7 Ways to Maximize Space and Get Your Home Organized

7 Ways to Maximize Space in a Small Home or Apartment

With the New Year approaching, you'll soon be into cleaning and organizing again.

If you're like me, you may already be thinking ahead to a few changes you want to make to maximize the square footage in your home.

Let's review some creative ideas:

1. Chairs that Convert to a Bed

That's right; there are chairs that fold open and turn into a bed. These are ideal for small apartments or small rooms where you need a place for company to crash. Here are some examples of various styles; some unfold, some fold down, and others sit and fold directly onto the floor.

2. End Tables That Double as a Pet Crate

These are especially handy for smaller homes. They're an excellent solution for apartment dwellers with pets. They range in style, design, and color. Put one or two on either side of the couch, and you now have a place for the fur babies and coffee tables all in one piece.

3. Plano Storage Unit for Crafts and Supplies

Wednesday Elf from ReviewThisReviews discusses how she uses the Plano Storage Unit to organize her crafting supplies. If you're not interested in spending too much money but need an efficient organizational unit, this one works. We use these as well. Ours is in the basement, holding our Christmas decorations. They're also handy in garages.

4. Elaborate Ways to Use Space Under a Staircase

If renovations and a good-sized budget are in your organizational future, check out these design ideas for using space under the stairs; a reading nook, a washroom, extra sleeping space, a playroom, a dog house, and the list goes on.

5. Space Saving Table and Chairs

These aren't your grandmother's table and chairs, although some of those were pretty nice. Today's space-saving tables come in a wide variety of colors, shapes, sizes, and designs: There are the standard folding leaf tables, chairs the tuck directly under each part of the table, bench type seats, and more. These are the perfect solution for a tiny kitchen or enclosed porch and balcony.

6. Creating Additional Storage in a Bedroom

Here you'll find five suggestions on how you can add more storage space to the bedroom. My personal favorite is the bed skirt organizer. It's an actual bed skirt with plastic storage inserts for both sides. If you don't want to see the clutter in the bed skirt, add a bedspread that covers it, or put a cloth bed skirt over it. Other suggestions include a bedside cubby that stores items and fits under the mattress, ottoman storage, over-the-door storage units, and under-the-bed storage.

7. Loft Beds for Adults

Check out these funky designs. Living in an apartment in a city usually means that the square footage is minimal. If that's the case, you'll want to consider one of these lofts. Designs vary with some featuring desks, a table and seating area, and daybeds. Going vertical solves the small space problem, and these designs do precisely that.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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5 Creative Ways to Store or Display Books

Unique Ways to Store or Display Books

We can certainly accumulate a lot of books throughout life. Some end up in a bedroom end table, others buried in closets, and the rest make it to their home-base, a bookcase.

This review lists obscure or odd ways to store or display books in the home. When a bookcase is out of the question, try one of these options.

1. Decorative Storage Trunks

Not all storage trunks are old, dusty and stuffed in an attic or basement. Modern decorative trunks can be featured in main rooms as a functional accessory. This set of 3 accent trunks can be placed in a living room, office or bedroom with your favorite books stored inside. It's a clutter-free way to bring books into a room. They're stored away and the trunks are a piece of furniture that adds to the overall look of the room.

2. Cotton Canvas Storage Bins

This playfully printed cotton canvas bag is normally used in a child's room to store toys. The bag is light and safe, has carrying straps and is easy for kids to lift or move. Instead of using them for toys, put books inside. Complete the look of a room, by designing a reading area that features three or four of these lovely canvas storage bins surrounded by a plush comfy rug. Create an actual reading circle by placing the storage bags in the middle of a large round rug. Gather on the rug for story time.

3. Rolling Storage Cart

There is an endless number of rolling cart designs. However, this cart works for a sunroom or porch. Imagine being cozied up on your porch swing as you reach over to get one of your favorite books. Get a number of carts and position them along on a wall as a long unit filled with books. 

4. Storage Ottoman

Place books inside an ottoman. Ottomans can be positioned anywhere in a room; against a wall, in front of or beside a sofa. You'll find that Ottomans come in multiple sizes, with some being quite large. With an Ottoman, you'll get extra seating or a place to put your feet all while storing books.

5. Book Slings

Book slings are a popular choice for a child's room or reading area. However, this particular one can work in a den, office or family room. Unlike several of the above options, the books in a sling are on open display. You'll often see Slings in professional waiting rooms as a way to hold magazines or books for waiting clients.

To see elaborate ways to display books, you can check out how the other side lives here.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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5 Steps to Help You Pre-Plan Your Dorm for Maximum Organization and Comfort

5 Steps to help you maximize space in your dorm

If you're planning to live in a Dorm, you already know that managing space is critical to creating a comfortable, livable room.

Step 1 - A Checklist of Needed Items

Before deciding upon how you'll furnish your dorm room, you'll need a college checklist of things to bring. If you don't have a list, there's a convenient ready-to-use list at BigFuture. Their list breaks down suggested items you'll need by category.

