This is a great article for small space living! Even if your space it bigger all of these ideas would be smart to try. :)
Small Space Survival Strategies
Photo: NZ Alex
While living in a smaller space can be a great way to simplify your life and reduce overhead costs, the process of reducing and cramming our worldly possessions into drastically reduced square footage allotments can be frustrating to say the least. Following are twelve suggestions to help you succeed with small space living.
- Under shelf storage space use. You can really get some extra storage mileage here by hanging things underneath every available shelf with extra space on the bottom side. In the kitchen, this means more room for coffee mugs, cooking utensils and the odd gravy boat. In the bathroom, it can mean moving hair dryers and curling irons out of storage space better used for bulk tissue and shampoo purchases.
- Closet organizers. Lots of products are out there on the market now. Pick some that work for your space and budget. You’ll be amazed how much more you can cram into a small closet with a few extra organizational tools.
- Ceiling racks, they’re not just for kitchens. The most dramatic difference I’ve ever found with ceiling storage (in addition to the extra pots and pans storage in the kitchen) is in the garage or workshop type rooms. Cruise your local home improvement box store. You’ll find all sorts of support racks to hold holiday decorations, bicycles, lawn tools and more.
- Grouping categories of smaller items together in larger containers. This can mean large freezer bags, giant jars or clear plastic storage bins with snap on lids. How much easier is it if all the extra chord adapters for example are in one clear bag in a drawer rather than all tumbling about mixed in with other things? This also works for such items as flavored baking extracts, nail polish bottles, twist ties and bread tabs, etc. One thing we’ve been using for the first time this year is those galvanized steel rectangular bins that look like the old fashioned pull out locker drawers. You can find them in the organizational aisle at your home improvement store. They take a licking and keep on ticking. We have a couple on industrial shelving unit in the front room for things like mending and clear freezer bags full of electronic adapters and gadgets. Following the container principle can help you feel organized instead of cluttered.
- Wall storage. You can use anything from peg board and hooks to specialized hanging racks from the home and garden store. DIY shelving is another great idea to use up wall space to its maximum. One thing I saw years ago in a design magazine that I’m hoping to incorporate in the new place when it goes up was storage shelves that were actually built in using the space between the wall studs. It had been finished off to look quite nice and some of them were even lighted. The only trick was of course that you could not use exterior walls that need to be insulated or sections of the walls that hold pipes / wires. But this was a great way to store narrow / shallow items without losing any floor space whatsoever. Some things they showed stored? CD’s, wine glasses, bar glasses, smaller statues / figurines and other works of art, narrow books, etc. The best thing I liked about these (in addition to the no floor space used part, that is) was that they had glass doors with the touch latches on them. So no dusting and a large flat surface that was easy to clean with a spray bottle of solution and a soft cloth. I think wall storage is extra efficient because it incorporates the “go vertical” strategy, which leaves you way more room to actually move around and “live”.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
- Pare down. This includes everything. Clothing, decorative items, books (you caught me, I’m a total literature hussy), linens, and anything that is normally bulky. This will free up room for actual living and storage of necessary items for your particular lifestyle.
- The space between your counter top and the bottom of your cupboards. Towel bars and s-hooks are a great way to hang necessary kitchen items within easy reach. I’m sure there are items in many different stores, but I’ve always found Ikea to have a good selection of these types of solution world wide.
- Follow the like in like out principle. If a new item comes into the house, like a sweater or souvenir coffee mug, make sure something similar goes out either to the recycling center, Goodwill, to a friend or if necessary to the dump. This will keep you from re-establishing clutter after you have put forth the effort to downsize. (I’ll have to keep you posted on how well I actually do with that one myself. So far, not bad.)
- Under the bed. This storage real estate is underused much of the time. I know some people feel it helps them sleep better if the space under the bed is empty. Personally, I sleep better when I know I have more control over my financial situation and am living within my means. But if you feel strongly about this, then there are plenty of other suggestions here for you to try.
- Corner organizational tools. I’ve seen way more of these on the market lately, or at least it seems that way. Corner organizers for dish cupboards, showers, kids’ rooms . . . I’ve been amazed as I’ve been trying to find ways to function in what feels like less than a matchbox most days. Corners are often not used to their maximum efficiency (this included me) and any affordable organizing tools can be worth their weight in gold for the small space dweller.
