 
What makes smaller spaces so appealing is their warmth, coziness, and
intimacy. But those virtues may be overlooked when you feel like clutter
is all you see. Here's good news: A little room can go a long way when you
have great solutions for stowing your stuff. With a few tips from our
room-by-room guide, see what a big difference storage can make in your
home.
Family Room Start with your most
heavily trafficked space: the family room or living room. Furniture with
built-in storage space is your best bet for living areas.
 1. An armoire is the perfect place to store
electronic equipment, CDs, puzzles, board games, and other recreational
materials. Place photo albums, out-of-season décor, and other items you
don't use daily inside decorative, fabric-covered boxes arranged on top of
the armoire.
2. A coffee or side table with built-in drawers is
the perfect place to keep coasters, playing cards, back issues of
magazines, and more. Use small baskets or plastic bins to keep the
contents sorted.
3. A front hallway bench or built-in window seat
can provide storage for gloves, scarves, and hats. It's also a great
catch-all for book bags and other school supplies.
Kitchen. Smaller or
galley-style kitchens rely on creative storage for ease of use. Tackle
this high-traffic area for more efficient meal preparation.
4. For
easy access, add vertical dividers to lower cabinets for storing pizza
pans, cutting boards, baking sheets, griddles, and pot lids. 5. To
create extra storage space, attach wire
organizers to the backs of your
cabinet doors.
6. Put dry goods such as pastas, cereals, and rice in
labeled, stackable plastic containers to create more shelf room and easier
accessibility.
7. Use tiered wire shelving units in your cabinets and
pantry to eliminate dead space and double your storage capability for
everything from plates and cups to kitchen wraps.
Master
Bedroom. Nothing says “sanctuary” like a
neat and orderly bedroom, but too often, this room gets ignored in the
rush of everyday activity. Try these storage tips to make this space more
inviting.
8. Under-the-bed boxes are a great place to store
gift-wrapping supplies, out-of-season clothes, baby books, and memorabilia
you don't need access to every day. You can also fill luggage with
out-of-season clothes and hide it under the bed.
9. Get your
closet under control by doubling your hanging space. Move the eye-level
rod up slightly, and install a second rod at about waist level. On the
shelf, install inexpensive, stackable shelves to create more vertical
space for sweaters and handbags. Clear plastic storage bins are perfect
for scarves, belts, gloves, and other accessories.
 10. Use an upholstered ottoman or cedar
chest—ideal for the foot of the bed—to store blankets and other linens. A
cedar chest gives the added benefit of protecting wool blankets and
sweaters from moths during the warmer months.
Your child's bedroom.
With limited space, a child's room is even
more likely to need creative storage solutions. Try these suggestions for
added storage in unexpected places:
11. Consider a captain's bed,
with drawers in the wood cabinetry beneath the mattress, for additional
storage.
 12. Sort toys by category (action figures, doll clothes, and so
on) and place them in plastic stackable storage bins on the closet floor.
This will give those little hands easy access. Because children usually
don't have much need for hanging clothes, use an old dresser, a bookcase,
or stacked plastic crates in the closet for additional storage.
13.
Think vertically and hang anything you can throughout the room. Hang lower
shelves to stow frequently used books, toys, stuffed animals, and games.
Install higher shelves for your child's display items and pictures. Put an
inexpensive closet organizer over the door to store colouring books,
crayons, stuffed animals, and other small items.
14. For storage solutions that are smart and festive, think beyond traditional home décor. If your kids participate in sports, try to acquire old lockers from a local school, then repaint them in your child’s favourite colours as a one-of-a-kind closet. With plenty of hooks and shelves, they’re perfect for keeping all of your child’s clutter in place.
Bathroom.
It's particularly tricky to find extra
storage space in small bathrooms, but try these tips to make the space
work harder for you:
15. Store small towels and washcloths in
coordinating colours on the countertop in a wine rack. Rolled and tucked
into the holder, they make a functional decoration.
16. If you are
installing a new sink, opt for a traditional cabinet vanity to store
cleaning products and extra soaps, shampoos, and conditioners. Consider
mounting an 8-inch-deep mirrored cabinet above the sink for more storage.
If you have a pedestal sink, place small baskets at the base for extra
storage.
17. Try shelving that won't interfere with traffic—an
over-the-toilet tank, a top-of-the toilet tank, or on any other available
wall space. Store everything from cotton balls to swabs in baskets or
coloured bins that coordinate with your décor to pull the look together.
 Make Space in a Small Room
Conquer
Your Clutter
Using Baskets to Organize Room Essentials
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