by Julian Lane

One of the hardest things about living in a small home (or any home that lacks storage space) is figuring out how to be better organized. Life involves stuff, and when you don’t have storage space, that stuff piles up and feels like clutter. Instead of lamenting your lack of storage space, maximize the area you have with these creative hacks that are both budget-friendly and stylish.

Make Furniture Do Double-Duty

When your home is small and you lack storage space, one of the easiest solutions is to make furniture pieces function in more ways than one. For example, using the space under your bed for storage is great, but a bed with built in storage is even better. When you search online, you can find all kinds of beds that do double duty as storage. Even better, when you shop online, major retailers like Crate & Barrel frequently offer coupons and cashback offers, as well as sales, so you won’t break the bank while you’re organizing your space.

In the living room, use storage ottomans to stash away extra throw blankets or toys when they aren’t being used. Also, look for end tables and coffee tables with drawers for storing magazines and electronics accessories. Less is more in a small space, and your home will feel more organized and bigger when one item can accomplish the storage needs of two or three.

Use Vertical Space

When your square footage is limited, look up to find the extra storage space you need. Do you need a catchall for mail and coats but don’t have a mudroom? Make your own entryway with stylish hooks for coats and wall-mounted wire baskets for mail. In the living room and bedrooms, wall-mounted shelves can hold books, picture frames, and organizational boxes for hobbies. You can purchase stylish shelves and hooks at retailers like Walmart. You can look into weekly sales and use a Walmart promo code to save money on nice-looking options that add to your decor while keeping you more organized.

To maximize vertical space, you may want to create recesses or built-in shelving. Built-in shelves are popular in living rooms, but they can really be used throughout the home. If you don’t have a kitchen pantry, any wall space can be turned into a recessed pantry with decorative doors. Need more storage space in the bedroom? Traditional Home recommends surrounding your headboard with built-in shelves that can hold books, lighting, and decorations.

Make the Most of Cabinet Space

If your cabinets and closets are stuffed to the brim, make the most of that space with solutions that help you keep everything neat while storing more. Mount caddies inside cabinet doors, and use stackable bins inside cabinets to use every inch of that interior space. Good Housekeeping also recommends Lazy Susans and shower caddies for storing supplies in bath cabinets. These small storage accessories are inexpensive, and you can save by shopping around for deals.

Think Outside the Box

Even when furniture does double-duty and you maximize cabinet space, some homes simply don’t have the “typical” spaces you need. If your bedroom doesn’t have a closet or it’s absolutely tiny, you may want to create a unique and trendy-looking spot for clothes storage. Create your own clothes rack in a corner by mounting two decorative shelves, adding a bar for hanging clothes, and a few artistic prints for a glamorous feel.

Along the same lines, a pegboard is an out-of-the-box choice that works for all kinds of storage needs that don’t fit neatly in standard options. Pegboards can be mounted to hold craft supplies, jewelry, tools -- you name it, the possibilities are endless!

Creating style and organization in a small home takes a little extra work, but the outcome will be completely worth it. Shopping smart for double-duty pieces is even more rewarding when you save money and space. And the great thing is, these ideas can work in every room of your home, so no item will be left without a place where it belongs!

“I believe that creating my home is my expression of art. In high school, I started using any materials I could find to update my bedroom. I began with making a desk, a desk chair, a bookcase, and then a headboard. My parents took notice and soon had me improving the house piece by piece.

My thrill for every project is to make the job look like a professional did it. Between trial and error and searching the Internet for the best tips, I became obsessed with little touches that set projects apart from the DIY masses. TheFixItChamp.com is my way of sharing quality DIY resources along with safety and a touch of design.” ~Julian Lane

I hope you got some good organization tips from Julian Lane. I know I sure did!

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