We don’t all have giant homes, lots of storage, or the option for additional hiding spots in an exterior garage or workshop. But that does not mean that our homes cannot be organized and our space maximized. Read on to learn more:
Evaluating your current space.
Before you can make any changes, it pays to spend a few moments to evaluate your current space. Do you currently have boxes taking up room in the closet? Do you even know what’s in them or why you have them in the first place? Sometimes, to have more space, all you really have to do is get rid of the stuff that you don’t need or want. When you know what you have that you don’t need, you can begin to make a plan to purge. A great tip here is to have a yard sale – Happiness is Homemade offers tips on how to get the most money from your unwanted belongings.
Organize your home office.
Your home office may be the source of great joy and also the source of much stress. On one hand, you don’t have a commute, and you can likely work in your pajamas. On the other, work is always ever-present, and you may feel obligated to work off the clock. Having a neat and tidy office is a great way to jumpstart your home organization efforts. A few tips here are to digitize paper records and maintain an efficient planning and scheduling system.
Go vertical with your storage.
We tend to think that storage space is the same thing as floor space. Fortunately, we are wrong. There are many ways that you can store things without them getting underfoot. A few ideas here include hanging baskets, peg boards, bookcases, repurposed hanging shoe racks, and hooks of varying sizes throughout the home.
Get creative and really good at hiding.
When you start to run out of wall space, it’s time to get good at hiding. A storage ottoman is an excellent addition to your living room, and it will help you keep those blankets off the couch and out of the way. If you don’t mind a little bit of work, you can also install medicine cabinets throughout the home and hide them with family photos. For those of you who like pillows and stuffed animals, you can always make your own bean bag chair cover to hold these items so that they can be thrown into the corner without looking out of place. According to the Gathered blog, you’ll need fabric and a basic sewing kit along with a sewing machine and a DIY pattern.
Add storage to the stairs.
While many of us have a small closet underneath the stairs, there is a good chance that the spaces are not being fully utilized. You can add drawers to the steps or even create a play area for the kids that’s completely out from underfoot. Depending on the layout of your staircase, you may even be able to fit a small desk up to an entire home office in the void underneath.
Create a cleaning schedule.
There is no cleaning schedule that works perfectly for everyone. What’s important is that you keep your home clean. Make a point to clean one room each day. When you can’t devote the time to do an entire room, do one big thing, such as sweep, vacuum, or empty the dishwasher. The more organized your home stays each day, the easier it is to keep it that way for the long run.
Ultimately, keeping your home organized is the best way to maximize your space. Even if you don’t have that much room to move around, there are creative options, such as digitizing your work records, using pegboard, and taking advantage of the space under the stairs that can help you make the most of what’s available to you.
Image via Pexels