How to Minimize Clutter and Maximize Space in a Small House
Storage space is a hot commodity in any home but especially when you live in a small house. Organization is the key to preventing clutter from creeping in and taking over.
Fortunately, you can eliminate the need for a storage unit if you follow these home organization tips on how to minimize clutter and maximize space in a small house:
- Beyond the Bedroom Closet
- Let Us Entertain You
- Get to Work
- Cooking Up Ways to Clear Clutter
- Wash Away Your Mess
Keep reading to discover what you can do to make use of all of the space in your small house, from floor to ceiling and even some spots you probably never considered.
Beyond the Bedroom Closet
The closet is the most obvious choice for storage in the bedroom. And it’s no secret that a custom closet is one of the best ways to minimize clutter and maximize space. While there are certainly plenty of DIY closet systems on the market, your best bet is to hire a professional custom closet builder. They have the experience and know-how needed to help you organize your belongings and maximize your storage space.
Using a combination of cabinets, drawers, shelves, and hanging rods, you’ll be able to take advantage of every spare inch of space. To ensure that you are getting the most out of your custom closets, make sure to check out Four Steps for Organizing Your Custom Closets by Affordable Custom Closets & Garages.
Your bedroom furniture can also provide versatile storage solutions. You might want to consider a bed frame that features built-in storage drawers or even a lift-up mattress platform with storage underneath. Speaking of underneath, be sure to take advantage of the space under your bed. A queen-size bed on a standard height platform can provide about 33-cubic-feet of hidden storage space – so be sure to utilize this valuable real estate. Luckily, there are plenty of bags and bins on the market specifically designed to house everything from extra linens or sweaters and sweatshirts to shoes under your bed.
Multi-purpose furniture is another great investment, especially when it comes to offering additional storage. Why not consider putting a comfortable bench with built-in storage at the foot of your bed? It’s ideal for storing extra blankets and pillows. Plus, it’s a convenient place to sit down to tie your shoes.
Don’t overlook the nightstand. It’s more than just a place to put your iPhone and bottle of water when you go to sleep. Look for one that offers drawers or a shelf where you can place a basket to stash some of your stuff.
Let Us Entertain You
The same tricks for designing organized closets can be applied to creating a functional family room. Custom cabinets allow you to create a one-of-a-kind entertainment center. It can feature hidden compartments for your electronics and gaming systems, cabinets to store board games, family photo albums, and even entertaining pieces you don’t use often like ice buckets or serving platters, maybe even shelves with accent lighting to show off some of your collectibles.
If you live in a small house, you will want to pick furniture that serves a double purpose. One suggestion is to use an ottoman instead of a coffee table. By placing a tray on top of it, you can create a flat surface for drinking glasses and snacks – and, as a bonus, the ottoman can serve as extra seating whenever you need it.
A lift-top coffee table is another fabulous find. While it looks like a traditional coffee table, the top lifts up to become a dining table or desktop for you to use while still sitting on the sofa. A longtime staple, these convertible coffee tables are widely sought after for small space work-from-home situations.
Get to Work
Chances are your small home does not have a dedicated office, but that doesn’t mean you can’t carve out a spot for your workstation. Consider commandeering a closet or part of your guest room. If you don’t welcome guests often, your best bet is to let that room pull double duty. By switching out a traditional bed for a sleeper sofa or a murphy bed (one that folds up into a wall unit) you can create the extra space needed to establish a home office.
Desks tend to attract clutter and that’s one thing you want to avoid when you live in a small house. Start by sorting through piles of paperwork. Much like you do when cleaning your closets, determine what you need to keep and what can be tossed. Be sure to shred any documents containing personal information such as Social Security or bank account numbers.
Once you have determined what you need to keep, it’s time to get organized. Look for a set of drawers on wheels. This will allow you to keep your files at your fingertips. Plus you can stow them away under your desk when you're done. Decorative bins and baskets are another great home office storage solution. Plus they add a nice decorative flair.
Using the wall space is a great trick of the trade. Take advantage of that vertical space to hang files along with a bulletin board to post important notes and a chalkboard or whiteboard to jot down ideas.
Cooking Up Ways to Clear Clutter
The kitchen tends to be the most cluttered room in any home. Between cooking utensils, pots and pans, plus all of your food, it’s easy to understand why about half of all homeowners told Trulia (the real estate website) that they would like to remodel their kitchens.
While a professional kitchen renovation will certainly shore up your storage potential, there are plenty of things you can do yourself to minimize clutter and maximize storage space. A great start is by investing in some useful accessories such as pull-out bins, slide-out wine, and spice racks for your pantry.
Another tip is to think outside the box – or cabinets as the case may be. Why not hang your pots and pans? Rails can be mounted above the sink and countertop or even along the wall. The big box stores sell specialized cabinet door organizers designed to store everything from cutting boards to aluminum foil and wax paper boxes.
While you're at it, look at some shelf risers to organize all of your dishes in one place. An accordion wall rack that you might use to hang hats, coats, and scarfs in the entryway can be used to hold coffee mugs – install it right above your coffee maker to create a cute little coffee bar area. Last but not least, a wall-mounted magnetic knife strip will eliminate the need for a bulky knife block, freeing up precious counter space.
Wash Away Your Mess
The bathroom is another place where you can always use some savvy storage ideas. While adjustable under-the-sink shelves and over-the-toilet cabinets are obvious suggestions, there are plenty of other unique solutions available as well.
A Lazy Susan (turntable), like many people use in the kitchen for spices and canned goods, is perfect for the bathroom. It allows you to keep your frequently used products within easy reach. No more searching for a new tube of toothpaste. Simply give it a spin! Another storage hack you can borrow from the kitchen is using the inside of cabinet doors to hang a rack to hold hair dryers and curling irons.
One other idea is to look into a shower curtain with pockets. It’s the perfect place to stash shampoo and conditioner along with kids’ toys.
Conclusion
No matter the size of your house, clutter has a way of creeping in and taking over. This is particularly true for small home dwellers. The smaller the square footage, the more creative you need to be in terms of minimizing clutter and maximizing space. Hopefully, this article provided you with some clever ideas on how to best organize your small home.