Steph, thanks so much! And thanks, Chris, for adding your thoughts too. How thoughtful of you to leave that book for the next owners of your last house! I have found the booklets for the washer and dryer here, and the refridge too. I'm totally going to get a big binder and use the "desertsteph method"! :-) I think it's the best method I've come across for all those crucial things someone might need in a pinch.

Steph, IIRC, you talked about having that book for your son, so he would know what to do if something incapacitated you. That's what I'm thinking for Joy. I'd want to include things like how to pay the power bill, etc., I've shown her the electrical panel and how to use the fire extinguishers, etc., but it wouldn't hurt to write that stuff down.

If there was ever a fire, or other natural disaster, that book, if you could grab it, would also help for homeowners or renter's insurance claims. Which right now gives me another idea: to photograph the pages in the book and keep them in the cloud or in email so they're accessible no matter what happens. I already have pics of everything in the house for insurance purposes, and will add as I make improvements to the home.

Writersblock, thanks for adding the comment of using kitchen utensils for multiple purposes!! I completely overlooked that. You are so right! I'm not very formal, so for the most part, my cooking spoons double as serving spoons. I have a "thing" for big spoons, and probably kept too many.

Personally, I have found a lot of uses for my pizza wheel: cutting quesadillas, which I make fairly often, sandwiches, cheesecakes, frozen types of pies, brownies, homemade pasta noodles, lettuce, even herbs, and pie dough (especially strips for lattice tops), and it's my favorite tool for cutting celery! Also good for morning toast, deli meat (slice to put in salads), kids' food, and don't forget play-dough! Honestly, I use my pizza wheel probably 4-5 days of the week!

Chris, I'm jealous of your kitchen drawer space! And you're so wonderfully creative! I might come up with the plastic drawers, but leave it to you to sew a pretty curtain for it!

Writersblock, thanks for asking about Saturday. It went very well! Most of my guests didn't know each other, so we had a lovely time getting to know each other. Amazing Audrey, we played a version of your "What flower is on my hat?" game, and it was a great ice breaker--thanks!! After lunch, we went "shopping" outside and everyone found things they could use.

After my guests went home, three of my neighbors came over. We all got to know each other and it was like a second party! I'm blessed to have some very nice neighbors. Amongst them all, they took almost everything that was left! I just have one small box of stuff, and I'm going to donate it to Value Village next time I'm up that way.

BUT...there will be more, haha! I can see, from the number of boxes and the amount of stuff still in the library and Joy's room, that I will still have too much stuff! So--more stuff is going to have to go.

This is the most difficult move I've ever made, even tougher than moving to Africa for a year. The three months of dealing with the hoard, the one month of cleaning a filthy environment, and now unpacking my own stuff and having to give a lot of it up. I'm good at making quick decisions about what stays and what goes, but the sheer number of decisions has really been emotionally wearing.

The silver lining is that, Lord willing, it's my LAST move! Now that I'm a homeowner, at long last, I can finally settle down and fix this little place up and enjoy being in ONE PLACE! I know I write really long posts, but this community--YOU GUYS!--have been so wonderful and so supportive and I just appreciate you all more than my many words could ever adequately say. :-)

Murraysmom I was distracted when I posted this morning and forgot to comment on your lovely window. I really like it and how you did each pane a flower and the green grass at the bottom. I have a many pane window like yours only I think it might be four instead of three. One pane is broken. Of course I know how to repair that one. LOL Some day.............. I just have so many projects lined up in my brain. I can not work fast enough. I just love working with the glass though. Obviously you do too. I was thinking as you to put several of these windows in the windows for privacy. I do not have neighbors close enough to look into the windows but we are right on the street and I do not like my curtains closed all the time.

AN IDEA FOR CREATING SOME PRETTY AWESOME STORAGE!!! NEED ADVICE/FEEDBACK! :-)

OK, Chris--this is all your fault, hahaha!! Ever since you posted that picture again of the storage with the old suitcases and bags, I can't stop thinking about it! Here's your pic:

I think I have a place where it could work, but I would like y'all's thoughts. It could potentially be an amazing storage space for my holiday decor, extra linens, the types of things I don't have to access often, but would like to keep if I could figure out how to create storage for them.

