1. Make a list
Before we start talking about storage ideas, we have to start with something that doesn’t sound appealing but is necessary. Unleash your inner Marie Kondo and start by taking inventory of everything you own. Divide your items into different categories: things you need, donate, or throw out. This rule applies to everything, from clothing to shoes, accessories, furniture, and home decor to art objects, kitchen utensils, and appliances.
If something doesn’t bring you joy, it’s time to say goodbye! To keep your space neat and organized, you should repeat the process at the end of every year. You have 365 days to think about whether an item serves a purpose or not. A deep clean can work wonders! Your home will feel bigger and brighter, and you’ll benefit from a clear, refreshed mind.
2. Invest in multifunctional furniture
When it comes to tiny home design, versatility is key! Imagine a couch that easily converts into a bed or a dining table that doubles as a coffee table. Choose furniture that combines storage with functionality. For instance, you could have a dining bench with a lift-up lid for extra storage and add casters for easy mobility.
I remember that when I moved into my first apartment, I had a bed and a couch with storage space underneath, where I put all of my off-season shoes and clothes, extra bed linens, new pots and pans I received from my family, and everything I didn’t need for the next couple of months.
You can take things even further by using vacuum bags to store heavy items. For example, store heavy jackets and scarves in vacuum-sealed bags. Vacuum them to remove excess air and keep them compact until needed. This trick saves a ton of space! It’s all about maximizing every inch of your tiny home while keeping things practical and flexible.
And if you’re looking for a company that will create the most stunning pieces for you, check out Resource Furniture. They offer the loveliest furnishings for your tiny home. In case the idea of the vacuum bags sounds appealing to you, get them from here!
13 Responses
If you have a door that opens against a wall, especially if it stays open most of the time, and there is space behind the door, a set of shelves can be installed behind the door, using this space for storage. I have one in the kitchen and use it for canned goods,
Great Great Idea THANKS
I don’t see any comments yet but would love to see photos of these ideas. We live in a small home and it feels so cluttered all of the time; plus have many, many animals with the dust and dirt from them running in/out all day doesn’t help. I’m trying to declutter and organize but it’s just so hard.
Please remove my email address from your list. Thank you.
OK–2 of 3 last homes, storage was/is a problem…in my latest, a tiny galley kitchen in an otherwise larger home is extremely problematic. I recently turned an attached/open dinette/family room into an extended part of the kitchen: converted a family rm wall unit w/shelves we put into the desk knee-hole—to hold the books. The Unit is so deep that I can still use as a desk)…& then used the “book shelf” portion to display/use my most-used & pretty plates, bowls, storage canisters, colanders …many of them hand-thrown pottery…so I can see & use them easily…then stored any extra books that used to be there into roll out “drawers” under the love seat next to it. I’ve also used a very nice colonial pine brand name “bedroom dresser” as a “sideboard” in the dinette. I bought it in “discount” part of a high end store—3 top drawers have maybe 1/4-inch or less top deficit to their close…not noticeable …& I use it as another storage place, (9 drawers) for seasonal dishes, extra serving items, & some kitchen/other tools. The top of this “sideboard” is used for kitchen canisters of flour, sugar, etc…which frees up the limited counter in my tiny kitchen. ….I am an art teacher, & tell my students constantly: YOU ARE THE ARTIST….the “boss.” You get to decide what things should look like, & how your use your media. You should do the same in your home 🙂
I bought a clear vinyl shoe holder that you can hang by any door. I put 1 in my pantry and filled all 12 shoe pockets with items I use regularly. The 2nd one I hung in my linen closet and quickly cleared 2 shelves with items I may need in a hurry, like a bandaid, or pain pills. Loved the outcome on both of these. I think my bathroom will be next.
In the last 7.5 years, I have gone from a 4 Br 3 Ba home, to a 2 Br 2 Ba apartment, and in 2 days I will be moving into a studio apt. I find this hard to believe, but I have read the book about deciding if each item in your home brings you joy. I have been deciding but it has taken me longer than I expected as my decisions were made through so many tears. I know this can be done. My motto from now on is “Keep It Simple” Less really is more. And if you get sentimental and tears come, let them fall, the item in your hands brings you sorrow. Let it go. When you finish, you will be so pleased with the outcome and proud of yourself.
I have a large home, but w/tiny galley kitchen, open to a modest dinette & family area–small spaces in the very places we use the MOST!!! We converted family room TV/ bookcase wall unit into open shelving for our most-used kitchen items: serving bowls, salad plates, canisters (flour, sugar, grits)…etc. We’d used it as TV & bookcase prior. We added shelving in the knee-hole/desk area & were still able to accommodate most of our books there, while still having plenty of knee space to use it as a desk area. TV still there. Too, repurposed a Puritan Pine bedroom dresser-minus the mirror, as a “sideboard” in the dinette…the finish matches kitchen cabinets, & has 9 drawers for added “kitchen” equipment/plates, serving plates, linens, etc. Top surface houses a cookie jar, candy dish, slender “candlestick” lamp, glass storage jars for dried fruit, brown sugar, & pasta…..a seasonal display of my own watercolors (summer, fall, winter, spring) on an old library book holder, rotated for our seasons. I STILL could use more space, but, I’ve decided that I am the BOSS of my space, & I can use it all over the place any way that makes my life livable, and easier/more enjoyable. So, if I want to expand my kitchen dishes and canisters, for instance, into my family room….I CAN. If my bedroom dresser works better in the dinette for added “kitchen” counter space and 9 drawers of added kitchen storage, that’s what I’m going to do 🙂 It’s working for me.
Fill mason jars with flour, nuts, cereal, pasta anything that fits. Put a magnet on top and a metal strip under cabinets. Make sure to put nice labels on all.
A great tip and quality suggestion I will probably grab my own pack as well. Thanks for sharing!!!
My son built a shelf in the bayed window of our kitchen dinette area. We keep our bread box, paper plates, etc in baskets there, in easy reach of our dining table, but it does not “intrude” on the use of the space for dining. He also built a tall/narrow shelved “closet” in an odd corner in the hall outside an upstairs bathroom. It houses medicines, toiletries. We use “over the door hooks” to store items on the back of the door that we might need to grab in a hurry, but don’t want to take up space in drawers—like flashlights, binoculars, sunglasses. Our galley kitchen is so small. In a side window near our coffee station, we installed narrow shelving in the window and store items in glass jars (coffee, tea bags, sweeteners, brown sugar, rice, dried fruit, herbs, honey……) The light still comes in, it’s still attractive b/c of the uniform jars, adds welcomed space and ease of use.
I already use a couple of the suggestions and the rest won’t work for me.
Can I clean the toilet ring with it?