- Research the small space furniture market. There are tons of items out there that are multifunctional when it comes to storage. Ottomans, chairs, coffee tables with lift off tops and storage compartments, end tables and day beds with rolling storage baskets underneath are all items I’ve seen while researching ways to get more bang for each square foot. For years, I never realized the round display tables for photographs and crystal that my grandmother had around her house were actually garbage cans with wooden circles on top and floor length fabric draped over the top. It was where she kept out of season clothing, extra wheat and more. Who knew?
- Open up . . . your floor plan that is. Extra rooms can really result in a great deal of unused space. While this is of concern to most people anyway, it’s of particular note when dealing with low square footage homes.
That’s it. One dozen ways to survive in a small space without completely losing your mind. Hey, once you’re organized you might even find you enjoy it. And for sure you’ll be saving yourself some serious bread. Pretty wise, wouldn’t you say?
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You know, I have to agree with you there. These ideas do help even in bigger spaces because it helps you keep focused on staying organized and the smart use of the larger space to create more room for other activities. I especially like the multifunctional furniture and the rods with s-hooks over the counter. Those really helped a great deal when we lived in Italy. Although we had a slightly larger place by Italian standards, it really wasn't equipped with the closet space that as Americans we are used to homes having. So using space efficiently and finding pieces that served more than one function were both critical issues. Thanks for commenting. Glad you enjoyed it!
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/strategies-for-surviving-in... that link is to something that is almopst word for word what you said i think they stole it from you and used diff pics
Even though it's geared toward people who own a home, I've found that the Not-So-Big House series by Sarah Susanka has some great ideas to encourage the small-living line of thinking.
Also, while Ikea is awesome for storage and organizational needs, be careful that you're not spending in excess of what you need! I'm very guilty of that because I go in and think "Oohhh! Neat - I need that to store this" when I already have a suitable storage solution for that item, and am just seduced by the new and pretty ideas Ikea has to offer.
ReadyMade, RealSimple, and other similar magazines can offer many inexpensive ideas for home de-cluttering. Save money and stop by your local library for back issues, or scour your local book resale shop for old copies of these magazines, usually at half price or less! Then share your copies with friends!
Having said all that, home organization can be fun and creative! Good luck!
I've seen Real Simple, but I've never heard of Ready Made or the Not So Big House series. I'll have to give that a review. Thanks for chiming in!
Speaking of small spaces, the Japanese are the winners of how to store things in small spaces (and to make spaces where there were none before). See the book below for some great photos and diagrams...I had no idea!
The Very Small Home: Japanese Ideas for Living Well in Limited Space by Azby Brown
As always, save some money by putting it on hold at your library or request thru your library's inter-library loan program if they don't carry it. Ask your local librarian for details (we are lucky that our local library has everything online, and it's just a matter of putting a book on hold and waiting for the email to say it came in).
One thing we had to do was when our 2 year old came out of her crib to a big girl bed was to buy better furniture that suited the needs better. We had a bunk bed for our girls, and the plan had been for the 2 year old to move into the bottom bunk- but storage was still an issue.
We ultimately Freecycled the bunk bed and bought two single beds that are raised up to allow for dresser space underneath. Works so much better! We repurposed the dresser from their room for storage elsewhere and added more shelving storage for dolls, toys, etc.
You are right on. Functional furniture pieces become even more important with the arrival of a child (or two). Thanks for taking time out of your busy day to join us and share ideas.
Great article, and I'm always interested in new ideas since we bought a 625 sq. ft. home in order to "simplify" life.
One thing we did in our renovations was completely eliminated all the kitchen cupboards. In such a small space, I felt traditional cupboards looked very "oppressive" and overwhelming. Plus, I'm not even 5 foot 2 so I can't reach into most of them anyway!
We store pots and pans (the few that we have) low where I can reach them, and we only have enough dishes for the two of us, so all that space would just encourage piles of junk to form.
We're still in the middle of the renos, so our design isn't totally worked out yet, but we're going to employ minimal, open shelving instead of upper cabinets so that it will encourage us to only keep what we can bear to look at every day! Part of small living is, as you say, reducing non-essentials -- not finding more places to hide them! :)
Glad to be of assistance. And congratulations on simplifying your life! It's hard to do, but things really do come into perspective that way. Good luck with the renovations!
Any chance you could post a picture of the "round display tables" your grandmother has, both with the tablecloth down, and a peek under the skirt at the can and lid?
