Organizing a smaller-than-you-hoped house or apartment can be a struggle. You’re probably left wondering how to make the most of your space without making your home seem crowded. Rest easy: it’s possible and affordable!
Here are 9 tips on how to organize when you have little to no space:
- Put pans and small pots in the under-oven drawer.
- Store baking sheets and casserole dishes in the oven.
- Keep baskets within shelves, side tables, or a coffee table.
- Consider adding shelves to closets.
- Store extra clothes or blankets in plastic bins under beds.
- Invest in door-hanging storage.
- Roll clothes into balls to save space in drawers.
- Remove storage you don’t like.
- Declutter your home.
Keep reading to explore the specifics of utilizing the tips suggested above. Hopefully, the process of re-imagining your space will be enjoyable and exciting!
1. Put Pans and Small Pots in the Under-Oven Drawer
Most ovens are equipped with a shallow drawer underneath. This drawer is presumably meant for baking sheets but can also store pans and small pots! Placing pots in this space will free up cabinet space in your kitchen and ensure your pots and pans are right on hand when you want to cook. Here are a few tips to ensure you use the space to your best advantage:
- Ensure the under-oven area doesn’t heat considerably when the oven turns on. If it does, place only entirely-metal pans in the drawer.
- Place the pans with the handles facing inward towards the back of the drawer. Doing so will prevent the handles from jamming the drawer when opened.
- Leave a little space between the top of the pans and the top of the drawer. If you overstuff the drawer, removing the pans will be challenging.
2. Store Baking Sheets and Casserole Dishes in the Oven
The oven is a seldom-used storage space simply by tradition, at least in America. The fear of turning on the oven and burning or scorching pans is legitimate, but with practice, you’ll remember to remove all items before heating the oven!
Consider putting a reminder (like a sticky note) near the temperature setting on the oven for the first few weeks of the arrangement.
Though you may wish to fit more in your newly-discovered oven cabinet, it might be best to put only oven-safe ware in the oven. It isn’t because the oven-safe ware won’t be harmed if you forget it in a hot oven, but because you’re more likely to remember to remove your oven-safe ware when baking because you’ll need it soon.
One downside to this tip is how cluttered your counter may get for the short time you’re baking. If you’re concerned about it, you may need to shuffle some things around to make it less noticeable. Speaking from experience, I’ve found that baking sheets and even casserole dishes on the top of a toaster or fridge attract very little attention.
3. Keep Baskets Within Shelves, Side Tables, or a Coffee Table
Baskets are your new best friend. Wherever you have a shelf, you need to add a basket; baskets are a good way of hiding junk and drawing a room together through color and uniformity. Matching baskets on several shelves across a living room add sophistication and convenience, which you must take advantage of.
These StorageWorks storage baskets (link to Amazon) are a great choice. They’re sold at a reasonable price. These storage bins have many colors and sizes, so choose whatever works best for you and your decorations!
Measure the bookshelves and any other areas you plan on putting a basket – the last thing you want is to buy too many of the wrong sizes. These baskets can be easily staggered in an otherwise busy bookshelf and hide whatever you want. No one needs to know that it holds mittens and scarves that don’t fit in the closet!
Extra Tips for Side-Table and Coffee-Table Storage
Suppose you own a coffee table; it’s far easier to adjust and make it ready for storage than to store it somewhere out of the way. And if you have a coffee table with a shelf under the table-top, all the better! This shelf can be stacked with pretty baskets that hold whatever you need.
You may need to get creative if you don’t have a coffee table with a shelf underneath. Baskets don’t look quite as elegant when placed on the ground, but you can decide whether it’s worth it.
Suppose you don’t own a coffee table; side tables can be even better for storage and convenience. They don’t take up as much space in the living room but still provide a place to set a lamp, a book, or a drink! Most side-tables have a lower shelf, and if you’re in the market, consider buying one that does!
4. Consider Adding Shelves to Closets
Speaking of closets, not everybody can find a good use for the awkward, door-shaped spaces by the entryway. They’re made to hang things in, but most people don’t have enough coats or dresses to warrant such a waste of space. That’s where shelves – either hanging or grounded – come in handy.
Push the coats in your entryway closet to one side, leaving half the space accessible for more. And with your newfound freedom, you can purchase a small bookshelf to store shoes and small jackets.
If you don’t want to put an entire bookshelf in, you can also buy a set of hanging shelves that are good for shoes, mittens, and scarves. Doing so will encourage you to use the space given instead of leaving it to a few coats to rule.
If you’re of a more tool-handy type than I am, you may consider putting permanent shelves in closet spaces yourself. You can buy self-adhesive plastic clips like these Narratorbook shelf clips (link to Amazon) to support a wooden or plastic shelf. Whatever your plan is, you’ll save space in the end!
5. Store Extra Clothes or Blankets in Plastic Bins Under Beds
Most people have warmer clothes for winter and lighter clothes for summer. Often, people don’t want the burden of sweaters in their drawer in the middle of summer, so a place to store them besides the dresser is needed.
