Justine Harrington on October 20, 2017 0 Comments How to Get Organized in Your Small Space Every year, thousands of people are making the choice to go tiny. Yes, the tiny house trend is still very much alive. And while living in a tiny home can be wonderful, it can also be tricky to keep clutter at bay. Whether you live in a tiny house, a small apartment, or another simple space, getting and staying organized is crucial to everyday happiness. If you want to stay sane and truly enjoy your small living situation, it’s time to declutter, get organized, and thereby maximize your space. Here, we’ve provided some of our favorite tips and ideas on creating an effective organizational system for your (tiny) home. 1) Try Open Shelving If you live in a teeny-tiny domicile, open shelves can truly be a godsend. Particularly in your kitchen (if it’s short on cupboards and other storage space), open shelves can create an airy and open feel in your home. Creating open shelving under your stairs is also a great use of space – this is often an overlooked part of the home, but there is a lot of potential here for storage. 2) Don’t Stop Purging Before you opted to live in a smaller space, you likely cleansed your closet of excess clothing and did a general purge of all your household items. But, once you make the transition into tiny home living, you shouldn’t stop getting rid of stuff! For every new item (whether it’s clothing, furniture, or an appliance) that you bring into the house, try to get rid of an older item. Otherwise, it can be easy for clutter to build back up again. If you don’t use it or wear it anymore, it’s time for it to go! And on that note… 3) Be Choosy About What You Buy We know how it is. It’s practically impossible to leave Target without some impossibly cute knickknack or soap dish. But, when you live in a tiny home, you have to be selective about what you choose to purchase. This is the only way to keep your home clutter-free and orderly. Ask yourself some strategic questions to help you decide if this is the right decision for you. 4) Get Creative With Your Space Getting creative with the way you view space is everything – particularly for us tiny home dwellers! First, keep in mind that there’s no rule that says you have to use certain areas of your home for specific functions. For example, your closet space can easily be converted into a home office, an office space can be converted into more storage and pantry space if needed… the list goes on. Your home is your own, and you should make any attempt to use every nook and cranny as you see fit and according to your needs. One person’s entryway closet is another person’s kitchen pantry! 5) Create Zones When you live in a tiny space, it’s true that one room usually has to serve several purposes. And this alone can make your home feel instantly cluttered. However, there are ways around this! Creating zones in your home (aka: separate spaces in one room) is a great way to inject some order and organization into your life – which can be a challenging feat when you live in a smaller space. Designate different areas of a room according to their function – the nook under your stairs as your office, a corner of your living room as your dining room, etc. When you think out of the box, the possibilities are infinite! 6) Use Storage Effectively One of the key parts of tiny house living is figuring out how to use your storage space as efficiently as possible. The list of how to do this is endless, and there are tons of great ideas out there for effective storage use. For example, you could buy furniture that doubles as storage containers – such as a coffee table with drawers, or a bed frame with storage space. If you have bikes, hanging them on your walls is both a serious space-saver AND super stylish. If you’re building or designing your own tiny home, you could create lots of nooks specifically for storage purposes. Simple tweaks to the design allows you to include small cubes under the stairs or in other creative areas. There are also plenty of custom-made storage cabinets and drawers that are specifically designed for small spaces. However you decide to use your storage space, just keep in mind that doing so efficiently is inarguably one of the most important parts of living in a tiny house. 7) Maximize Your Closet Space When you go tiny, learning how to efficiently maximize all your storage space is key – as we covered in other organization ideas listed above. And, your closet is likely your number-one storage room in the house, so it’s doubly important to maximize every square inch of storage in this room. There are lots of ways to make extra room for more stuff in your closet. First, try hanging a second rod for extra clothing. Also, make sure to roll all your clothing, as this helps to create more space in your dresser drawers. In addition, open shelving is always a great idea for your closet, as well. Finally, using a shoe rack or bag can help both free up space and help keep your closet organized. 8) Pick Up One simple yet incredibly effective way to get organized? Pick up after yourself! We know this can be easier said than done, but it’s worth the effort. Keeping your space clean is crucial to maintaining an organized look and feel. In particular, one of the biggest detriments to an orderly home is leaving things laying around on the floor. Take a few minutes to quickly clean and pick up the clutter. Repeat after us: Your floor is not a storage space! Take the time and care to pick up your stuff – you’ll likely be amazed at how much better, and more organized, your home will feel. The Bottom Line Keeping your space as organized as possible is extra-important when you’re living in a tiny home, or a small apartment or other mini-dwelling. You have to think more consciously about storage space – simply because there isn’t as much of it anymore! But, by making a few simple changes in your life and in your home, getting organized in your small space is 100% doable.
