Small Space Organizing

There are a few basic principles—you may even want to call them “commandments”—you need to know before jumping into organizing your home. Read them, do them, live them. Consider snapping a shot of them on your phone so you’ve got them handy. Each time you start to organize, reread them until they sink in. Once these rules become habits, getting (and, more important, staying) organized will become part of your daily routine. And that saves not only time but also energy, stress and money! 1 Do Not Organize Junk In other words, do a thorough decluttering and purge before you begin so you don’t waste time and space organizing items you don’t need, use or love. When decluttering an area, first take everything out. Then, give the space a thorough…

YOU NEED • Craft knife• Ruler• Card stock• Old book• White glue• Waxed paper 1. Use the craft knife and ruler to cut a template out of card stock the size you want the hollow in your book to be. 2. Place the template in the center of the top page of the book. Use the craft knife to carefully cut around the template, slicing through several pages at once. Repeat until you reach the desired depth. 3. Brush cut edges with white glue; flick and fan pages to distribute glue between them. Place a piece of waxed paper between cover and insides to prevent them from sticking together and weigh the book down with a heavy object until glue dries.…

Being organized saves time. And there’s no place where that’s more true than your entryway. Take stock of your space by determining how much room you have for storage. Next, make a list of what goes out the door in the morning and returns in the evening. Remember to keep seasonal fluctuations in mind—no snow boots in July! Identify problems like backpacks on the floor or workout gear on a chair that can be solved with a system that catches and organizes gear as it comes in the door. Next, create a plan that works for you: custom-sized cubbies for smaller items, hooks for coats and keys, a container for umbrellas, etc. Label each space so everyone knows where everything goes. GET THE LOOK 1. Even a simple shelf can…

ORGANIZING beautifies A BUSY HOME STYLE MODERN COTTAGE WHAT WE LOVE All the storage ideas feature a fresh and cheery color palette that runs through every room. IDEAS TO STEAL When it comes to affordable options, we like mobile solutions such as baskets with handles, peg rails that keep the floor clear of clutter, and a pegboard that can be arranged and rearranged in an instant. BYE-BYE BEDLAM Say goodbye to entryway mayhem, when you add a peg rail for outerwear and backpacks; a cabinet with tip-out drawers for shoes, hats, and gloves; and a roomy basket to corral boots. WALLS THAT WORK Go vertical. Attach baskets to a large pegboard, use them to keep papers or mail off the kitchen table. Hang keys and tools from hooks. Stow pens and…

LOVELY LOWDOWNS Short shelves flanking the fireplace offer plenty of organizational mileage, especially when you add drawers below and use the tops for more pretty displays. IT’S EASY TO UNDERSTAND WHY MODERN OPEN FLOOR PLANS win so much favor today, offering plentiful opportunities for families to enjoy more time together. But nothing will ruin an open design faster than wrong-size furnishings that either hog too much floor space or leave you feeling like you’re on a dance floor, or pesky piles of anything that look messy. As you set your sights on maintaining the spacious, uncluttered feel inherent in the design, size up walls and introduce clever furnishing solutions as your new best friends for bringing in beautiful order. BIN THERE An shallow salvaged hardware store bin unit, brings charming…

GET A COOK’S KITCHEN STACK’EM UP Max out tall walls by lining them with storage. This arrangement of Ikea cabinets, shelving and hanging bars provides enough cooking and serveware storage to host a crowd. HANG AROUND Cluttered counters get in the way of cooking, so when drawers become full, tap wall space below the cabinets to hang those things you reach for regularly. HOT FLASH Get easy access to food from any angle with a microwave drawer. Install under the counter or integrate in a wall of cabinetry. CARVE OUT A DINING ROOM USE FLEXIBLE FURNITURE “In smaller houses, you have to create spaces that do double-duty in order to get the most function out of your home,” notes designer Lauren Liess (laurenliess.com). This combination living/dining room she set up is…