that stop at mattress height. But what about all that wall space above (remember the tip about vertical storage)?
Instead, consider having bedside tables with wall-hung cabinets above them designed to maximise your storage opportunities. The ones shown here are big enough to hold plenty of clothes. If you choose a bed with storage, too, you’ll effortlessly keep your bedroom neat.
Most of us have bedside tables that stop at mattress height. But what about all that wall space above (remember the tip about vertical storage)?
Instead, consider having bedside tables with wall-hung cabinets above them designed to maximise your storage opportunities. The ones shown here are big enough to hold plenty of clothes. If you choose a bed with storage, too, you’ll effortlessly keep your bedroom neat.
6. Make a place for everything
When you’re designing storage, you have to create it for a specific purpose. Why? That way it’ll get used properly – possibly by even the messiest members of the family.
In this hallway, there’s room for a family’s coats, shoes, gloves, hats and, CDs (remember them?) – all hidden neatly away behind cupboard doors.
When you’re designing storage, you have to create it for a specific purpose. Why? That way it’ll get used properly – possibly by even the messiest members of the family.
In this hallway, there’s room for a family’s coats, shoes, gloves, hats and, CDs (remember them?) – all hidden neatly away behind cupboard doors.
7. Embrace open shelving
In the smallest of spaces, having everything within reach makes up for most frustration caused by the cramped quarters. And having objects close by means, where possible, no doors on your storage units, which helps make small spaces feel larger by adding depth.
Aim for purpose-built shelving created to your specifications or, better still, shelving that you can adjust as your needs change – because they will. Future-proofing is king.
In the smallest of spaces, having everything within reach makes up for most frustration caused by the cramped quarters. And having objects close by means, where possible, no doors on your storage units, which helps make small spaces feel larger by adding depth.
Aim for purpose-built shelving created to your specifications or, better still, shelving that you can adjust as your needs change – because they will. Future-proofing is king.
8. Use your imagination
Never one to pass up a space-saving opportunity, this homeowner has created a laundry area and pet haven in one – all under the stairs. A solution like this will free up space in the kitchen (not to mention on the sofa).
To up the ante in a space such as this, you could try hanging a foldaway drying rack on the side wall of the recessed nook.
Dirty Laundry: 11 Functional Storage Spaces in Tricky Places
Never one to pass up a space-saving opportunity, this homeowner has created a laundry area and pet haven in one – all under the stairs. A solution like this will free up space in the kitchen (not to mention on the sofa).
To up the ante in a space such as this, you could try hanging a foldaway drying rack on the side wall of the recessed nook.
Dirty Laundry: 11 Functional Storage Spaces in Tricky Places
9. Go crazy with labels
So far, all the chat has been about investing in clever storage or reimagining furniture. But however organised your approach to storage, it’s all for nothing if you don’t keep the contents of your storage areas in good order.
So, embrace labels. Choose cute ones for food jars, or sticky ones on vacuum-pack bags storing out-of-season bedding or clothing. By labelling everything, you’ll be able to find what you’re looking for in no time.
Tell us
What organising lessons have you gleaned from living in a small space? Share your ideas in the Comments below, save this article and the images for inspiration, and join the conversation.
More
Craving customised storage solutions for your home? Find a home storage designer or professional organiser near you
So far, all the chat has been about investing in clever storage or reimagining furniture. But however organised your approach to storage, it’s all for nothing if you don’t keep the contents of your storage areas in good order.
So, embrace labels. Choose cute ones for food jars, or sticky ones on vacuum-pack bags storing out-of-season bedding or clothing. By labelling everything, you’ll be able to find what you’re looking for in no time.
Tell us
What organising lessons have you gleaned from living in a small space? Share your ideas in the Comments below, save this article and the images for inspiration, and join the conversation.
More
Craving customised storage solutions for your home? Find a home storage designer or professional organiser near you
Too often, shelving stops at a dado or picture-rail height, leaving the wall above as a wasted opportunity. So aim high – right up to the ceiling and even over a doorway.
The upside to putting shelves on the doorway wall? It will provide masses of storage, and because the shelves are hidden from view as you enter, the room will still feel airy and spacious.