Creative storage solutions to solve small space challenges

Moving into a smaller space doesn’t mean you have to eliminate those essentials that can make your home feel functional and comfortable. A big part of that is how you can still meet your storage needs when you have less room to play with. With the right strategies, living in a smaller space and storing well is easy. Here, I will show you how to organize your home correctly with creative storage ideas for small spaces.

Retrofit your closet space

One of the biggest challenges in smaller homes is that they often need more closet space, particularly regarding entryway storage. Where to drop off your coats, jackets, shoes and more? Instead of renovating the space to build a fully-formed, walk-in closet, retrofit a portion of your wall space with hooks and open shelves to create a customized closet space that can work for you and your family. Avoid the look of clutter by using baskets or bins on the shelves to organize (and hide) your belongings.

Hide your storage

When you live in a smaller home, you want to avoid disorder and mess. (It can make your space feel even smaller.) To ensure a cleaner, clutter-free look, use furniture that can work double-duty and utilize hidden storage. A bedroom storage bench, a stylish multipurpose credenza or a lift-top coffee table can keep all your items out of sight but still accessible.

Don’t forget your nooks

Shelves don’t need to take up a lot of real estate to be impactful. In small spaces, a shorter length of open shelves can help with your storage stash needs, providing much-needed room to house your dishware, glassware or any cooking utensils you use most often.

Optimize vertical spaces

Vertical space can be found anywhere, regardless of your home size. Behind-the-door storage is an excellent (and often overlooked) space. Put it to good use with hanging wire baskets lining the back of the door to store small items you would otherwise have scattered elsewhere.

Maximize your wall space

Install an entire wall of cabinets and drawers on one wall in your home, which would otherwise be an empty space. When it comes to small space organization, you must be clever about repurposing blank, unusable spaces.

Buy a pegboard

A pegboard can be used to hang almost anything, and they are instrumental in the kitchen to hang your pots and kitchen tools or in your home office for organizational needs. Not only are they affordable and easy to install, but they will also free up a lot of space in your cabinets you would otherwise devout to these items.

Invest in new bedside tables

Traditional nightstands typically have a shelf and one small drawer in them. While that still offers some storage, it’s not always enough. Rethink the space and use actual built-in shelving as your bedside table: Yes, it takes up more square footage, but the return on investment is worth it, offering plenty more room to store bedroom items.

Take advantage of your bed’s storage potential

Most beds are wide and long enough to utilize the space underneath them. Whether you get a custom-made platform bed or try a bed frame with under-bed drawers, each option gives you ample space that’s out of the way and out of sight.