Shallow, plastic bins are perfect for sliding underneath a bed. They’re also beneficial for storing anything you don’t need for the season or time. Blankets, old clothes, out-of-season clothes, or extra bed sheets can all fit comfortably in a plastic bin until required.
You Can Fit Many Other Things Under the Bed
A few things fit under a bed beside a storage bin, such as the following:
- Trundle bed: It’s very useful if you don’t have large bedrooms.
- Luggage: You can store it under the bed when you don’t need it and save closet space.
- Collapsed cardboard boxes: Nobody wants to buy cardboard boxes for a move. Collapsing the ones you have and placing them under a bed will ensure you don’t have to see them until packing time.
6. Invest in Door-Hanging Storage
Doors are a seldom-used storage method, but when you’re pressed for space, they’re convenient. It’s easy to hang a long, pocket-filled hanger to the back of any door to save room. Amazon has a variety of choices, such as this cheap Simple Houseware door-hanging shoe organizer (link to Amazon).
Door-hanging storage can be especially useful in closets, bathrooms, and bedrooms. What’s advertised to hold shoes is also perfect for hair brushes, socks, cleaning supplies – anything small that you don’t want cluttering a cabinet or drawer.
You can buy larger hanging storage shelves for closets if you want certain items to be hidden and out-of-the-way. Hardly anyone looks in a stranger’s closet, and no one will care if it’s untidy!
7. Roll Clothes Into Balls To Save Space in Drawers
Most people fold their clothes into rough squares and then stack them in dresser drawers. But if you’ve ever packed for a long vacation with only a carry-on at your disposal, you probably know that squares aren’t the most space-efficient folding method.
Note that it’s much better to fold your clothes once lengthwise and then roll them up like a sleeping bag if you want to save drawer space. It’s easy to stack and stuff t-shirts, tank tops, and shorts especially, and you may even be able to fit your entire summer wardrobe into a single drawer. Pajamas, jeans, and sweatshirts will still be bulkier, but bulky cylinders are still better than squares!
You can use this rolling method for any cloth item, including dish rags, sheets, and towels. With this folding technique, you’ll save a lot of space in cupboards and shelves.
8. Remove Storage You Don’t Like
This article discusses implementing new storage, primarily for small things. But what about your big things: what about your vacuum cleaner, your brooms, your bike? These are traditionally harder-to-store items, but don’t worry; you just need to use your imagination.
Find Space for Tall, Awkward Things
If you’ve arrived in a house or apartment that has shelves in the closet, you may not think you can store more essential items in that closet. However, most shelves – especially in the bathroom – are easily moved and can be easily disposed of. Don’t let the present limitations of your storage mess with your needs.
If you need more space for bigger things, simply rearrange or remove the shelves. It’s your house, and you don’t need to be prevented from storing things how you want by another person’s design.
Rearranging shelves may also have to be done in the kitchen, especially if you don’t have the counter space for heavy items like crockpots and toasters. If your kitchen is completely unchangeable, don’t be afraid to store your heavier appliances in unconventional areas such as closets or bathrooms.
Use Indoor Space To Store Outdoor Things if You Don’t Have a Garage
Now we get to the tricky business of a bike. Truth be told, there aren’t many great places for a bike (or a shovel or a rake) in a small apartment. (Anyone else reminded of that scene from Ratatouille? Just me?) Such an instance may leave you to consider drastic measures.
Rakes and shovels can be stored in your car semi-permanently with minor inconvenience to you as a driver. A bike is more difficult to place, but space won’t elude you if you’re willing to struggle for success.
Mounting a bike on a wall isn’t ideal, but it’s an excellent way to keep it from taking up much space. If you have a small garage, a wall mount might be perfect. Maybe it’s not ideal in a house, but hopefully, it’ll amuse you.
You can also store a bike under a queen bed. Note that you may need to unscrew the handlebars to narrow it, but this method will likely work.
9. Declutter Your Home
Organizing your space becomes easier when you have less stuff lying around – especially stuff you don’t need. Take time to identify what you need and don’t need anymore in the house. Decluttering your home not only makes more space in your home but helps prevent dust and pests (source).
Deciding what should stay and go can be difficult and overwhelming, especially when you come across things of sentimental value. But if these things no longer serve a purpose and you’re ready to let them go, consider giving them away if they’re still in good condition.
Schedule a good time for spring cleaning. Spring cleaning is one of the best times to purge things that are collecting dust and reorganize your home! Invite your family and friends to help out if you like.
If you need inspiration, Joshua Becker from the blog Becoming Minimalist has plenty of good tips for decluttering.
Conclusion
You’re probably a little overwhelmed by all this talk of shelves, baskets, and tight spaces. But the feeling won’t last once you realize how much space you can save with these tips. And who knows – you may be in an entirely different situation in a year or two, but you will still have these tools!
Hopefully, you won’t be pressed for space long and that the process of rearranging is stress-relieving.
Declutter your home once and for all (Even if you have no time and don't know where to begin)! Learn More.
