Decluttering is an unending art form. Sometimes, the solution is to get rid of things you don't need, but other times you have to keep a bunch of stuff in a small space. If you find yourself in a cramped home, here are some ways to keep your things stored without contributing to a mess.
Recently, my girlfriend moved in to my home before the current residents moved out. Suddenly, we were faced with a very serious problem: how do you store five adults worth of stuff in a three bedroom home? We were forced to find space wherever we could. While some costly solutions were unavoidable (we had to at least temporarily acquire a storage unit), we discovered (read: she taught me) a ton of ways to add space where we thought we had none.
Use Command Hooks to Hang Objects
If you're renting, you probably won't want to do too many permanent alterations to the place you're living. Command hooks allow you to hang things from your walls without creating any unnecessary holes, and they're removed quite easily.
Command hooks can turn any wall into storage. Purses, coats, hats, and anything else that can be hung can be placed on the hooks, saving space in closets. We've also shown before how you can use them to mount pot lids to the inside of cabinets, as well as how to mount your router to the wall not only to save space, but to improve Wi-Fi reception.
Use Bed Risers to Boost Under-the-Bed Storage
The space under the bed is great for storing things that you want to keep handy but don't need regular access to. However, the space underneath can get cramped. Bed risers can add several inches to the space underneath your bed.
Once you've got the bed risers in place (which will probably require some extra hands to lift the frame), you can stack storage boxes on top of each other or utilize bigger bins.
Hang Storage Racks Over Doors (On Both Sides)
We've shown before how you can use hanging shoe organizers for more than just shoes. You can use them for storing cables, growing herbs, or even storing bathroom supplies. Particularly in studio apartments, or half baths where space is at a premium, a shoe organizer is perfect for storing all the various lotions, creams, and bottles that would otherwise be sprawled across the counter.
Also, depending on where it is in the house, you can potentially pull double duty on a bathroom door. Hanging a shoe organizer on one side and a door hook for a bathrobe on the other doubles up your space saving. Of course, if you're going to start hanging things from your door, you'll need to be careful that you don't overweigh the hinges.
Use Tension Rods to Hang Cleaning Supplies
If there's one pattern you should pick up more than any other, it's that the more stuff you can hang, the better. To wit: tension rods add extra storage to cabinets and closets can give you a place to store your spray bottles and wash cloths.
This also helps in your closet. If you have the space for it, you can create a second clothing rod to hang more clothing, or just belts, scarves, and anything light, if there isn't enough room for more. Just be sure to leave room for any important clothes to hang loosely so they can dewrinkle after the wash.
Build Shelves Into Your Walls
This solution may not be available if you're renting (unless you get approval from your landlord), but there is plenty of space to be utilized within the walls of your home. While it's not quite as simple as hanging an organizer over a door, you can build shelves into your walls to add extra storage.
Of course, with great upsides come great downsides. Depending on where and how you decide to do this, you may reduce the amount of noise insulation in your home. Obviously this works better on walls that separate kitchen and dining rooms than it does separate bedrooms.
Slide a Pantry Next to Your Refrigerator
That couple of inches between your fridge and the wall are just a waste. Fortunately, with a little wood working skills, you can build a slide out shelf unit that fits between the two to store spices, canned or boxed goods, and other non-perishable food stuffs that aren't that large. Place the shelves on wheels and they can be pulled out when you need it and slid away when you don't.
The project is fairly straightforward, but it does require a little bit of work. It's pretty cheap, too. All you really need is a bit of wood, some dowels, a handle, and a couple casters to put the whole thing on. More importantly, it doesn't require any risk to your home, so if you're renting, you're in the clear to add a bunch of extra shelf space.
Buy a Projector Instead of a Television
If you already have a TV, it may not be worth it to trash it and buy a projector, but if you're looking for something (and you can block out the light to your entertainment area), projectors can provide a high quality entertainment system while taking up comparatively little space.
Which projector to get is a huge discussion unto itself, but in general, you can get a decent high quality unit for under $1000 (or less, if you're willing to stick to 720p). More importantly, you can mount them to the ceiling while mounting the screen to the wall. This cuts down on space normally dedicated to an entertainment unit. It may require a somewhat long room, depending on the size of the display you want, but when you turn it off, your floor space is completely free.
Use Magnets on Everything
Just about everyone has some magnets on their fridge to place coupons. However, the utility of magnets doesn't end there. You can use magnets to adhere nail clippers, hair clips, and other grooming tools to the inside of your medicine cabinet to save space on the shelves.
In the kitchen, you can also save a bunch of space in the cabinet by creating a magnetic spice rack. You can buy jars with magnets already built in, or glue magnets to existing jars. Then, mount a stainless steel sheet to the wall and place them all on the sheet to store them vertically. Just be extra sure to seal everything up tight so it doesn't fall and make a mess.
Photos by Lumberjocks, William Hook, and The Kitchn.