Small space living has its perks – it’s cozy and easy to maintain. But it also has some downsides, especially when it comes to organization and storage. Whether you have a small home, apartment, or condo, finding enough space to store all your belongings can be a challenge. It may feel like you’re dealing with constant clutter.

If you can relate to this conundrum, you’re in luck, as we're tackling small space storage this week.

Declutter Regularly

Before you start tackling your storage problems, you’ll want to declutter and get in the habit of doing it regularly. When space is tight, you don’t have room to keep unnecessary household items. Say goodbye to everything that you don’t use and focus on the essentials.

By taking stock of your possessions and the things that take up space in your home on a regular basis, you can avoid clutter from piling up. You’ll then be in a good position to really make every inch of available space count.

Invest in Multifunctional Furniture With Storage

One of the best ways to incorporate storage into almost any room in your home is to buy furniture that has built-in storage. They help you stay organized while still working as functional furniture. For the bedroom, you can get a bed frame with drawers underneath, or a bench with built-in storage. For the living room opt for couches, coffee tables, or ottomans that have integrated storage compartments.

In many of these pieces, the storage element is hidden, so they’re great for tucking away things that you only use sporadically or would otherwise look messy if left out.

Take Advantage of All Nooks and Crannies

Small and oddly shaped spaces often go unused because either standard-sized furniture doesn’t fit or it’s just hard to know how to work with the space. Get creative and start thinking about practical ways you can use these spaces as storage solutions.That extra area under the stairs may be perfect for a coat closet to stash shoes, bags, backpacks – anything you may need handy on your way out the door.

Do you have empty space over your cabinets in the kitchen? You could build additional cabinetry or use this area as extra shelving for small kitchen appliances and dishware. What about a kitchen island that’s not reaching its full potential? Build in some drawers and cupboards to house your kitchenware.

To really maximize any type of cabinetry think about adding toe kick drawers. That space between cabinets and the floor often goes unused. You can store household tools, baking sheets, cutting boards, and more.

An empty nook may be a great spot for banquet seating with built-in storage. Or think about where you can add other custom built-ins throughout your home to really maximize the space available. Maybe you can use the empty wall space around and over doorways. It’s another often overlooked area that could be a good spot to integrate extra cabinetry or shelving.

What about that awkward space between the toilet and the wall or vanity in your bathroom? It may look too small to be of any use, but it can be the perfect spot for a narrow cabinet or basket to store toiletries. Perhaps you need more shelving in your bathroom but are short on available space. A window sill or shower ledge can double as a great shelf. To take it to another level, create a vertical built-in shelving display.

Keep Bookcases and Shelving Proportional

When incorporating bookcases and shelving in a smaller space, the proportion is something to keep in mind. A large bookcase or entertainment center can be too bulky in a smaller room and make the room feel cramped and smaller. If you want similar functionality without the bulk consider wall-to-wall open shelving instead, it’s a slimmer alternative that offers plenty of storage potential. It’s also a fun design feature, allowing you to add personality to the room.

Not to say you can’t go with prefabricated shelving units for a smaller office or living space, you’ll just want to measure carefully and ensure it’s proportionate to the space.

Consider How to Best Use Vertical Space for Storage

In smaller homes, vertical space is your friend. You’ll make practical use of space that would otherwise just go to waste. There are so many ways you can take advantage of blank wall space for storage and create more floor space around your home.

Look for over-the-door hanging solutions. The inside of closet and cabinet doors are great to utilize for hanging storage space. Think about hanging a shoe rack on a closet door, hanging baskets inside a pantry door, or an organizer on the inside of a bathroom vanity door or kitchen cupboards. Once you start looking for door-hanging solutions you’ll be surprised to find there are so many options out there. The best thing is, everything stays hidden when the doors are closed, so you’d never know they were there.

Find a place to hang pots and pans in the kitchen. Rather than have them take up cabinet space. We love the look of hanging copper pots.

Think about where you can best use hooks and shelving throughout your home. Maximize closet space with a combination of both hooks and shelving. Or perhaps you don’t have a closet near your entry, so create a hook and shelving system instead. Open shelving can be a lot more space efficient than bulky cabinets and combined with baskets, just as functional.

Look for opportunities to create in-wall or recessed shelving and closets. In bedrooms and bathrooms where space is limited, a wall that just has empty space behind it can be turned into a handy and discrete storage space.

Say Hello to Baskets

We believe you can never have enough baskets. Ok maybe you can, but seriously we love baskets. Not only do they look great, but they’re the perfect solution for hiding away anything you don’t want out in the open – from books, toys, electronics, and more.

You can use them in every room in your home. They can be styled on shelves, under a console table or bench, hidden under the bed, or in the closet. They also come in an endless range of sizes and style options, so you know you can find baskets to suit your needs.

Make Use of Bins and Organizational Products

Most baskets are stylish and meant to be seen, but other organizational solutions may not be. Plastic or metal bins are not always aesthetically pleasing, but they can still be used in closets, cupboards, and drawers to tackle clutter and keep your home organized.

For a small bathroom, we love a cute storage cart if you have a pedestal sink or are short on vanity space. Not only is it a great way to show off fragrances, skincare, or beauty products but it’s so convenient too.

Think outside the box. You may find another use for organization tools other than their original purpose. Like a file holder may work in your closet to keep accessories organized.

The bottom line is to keep an open mind and look for creative ways to use your spaces. For more on this topic check our design solutions for small spaces.

Need help creating custom organizational solutions? At AHG Interiors we have experience designing all sorts of spaces from houses with massive square footage to cozy apartments and condos. No matter the size of your space, we’ll create a custom design, completely unique to you – your preferences, needs, and lifestyle. Contact us today to get started.

7 Creative Storage Solutions for Small Spaces