Here's a Summary of the Categories on the BigFuture Checklist:

•  Items for the Room's Décor and Storage Considerations
•  Linens and Laundry Supplies
•  Your Office and Desk Supplies
•  Electronics
•  Items You'll be Sharing with a Roommate
•  Toiletries and Clothing 
•  Household and Kitchen Items

Be sure to head over and check out their ready-to-use checklist, it's very detailed. You'll find the site a helpful resource for your college planning.

Step 2 - Acquire a Layout of Your Dorm Room

Take a dorm room photo or acquire a floor plan layout from your college or university. Get or take the measurements of the room itself. Be sure to mark or know where the main door, closet doors and windows are located in the space. Mark them on your photo or floor plan.

Step 3 - Do You Have a Roommate?

You'll know the answer to this fairly quickly. As basic as it sounds, it's critical to maximizing space in your dorm. Determine which items you'll both share and where the dividing line in the room will be. Is the window centrally located and accessible to both or will one of you have the side with a window? How about the closet or hopefully closets?

Step 4 - What Furniture Comes with the Dorm? Can It be Replaced With Your Own?

Is there a bed and a desk in the space? Do you like them? If not, can the school's items be removed and replaced with your own? Does the Dorm come with a mini-fridge and or microwave? If not, can you bring your own?

Step 5 - Where Can You Maximize Storage Space?

Traditionally in dorms, you create storage under the bed or by going vertical. If you want to see how some of the pro's have done it, check out these designs. You'll see ideas for mini-fridge and microwave storage, raised beds to create storage space and hutches above the bed and over a desk.

What Size and Style of Storage Bins or Containers Will Work Best?

Bringing a bunch of storage containers without knowing where they'll go and if they'll fit is unwise. Double check what will work for your dorm's design. The way to do this is by measuring your space, your furnishings, and knowing ahead of time the bed you'll be using.

Here are options for different types of storage items:

•  Over-the-door storage hanging units
•  Under the bed storage containers (what size, how big - check under the bed height)
•  Benches that double as storage
•  Hanging wall storage items
•  Cabinets with storage
•  A hutch over the desk for storage
•  Shelving units for the wall
•  A bed headboard with storage

View a collection of the above items plus many other storage product ideas here.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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How to Conquer Clutter by Stephanie Culp – Book Review

The 'clutter' shown in these photos is my house at the present time. My house does not normally look like this ~ this is the result of weeks of sorting and packing to make a major move.  But if your house frequently assume a look such as this, you might be ready for this book by Stephanie Culp titled “How to Conquer Clutter”. 

Clut`ter To fill with scattered or disordered things that restrict movement or efficiency.  A collection of things lying about in an untidy mass.

Or, as the author says, “all that stuff you've got all over the place that everybody keeps telling you to get rid of." 

Normal Clutter Invasions

(c) Wednesday Elf Sorting & Packing to Move

We all deal with some form of clutter from time to time, no where near as bad as my current chaotic "moving mess". 

• The children scatter their toys throughout the living room because they want to play where their special adults are instead of in the playroom or their bedrooms. 
• We get out a project and the dining room table stays cluttered while we are working on it.
• You get interrupted in the middle of a long-term desk or computer project and would lose your place if you put it away before you were finished with it. 
• You have a sewing or crafting project that will take several days to complete and putting it away before you are done would be wasted effort. 

The clutter referred to in this, and similar, books refers to the stuff that starts as a small problem and, over time, becomes a very large and overwhelming situation. By that time, we make excuses for not dealing with it. Now the 'clutterbug' handles it by saying “I'll just put it over here 'for now'. But soon 'for now' becomes forever and here  comes that clutter crisis.

Author Stephanie Culp

Stephanie Culp is an organization and time management consultant who has written several books on getting organized. Her organization firm has helped people and small businesses get – and stay – organized since 1982. 

How to Conquer Clutter

Source: Pixabay

In How to Conquer Clutter, Stephanie helps you get yourself organized and reduce or eliminate the clutter that has taken over your life. This book is informative and humorous and will give you simple ways to take back control of your stuff. 

Pack Rat – A large, busy-tailed rodent from the Rocky Mountains that collects and stores food and miscellaneous objects. Just like you!

Available on Amazon

Stephanie includes a “Pack Rat's Excuse Almanac to help you deal with the mess in your life, a 'clutter quiz' to help identify problem areas and 19 'Clutter Checklists” to provide practical ideas for storing everything you cannot live without. She deals with each area of clutter from A to Z, from addresses to ziplock bags and everything in between.  Included are areas inside the house, outside the house and under the house! Culp even tells you how to use this book by defining the worst area of clutter in your life and identifying specific problem areas so you will know where to begin. 

How to Conquer Clutter is a helpful guide to get control of and 'conquer' your clutter!  Having read this book myself (which helped me especially with my admittedly biggest clutter problem area ~ dealing with paper - filing, purging, processing, etc), I am now passing my copy of the book on to my daughter, who is an admitted  'pack rat' just like her dad. 

(c) 2018 by Wednesday Elf

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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