It could be the time of year and all the school and dorm supplies that are in the stores or the fact that Tiny House Nation seems to always be on when I get home from work at night but, organizing in small spaces has been on my mind. Whether you’re heading off to college or need to utilize the your space better here are some of my favorite ways to organize.
the dollar store
The dollar stores are your friend when it comes to organizing. Not only is everything $1 but they also have lots of plastic bins and jars that are the perfect spot to keep like things together. Organize things like pens and pencils in jars so they aren’t floating all over your desk drawers. Plastic bins are perfect to keep cleaning supplies and snacks together in cabinets. Label your bins so you everything has its proper home.
height
Use height to your advantage. Stack rarely used things on the top shelves of your cabinets. You don’t always need to quickly grab a vase or fancy serving dish. You also don’t need one specific cabinet for all of those things. Use those top shelves in cabinets to store things you don’t use on a daily basis. Do you have that dead space, no man’s land above your cabinets? Instead of letting things collect dust up there, find some decorative boxes or wire baskets to store items. Home Goods always has a great collection of these.
wheels
Shelved carts on wheels seem to be everywhere and they’re great for organizing. Group similar items together and wheel them out of the way when you don’t need them. This is great for craft items, kitchen storage, a mini office or bill paying station and for kids’ toys.
back of the door
The back of a closet, laundry room or bedroom door is a great spot to hang things if closet space is at a premium. Removable hooks are great to use to hang frequently used purses or totes and jackets and coats. Adding a few small hooks is a great space to hang scarves and jewelry. Organize things by color and type and not only will it be organized it will look pretty too!
drawer dividers
Not only are drawer dividers great to keep spoons and forks separated but they’re great to use in almost every drawer in your house. Clean up the junk drawer, organize jewelry or makeup and keep office supplies corralled. You’ll be able to find exactly what you need every time.
under the bed
No, don’t just shove everything under there and forget about it. Really utilize the space. Invest in a few of those under the bed rolling containers. They’re a convenient place to store extra linens and out of season clothes. While things can be easily accessed, they’re out of the way.
shelving
Shelves are one of my favorite ways to decorate and organize all at the same time. Show off pictures and accessories and use decorative boxes to hide small items. I have clutches and belts in decorative boxes in my new shelf/night stand combo. This freed up some much needed drawer space. If there isn’t any floor space to spare go up! Add some deep shelves above a desk or dresser. Wall shelves can be styled the same way with decorative storage and accessories.
cake plates
I have a weakness for cake plates. Yes, they’re great for serving but, they can also be used to organize. Keep jewelry organized on your dresser with one, keep your kitchen counters clear, use one on your desk to keep those jars of pencils and pens together.
Happy organizing!