SO...in my LR, I have this little bump out. It's 10.375 ft long, 3.416 ft deep, And its ceiling slopes from 6' down to 5'. (The 35.5 sq ft of the bump out brings our 896 sq ft home up to a whopping 931.5 sq ft!)

Other things to know: the love seat is 5' long. I don't have to keep it. The window is 52"x61" and starts 11" off the floor. I definitely want to keep it (but the maroon-ish curtains will go!

The love seat is weirdly off to one side right now because the room window A/C is in this window. That will be removed as soon as we get the mini split system installed, so we won't have to move the love seat every summer to use the A/C.

The stuff in the corner, the tall sticks vase thing, the tall candle sticks, and all the African masks piled on the table won't be here-they are just stuck there while we're unpacking. There are two matching lamps, need new shades, the funky end table we got free at the church rummage sale, and a different end table (I don't like the cheapy particle board one unless I can cover it with something) can either stay or go. If they go, I'd need some sort of lighting, but I can figure that out.

OK, I think that's it. Here's the pics:

So...here's my thought. I could build a built in "custom" shelves (custom = DIY) based on Chris' picture and to fit the various old, antique-y, suitcases and bags I would acquire for this storage space. Maybe a few old glass medicine bottles? A few African gourds hollowed out for storage? They would go on the two sloping ends of the bump out, which I think would look really cool!

Joy has suggested that, instead of the love seat, we build in a really comfy window seat/bench that would open for storage inside it, kind of like banquette seating with stuffed, innerspring upholstery for comfort.

Could we do both?

Thoughts? Would really appreciate honest critique! Thanks!!

AN IDEA FOR CREATING SOME PRETTY AWESOME STORAGE!!! NEED ADVICE/FEEDBACK! :-)

OK, Chris--this is all your fault, hahaha!! Ever since you posted that picture again of the storage with the old suitcases and bags, I can't stop thinking about it! Here's your pic:

I think I have a place where it could work, but I would like y'all's thoughts. It could potentially be an amazing storage space for my holiday decor, extra linens, the types of things I don't have to access often, but would like to keep if I could figure out how to create storage for them.

SO...in my LR, I have this little bump out. It's 10.375 ft long, 3.416 ft deep, And its ceiling slopes from 6' down to 5'. (The 35.5 sq ft of the bump out brings our 896 sq ft home up to a whopping 931.5 sq ft!)

Other things to know: the love seat is 5' long. I don't have to keep it. The window is 52"x61" and starts 11" off the floor. I definitely want to keep it (but the maroon-ish curtains will go!

The love seat is weirdly off to one side right now because the room window A/C is in this window. That will be removed as soon as we get the mini split system installed, so we won't have to move the love seat every summer to use the A/C.

The stuff in the corner, the tall sticks vase thing, the tall candle sticks, and all the African masks piled on the table won't be here-they are just stuck there while we're unpacking. There are two matching lamps, need new shades, the funky end table we got free at the church rummage sale, and a different end table (I don't like the cheapy particle board one unless I can cover it with something) can either stay or go. If they go, I'd need some sort of lighting, but I can figure that out.

OK, I think that's it. Here's the pics:

So...here's my thought. I could build a built in "custom" shelves (custom = DIY) based on Chris' picture and to fit the various old, antique-y, suitcases and bags I would acquire for this storage space. Maybe a few old glass medicine bottles? A few African gourds hollowed out for storage? They would go on the two sloping ends of the bump out, which I think would look really cool!

Joy has suggested that, instead of the love seat, we build in a really comfy window seat/bench that would open for storage inside it, kind of like banquette seating with stuffed, innerspring upholstery for comfort.

Could we do both?

Thoughts? Would really appreciate honest critique! Thanks!!

