Let’s face it. A lot of us have way too many things! Marie Kondo’s Netflix show was such a hit with people looking to declutter and create more space, that thrift stores across the country experienced a surge in donations.
My husband and I, in particular, are focusing on how much we have and how much we don’t really need because…we are moving into a tiny house! We’ll have only 280 square feet (significantly less than the size of a two-car garage) for our bedroom, living room, storage space, bathroom, kitchen, and office.
Our goal is to not spend any money on an external storage locker, but there are some things we just can’t part with. So here are some tips and ways we’re planning to cleverly maximize space in our tiny home.
Roll Your Clothing
It’s much more space-efficient to roll, not fold, your clothes when you’re packing a suitcase. So why don’t we do that at home? For the last few months I’ve been rolling my clothing and storing it all in fabric cube bins. We’ve reduced our clothing to fit in 7-8 fabric bins which sit in a 12×12 cube bookcase. We’ll use the remaining cubes for books and favorite trinkets. This way a bookcase doubles as a dresser, meaning we can eliminate a bulky dresser!
Amazon and other retailers sell clothing hangers that collapse into one hanger. These are great for tiny closets. You can fit 6 or more items on one hanger!
Use Storage Furniture
Swap your furniture for ones that include storage space like certain coffee tables, couches, ottomans, and bed frames. These work well for storing tools, clothing, extra sheets and towels, or cozy blankets.
In the bathroom I’ll mount shelving on the wall corners to make use of that tricky space, and leave the walls mostly plain to create more space. This should help the room feel larger.
Over the kitchen sink we’ll set up a dish drainer that doubles as a dish storage rack. This way there is no need to take up a cupboard or shelves with dishes, and no need to waste counter space on a dish drainer when there is nothing in it!
I’ll convert my kitchen spice collection from individual bottles on a shelf, to magnetic tins that stick to the front of the fridge. No more knocking everything over when I look for the garlic salt!
Use Your Walls:
I love hanging paintings and photographs on our walls, but I’ll have to pick and choose carefully. So far I plan on hanging up our two guitars, which saves us some floor space. I’ll also hang macramé plant holders to keep my succulents off the counter. Hanging the plants and guitars is practical and doubles as décor!
I’ll also clear some kitchen counter space by placing a magnetic knife strip on the wall so I can avoid using a large countertop knife block.
For the office space, we’ll be purchasing a wall-mounted desk from Allmodern.com that folds down when needed, and folds up to latch against the wall when not in use. It also comes with some storage for pencils, papers, and files. Nifty!
Control Shower Clutter
I’ve recently switched to shampoo, conditioner, and soap bars from Lush. This eliminates bulky plastic bottles from taking up space, as well as the chance of dropping one on my toe in the shower! Not everyone likes to use a shampoo bar, but there are plenty of clever hanging shower storage options on Amazon to help organize your bottles and create more space.
Finally, keep things off the floor
My husband and I are committing to never leaving clothes on the floor, something we’ve both been guilty of! When the floors are uncluttered, it instantly makes the room seem larger.
I hope you find these tips useful for creating space in tiny places!
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