Small Home Organization Tips

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Frame a doorway

Bookshelves surrounding the entry from a living room to a dining room make creative use of what might otherwise be under-utilized wall space.

Photo by Dave Lauridsen

Don't forget the ceiling

Small-home living requires creative--sometimes even eccentric--storage solutions. Bicycles held up by a system of pulleys hover above this comfortable living room.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Divide and conquer

This free-standing cabinet creates a visual separation between the entryway and living space. It provides a large amount of closed storage to keep the room uncluttered.

Photo by Jen Siska

Maximize wall space

Freestanding wall units can be much less expensive than built-ins. Create a niche in the unit for a workstation to add even more function.

Photo courtesy of potterybarn.com

Welcome in style

This bench and shelf combination from Pottery Barn makes up for the lack of an entry closet. Both pieces have cubbies to stow daily use items, and hooks under the shelf keep coats and bags ready to go.

Photo by Jen Siska

Put furniture to work

Multipurpose furniture is a must. If you don't have an entryway closet, a storage bench can hold anything you need to unload. Plus it can double as extra seating, rather than clunky folding chairs.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Use a classic trick

When you have limited rooms for your little ones, go with the mainstay solution: bunk beds! They keep floor space open for other activities.

Photo by Jen Siska

Hide what you rarely use

Any unused space is fair game for storage. Drawers on casters conceal seldom-used items under the bed. They also work well for storing toys in a cramped kid’s room. Use garment bags to keep dust out of stored linens.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Pare down an entertainment system

Today, our storage needs for electronics, music, and movies are much reduced. TVs are narrow enough to hang on the wall or to rest on a shallow table. Music and movie collections can be stored digitally, making cumbersome storage systems a thing of the past. Off-the-shelf storage systems are available for a variety of multimedia needs and can keep things looking sleek. This bank of modular drawers and shelves has a narrow slot under the television for DVD players and cable boxes.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Don't sacrifice an open floor plan

A half-wall divides this small kitchen from the dining area, giving the sense of a large, combined space. Additional storage was more important than additional seating, so the half-wall incorporates a built-in rather than a bar.

Photo by Jen Siska

Build in flexibility

Cubbies are ideal for storage and display--and are easy to stack and rearrange. Bonus: A tower of books makes a great display pedestal.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Prioritize items

Keep everyday-use items handy instead of tucked away in cabinets or drawers. Using a hanging rack for pots and pans and a floating shelf for jarred items accomplishes just that, yet in an uncluttered way.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Keep trash out of sight

In addition to your main kitchen trash can, try to find room for pullout cans to hold glass, metal, and paper recycling. You can also use a pullout system for your main trash can if space allows.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Let in light

A trio of open shelves and an upper cabinet with wavy glass doors on both sides allow light to stream into this small kitchen's many windows.

Photo by Jean Alsopp and Harry Taylor

Scale down

The tiny kitchen in a studio apartment has all the necessary parts but in underscaled versions to preserve a sense of spaciousness. A mini-fridge fits under the counter--a full-size fridge would have taken over the space. The narrow island has a slightly curved top to handle counter seating.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Go vertical

Vertical dividers keep cake pans and casserole trays easy to see and retrieve--you avoid having to pull out the bottom one at risk of toppling all the others. Use any leftover slots for your go-to cookbooks or food magazines.

Photo courtesy of potterybarn.com

Be wise with wine storage

There are a variety of small racks and shelves on the market that will allow you to keep your short-term wine supply correctly oriented and organized in the kitchen. The Holman Entertaining Shelves from Pottery Barn hold six bottles and include wooden glides for hanging accompanying wine glasses.

Photo by Jen Siska

Be an editor

Open shelves are all about easy access, but they force you to edit. When items are in plain sight, you know what you have; you tend to forget about things behind cupboard doors.

Photo by Michele Lee Willson

Prep your pantry

This closet off the kitchen was converted for use as a food pantry. Deep shelves hold cans, boxes, and glass containers, and the countertop on a lower cabinet holds the microwave, so it doesn't take up valuable space in the kitchen.

Photo by Michele Lee Willson

Maintain a simple surface

Keep the bathroom sink area uncluttered with a recessed medicine cabinet above. A frameless mirror gives it a streamlined feel.

Photo by Michele Lee Willson

Get sneaky

Behind the bathroom door is a perfect place for a cabinet of recessed shelves, just deep enough to hold one row of shampoo bottles or nail polish.

Photo by Michele Lee Willson

Colonize closet space

Take advantage of ample closet space by investing in a storage system. Tracks mounted on the back wall suppor the weight of wire shelves in this utility closet.

Photo by Laura Resen

Bring Zen to your work den

Need more storage space in your home office? Go vertical. Shelving items above you will free up surfaces and keep things organized. Using a monochromatic organizational system like the one pictured here produces a clean look.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Keep things within reach

Shelves above and to the side of your desk keep everything close at hand and also allow for extra display space.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Create an inspiration wall

Keeping loose items organized in a home office can be a challenge, but you can pull them together artfully. A wall of clipboards hanging over a small table makes this a mulitfunctional work space.

Thomas J. Story

Play peekaboo with a room

Setting up an office inside a closet gives you plenty of sotrage space. With the door closed, you'd never know the work space was there.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Stow below

There are several baskets below this home office desk (plus some small boxes and bins above), but the work surface stays clear.

27 smart small-home organization tips

Frame a doorway

Don't forget the ceiling

Divide and conquer

Maximize wall space

Welcome in style

Put furniture to work

Use a classic trick

Hide what you rarely use

Pare down an entertainment system

Don't sacrifice an open floor plan

Build in flexibility

Prioritize items

Keep trash out of sight

Let in light

Scale down

Go vertical

Be wise with wine storage

Be an editor

Prep your pantry

Maintain a simple surface

Get sneaky

Colonize closet space

Bring Zen to your work den

Keep things within reach

Create an inspiration wall

Play peekaboo with a room

Stow below