I don't know why sometimes my posts double post! But I found out the hard way that if I delete one, they both delete. Sorry!

I don't know why they double post, but if it is just typing, copy your post out, then delete it (both). Then paste back in what you copied from the original post for a new post. and hope it only posts once!

I think you could totally build in a suitcase storage area around your window. Either one on each side facing the small couch. Or all the way around the window with out couch removing the couch and building into the whole unit the one with storage under your built in couch. I think it would have to be built in or built in sections because you would not be able to get in out your door if you decided you did not want it later. I can not imagine this as the storage it would create is amazing.

If you filled around the window with the couch there you would not have to go as deep as the whole space making lots of storage but not feeling boxed in. If you want the built in window seat then box that whole area in. Might be easier to just make boxes under the couch for suitcases to hold the mattress instead of lifting up the mattress. 11 inches off the floor is not much. Mattress say 6 inches?? suit cases 5/6 inches will use up your 11 inches.

I think I said most of my suitcases are about 18 inches deep so if you want to keep the little couch it looks like there is room for the shelves could be built facing in instead of out. It would give you a huge amount of storage. The biggest thing on suitcase storage is to be sure they do not smell inside. I cured a few smelly ones with coffee grounds in a bowl for a couple of weeks and it took the musty smell out of them. Especially for storing linens. I haunted thrift stores for years picking up the flat topped cases for under the bed. But in your case choosing the different shapes it would be easier to find great cases. Just remember now people are collecting them and when I collected mine I set a $2.00 dollar limit on what I would pay for each one. LOL Tight wad.

Don't forget you can also build in a few drawers. And finally one last thing is to be sure that bump out is supported properly to hold up all the added weight of the shelving and cases and what is in them. Just thinking on my sisters hoard in Moms house made the floors start to sag. Her MFH is not on a foundation but on piers.

Could you do it? Yes, certainly. Is it a good idea? Not to me. That's a fairly small window to begin with and if you close it in more you will be making the house darker inside. I personally would not like that, but YMMV, of course.

BTW, while that suitcase wall is cute as the dickens, it doesn't strike me as very practical when I consider what it would be like to try to lever one of those out while it's full of stuff. If you collect old suitcases it's a great display, as storage not so much.

Writersblock I was kind of thinking the same thing while cleaning. BUT if it were made as a lower unit so the top is as high as the sides of the couch it would still hold a lot of stuff and not close in the space. Work as end tables. Or Just go taller with narrow shelves on either end up the corners and not as deep as the bottom section for smaller cases.

Also if the whole unit is made as deep as the opening it might store two suitcases deep in the lower bigger shelves. LOL Debbie you see we already assume you will build it lower. I will take a random measure of my suitcases to get an idea of how many tall you could get and still keep the sides at a lower lever. I was thinking three suitcases stacked on top of each other is about end table height. And stacking the suitcases would also be good but I can guarantee you will always need what is in the bottom one. Now if all three were Christmas it would not matter. Later. Right now I am gasping from loading up the ranger to go to the dump. After vacuuming the house and cleaning the bathrooms and other morning chores.

I think I have 9 old suitcases under our full sized bed. They hold Christmas photos, purses, which I have more than I should but keeping my favorites, Beading tray and some beading supplies. One large suitcase of odd ball stuff for decor I use when I shop the house for a new look. And one more that has genealogy stuff in it.

Hi, Shades. Sure, in your case where you're already using suitcases that's different. But considered objectively, if you're starting from scratch you'll get less storage with the suitcase wall than you would with a boring old cupboard full of storage boxes on shelves, or a tansu type of setup.

OH I LOVE the tansu type of storage. Maybe why I like this big suitcase cabinet. I totally agree I would not want a heavy case that high over my head.

Here's a couple tips for gaining space and organizing.

