Need organization ideas for small home?

**Lylac** · 10-20-2005, 12:10 PM

Good morning,
I am looking to see if anyone has any inexpensive and frugal ideas for organization in a small home. I live in a single-wide mobile. There are 2 of us here. No basement, attic and the only storage I have is a sun porch which is looking pitiful these days, lol.

I would also be interested in storage ideas for the pantry and closets. I have a lot of vertical (up and down, right?) space as the closets don't have a ton of shelving.

Thanks kindly.

**sarathom** · 10-20-2005, 01:45 PM

A couple of things that I have done as we don't have tonnes of space too.

1. DECLUTTER!!! I am ruthless and have gotten rid of many many many things. If it is not usable, it's gone. This has also made our home more "quiet" and so much easier to find things.

2. Baskets and bins. I have everything in a basket or storage container. I also bought some cheap shelving to stack it all up in the closets. It's actually quite amazing how much I still have but the house always looks calm.

HOpe this helps!

**Lylac** · 10-20-2005, 02:00 PM

Yes, I am working on the decluttering but it's pretty slow due to health stuff.

I'm trying to do it a few times a week in 15-minute sessions (ala FlyLady) but it sure seems like it's going to take forever, lol.

Thank you for posting

**Emerald_Mommy** · 10-20-2005, 02:16 PM

If you have doors that open (as in not sliding doors or bifold doors) you can buy shoe organizers with about 20 pockets. I've found these to be really helpful in our tiny house. The ones with clear pockets are especially good. You can also hang small ones on the wall with hooks.

Shelves, cubby-holes, & rolling carts (3 baskets w/ wheels) have also helped us control our possessions. Hope some of these ideas help you. Good luck!

**Englishlady** · 10-20-2005, 02:32 PM

I find Kitchen Wall cabinet have lots of uses!

I installed the Wall cabinets on the FLOOR mounted on a small plinth to the height I wanted........I have these in the small bedroom we use as a Study/laundry room.

Wall cabinets have a much smaller "foot print" and take up less floor space.

I even have a Kitchen Larder unit ( used for cleaning supplies in my guest toilet

) to save even MORE space my broom is hanging from a hook on the side of the same cupboard

Buy some bed risers and use wheeled carts for out of season clothes under the bed.

If you want to be really space efficient you could even put a mattress over the top of back-to-back cupboards, make sure that you can open all the door all the way round first

, then add a sheet of firm wood across the top ( drill holes in wood and tops of cupboards to aid ventilation of mattress first) and then you will have LOTS of space

The main thing with a small place is be ruthless about de-junking but be EVEN MORE ruthless about what you bring IN to your home.

BTW, the kitchen cupboards do NOT look like they should be in the Kitchen! I did some research and they are very similar to " Home Office cupboards" that sell for about 5 times the price

When I did my Interior Design course in College they encouraged us to look at things in a "different way"

It has served me well

Hope that helps?
Karen

**Lylac** · 10-20-2005, 02:38 PM

Karen, thanks for your help also...I am wondering if anyone could post any pics of their organizational skills?

I'm more of a visual person.

**Englishlady** · 10-20-2005, 03:04 PM

I would be happy to when I have got the pictures organised

(that is Dh's job...........)

Maybe in a couple of weeks I may be in a better position to post a photo or two.......watch this space!

**canadian gardener** · 10-20-2005, 04:25 PM

I've got an old trunk and I use it in my hall closet (coats don't go all the way to the floor) for videotapes. (the trek collection)

I use my end tables for storing stuff.

I know others use under beds and couches.

My friend Helga used above the door height for shelves that went round the room in her tiny house (under 800 sq ft, one level) in every room just about. The bathroom shelves held towels and other necessities that looked nice. Baskets held stuff that didn't look pretty.

Kitchen shelves held saucepans and stuff, looking nice. again baskets for not so pretty. etc.

I'm collecting old suitcases, I use them for Christmas ornaments. Right now I have them under the stairs, but in Pottery barn pics I've seen them as end or coffee tables or just stacked up, they hold a lot.

**AmyBoz** · 10-20-2005, 06:18 PM

I just got home from work and think these ideas are excellent. I have nothing to add except, DON'T BRING ANYTHING ELSE IN UNTIL YOU GET ALL THE CLUTTER OUT! Seriously, nothing.

**Jerseygirl** · 10-21-2005, 08:07 PM

Are you allowed a shed, or is there room for plastic sealed storage totes under the house (crawl space) that's where my aunt stored her christmas decorations, dishes and pots that weren't used regularly.