Get Organized in an Apartment

Living in an apartment can be cramped at times. It's hard to get organized when you own a lot 'stuff,' but don't have the room to keep it on hand. If you are finding it hard to keep things straight in a small apartment, here are some tips that may help.

Keep baskets on hand

Storage baskets are the less intrusive alternative to just plain boxes. You can find these just about anywhere locally, and they come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Look around your apartment first to determine what would be the best sizes and shapes that will fit into the limited spaces that you have. Do you have an open space under your bathroom sink? How about the corners of your bedroom? Find low and wide ones for under tight spaces, and larger, taller ones for wider spaces. You can line them with clothes (some of them come with the basket anyway) that are removable for cleaning, so you don't get caked on dust inside your basket. Store your extra bathroom items inside (e.g. toilet paper, toothpaste, shampoo, razors, etc.), and label the side for easy reference. You can also store towels or washcloths rolled up in a basket for better presentation. Keep magazines in a low, wide basket in your living space next to a chair or couch, and use one next to the door for use as a shoe holder, or for winter accessories; this keeps them on hand right where you'll need them.

Under the bed totes

This one is assuming you either have a bed frame that is tall enough off the ground or some closet space at the bottom or top of your closet. If you have the space for these, under the bed storage totes aren't just for shoes. You can store all sorts of random things, from clothing to seasonal knickknacks. Be sure to label them on the sides so you can easily locate contents at a future time.

Maximize kitchen space

If you have a lot of counter appliances, but not a lot of counter, than consider storing your less-used appliances in another place. Keep them in a box in your closet, so you can easily take them out when you want to use them, and store them elsewhere during the rest of the time to free up counter space.

Trays and Tins

Tired of always having to search for the scissors or a writing instrument? Trays and tins are great for your 'utility' items on a desk. Use a small wooden tray to keep chapsticks, small hand lotion tubes, hand pencil sharpener, and post-it notes. As a companion to the tray, use a small tin that will store your pens, pencils, scissors, and markers upright for use. Keep these items in a corner on your desk so they are handy, but not in the way. You can also use glass jars, however, consider your amount of clumsiness before instituting these breakable containers.

Corkboards

Sick of losing your important post-its to a desk clutter? Corkboards come in handy to display notes to your self, as well as providing a place to hang a calendar in plain view. Corkboards should be next to the desk that you work at, or you'll still find it difficult to keep track of notes.

Make use of windowsills

This might sound a little extreme, but sometimes a conveniently placed windowsill can make all the difference. If you have a windowsill next to your kitchen sink, you can store dish soap bottles, so they are out of your way around the sink. If you have one near your desk you can use it for the storage of an automatic pencil sharpener, a desk calendar, or even staplers and 3-hole punches. Make use of all the room you have.

So don't lament at having too little space; make the most of your apartment, and get rid of the visible clutter so you can breathe easy tonight.