I lived in a thirty-two foot long travel trailer for seven years (don’t ask). I’ve done time in studio apartments and one bedroom apartments where the “one bedroom” was actually a closet and someone’s idea of funny advertising.
To say that I’ve required storage over the years would be an understatement. I hate to brag, but I’ve gotten pretty good at creative storage for small places.
Plastic bins are a miracle for anybody in similar situations. My plastic bins hold the dog food; with room for only one dresser a plastic bin holds all of our socks and underwear (we call it the sock box); and there is a three-drawer bin next to the table I use as my desk. It holds all of my office supplies like computer paper, pens, pencils, my calculator, and important folders and documents. It even holds a lot of books, and because it is clear plastic, I arranged all of the books so that the spines face out so that I can read the titles of the books from the outside, and without having to open the drawer. My printer, mouse pad, and mouse sit on top of it.
In small spaces, almost everything needs to serve double duty. If you have room for a coffee table, make sure it has drawers. The entertainment center you set your TV on needs shelves for the DVD player, DVR, gaming systems, etc.
Reuse something you might normally throw away. Plastic butter bowls are great storage containers once they’ve been cleaned, as are coffee cans, empty baby food jars, and mint tins. Remember that in small spaces, creativity will be your saving grace!
In the kitchen, buy a small shelf to put over the back of the sink (they sell them relatively inexpensively at most stores, like Wal-Mart or K-Mart). Use this shelf to put the dishwashing soap, scouring pads, multivitamins, etc. It clears off the counter but still allows easy access to the stuff you use everyday. Also, to clear up cabinet space, store your pots and pans in the oven. Just remember that they are in there before you turn the oven on (personal experience talking).
In the bedroom and bathroom, use the doors! The back of a door can hold an ironing table, a full length mirror, or even your shoes. You can also put hooks onto the doors so that you can hang your coats, housecoats, or towels. In the shower, get a caddy that holds all of your shower stuff such as bottles, brushes, and you can hang your washcloths off of.
When you go shopping, remember what you are shopping for and be realistic. If it is stackable, it is good. If it can be hung from the ceiling, it is useful. If it serves more than one purpose, you need it.
Living in a small space means you need storage, but it doesn’t mean you have to live in tight quarters or in a place full of clutter. Be creative and use everything to its full advantage.
home-inspection