All I can picture are the sturdy rubbermaid 32 gallon trash cans with rounded lids and integrated handles, and they aren't nearly as dainty as your description! :-)
I don't have an image unfortunately. But let me see if I can describe it more accurately. It probably helps at first to only picture a round top table with a floor length skirt. Since there are many different heights of tables / containers out there, you can always pick out whatever size you want. The first trick is to not necessarily get one with large integrated handles (unless they are well below the top lid, but I don't think you'll need them). Then, store the lid the container comes with in the attic or wherever in case you need it when you move later.
The top for the display table is actually a round piece of wood slightly larger (but not too much larger or it'll be tippy) than the diameter of the garbage can / container. You can get them pre-cut in rounds in cheap fiber wood at your local box store such as Home Depot or Lowes. On the underside, attach an "X" shape using thin boards at least a half inch thick. The "X" should fit just inside the diameter of the inside top edge of the storage container. It's this addition that keeps the round piece from tipping off the top. Now drape whatever design of fabric you want over the top in a size large enough to reach the floor all the way around.
Basically, you can have anything from a galvanized garbage can on wheels to one of those round RubberMaid containers. It doesn't really matter because it won't show. Great for those corners where you only want to stick a plant or a selection of family photos . . . or maybe a statue or bust from art class. If round end tables float your boat, you could use this idea there too, with a shorter container.
If making these tables is too much of a headache for you, I've also used multiple coordinating hand stamped Iranian tapestry cloths to cover such high end furniture as a stack of those cardboard and brass department store footlockers leftover from my college years and a couple of two drawer file cabinets that served as end tables when we had just finished using every last dime to buy our first house. Because the fabric was so flowy (is that a word?) and ethnic, no one noticed at all. I used the stack of footlockers as an entry table with ethnic candle holders, a handwoven Indonesian basket for keys and some travel pics from one our vacations in Europe. We sprung for really nice eclectic style lamps and had a few nice containers for things like remotes. Like I said the extra thousand bucks we would have spent on the pieces I wanted went to closing costs. But these got us by fine until we could afford to upgrade. I even had neighbors ask me why I got rid of my "fabulous old set of furniture". I had to fess up and tell the truth. They were shocked. I think the key here is to allow yourself a luscious fabric choice and don't try to cheap it out. But hey, if you get a great deal on a remnant . ..
Hope this helps!
Thanks! That's a perfect description, and the wood X on the underside of the "table top" to keep from sliding is something I would not have thought of.
Hmm. I just went and checked it out. There is at the very least a tiny link back to Wise Bread at the bottom. Definitely though, thanks for letting us know.
My husband and I lived in a converted garage, a 17' x 20' space with bathroom, kitchenette, living and sleeping area for 25 years, for financial reasons. Anyway, being organized is KEY. We have recently moved to a space 4 times larger, but my organizational skills have paid off here too. Examples, have only the pots and pans you will use, there is no need to have a 40 pc set, same with drinking glasses, I don't need to store 8 juice, 8 high-ball, 8 tumblers, 8 medium size glasses work for all situations. Your ideas are all wonderful and I am sure came with experience, trial and error and a lot of "um.....let me think a minute", moments.
Um, let me think about it is EXACTLY what comes out of my mouth! How did you know? That 17 X 20 converted garage sounds interesting. And definitely you are right about the organization thing.
I know one thing we are definitely considering now is, when out things get out of storage, which other ones can we get rid of, and which ones should we consider swapping for more space efficient models or which ones are available with storage. This means more of a cash outlay, so we will have to make some precision decisions and space them out over time. However, I think in the long run our sanity will be worth it.
Great article! One thing that I've learned is that before organizing, it's so very important to pare down to the minimum and most valued of anything. Anyone can organize loads of stuff by buying organizing (aka more) stuff, but I've been most successful in smaller living by critically examining each item I own (keep/purge). Then I've thought about whether I needed anything that I didn't already have or could borrow to organize. (Borrowing is also a great way to check out any purchases before actually buying.) Keep up the great work!
Hi Tina,
I totally agree with paring down to the most important things first. It's a time consuming taks to be sure, but worth it. Also, I've noticed that for us this is best done in stages. Whittling down the obvious stuff in the first round, then coming back to take a second look in a few weeks usually results in being able to release items you didn't realize should go the first time.