I gained 8 linear feet of cabinet shelf this week by adding another shelf to the dish and pantry cupboards. In addition I now can reach 3 shelves in each cupboard without getting out the step stool. The top shelf in the china area is fine for teapots and such, the top shelf on the pantry side holds light weight baking pans. Then I corralled the floppy bags of stuff and small bottles in labeled 'locker' bins from the dollar store and added more bins to the blind corners hoping stuff won't get lost back there - simple things I hadn't ever done. My daughter made horchata last night now the pitcher isn't doing storage duty and the white rice was located at last.

It drives DD nuts but placing a drawer organizer in the middle rather than to one side gives you more areas to sort utensils into. For example my large drawer has 5 sections. Far left is for spatulas, then knife block, tongs [tiny/medium/large], utensil compartment thing containing most of the cooking utensils then wooden spoons on the far right. Things get less tangled up in smaller spaces.

Great ideas Kathy. I also added more shelves to our pantry. I was lucky and had the identical pantry at the last house so I was able to just shift all my wire shelves baskets and what not to this house and then added a few more wood shelves.

Desertsteph, thanks! I will do that next time one of my posts goes double. :-)

Kathy, those are both strokes of genius! And, as you pointed out, not hard to do. Who wouldn't want eight linear feet more of cupboard space without having to remodel?? Great idea!

My problem with uppers is that I'm barely 5'1" and I have fairly severe rheumatoid arthritis. I can't even reach the lowest shelf. My daughter Joy is 5'2" and physically fine. But she can't reach the second shelf, and she is really scared on the step stool. When I remodel my kitchen, I'm knocking out all the uppers. Several people have asked me, "Debbie, you complain you don't have any storage space; why would you knock out what little you do have?" Fair question. But I'm not using them now. There is literally nothing in them, lol! I'm hoping that maybe I can put in an open shelf or two at a slightly lower level that I could access.

Kathy, you make an excellent point that smaller drawers and organizers can be much more effective than big, deep drawers for organizing things like flatware and utensils! If you have a deep drawer and just throw in your utensils and flatware and gosh knows what, you can never find anything.

The way you did it is perfect. Organizers big enough for each section, but no bigger. A section for each category. I love it! Do you have any pics you'd be willing to share of your shelves and drawer?

Chris, thanks so much for the ideas! I especially love your $2 spending limit on suitcases, lol!

Writersblock, thank you for your honesty! I asked for honest feedback, and I think you brought up some excellent points that I will carefully consider.

A couple of things: one, I didn't mean to say that none of the window space can be covered up, given that it starts only 11" off the ground. About half of it is covered now by the love seat. Actually, the entire right half is taken up by the dang window A/C. I put a mirror there because what is actually filling in the window is--and I'm not kidding--an ancient, dinged up Windermere real estate sign! Hahaha! I found the mirror in the hoard, and it's a huge improvement! Lol!!!

So actually, 3/4 of the entire window is covered up. As soon as we get the mini split, that will give us half the window back. I'm not opposed to putting in a different window, one that starts at about the top of the love seat, but goes almost the length of the wall.

writersblock, I hear you about letting in light! When I bought this house, there were old, heavy, musty, drapes over every window in the house, and the previous owners kept them closed 24/7. It was a cave. I LOVE natural light; there's never too much. My friend, from whom I bought the house, bought all the light panel curtains that are here now as a gift to me. They weren't necessarily what I would have chosen, but it was incredibly thoughtful of her to do that!

Here you can see the mirror that covers the real estate sign, with the help of the curtain. The A/C unit is just below the mirror. You can also see how the love seat covers the bottom half of the window. So currently, 3/4 of the window is covered up. When we get the minisplit, we'll get the right half of the window back.

The other window in the LR is directly opposite the pop out. It is very big, and I love it! It faces south, so we get so much light!

Here's the whole LR, or as much as I could get in one shot, first from the kitchen, and then from the doorway of the library, at the opposite end. The LR is 17.5' wide, including the pop out, and 14' 8" long. About 214 sq st.

The bookcase to the right of the long sofa is not staying. I'm just waiting for my friend Tina to come get it. The desk chair is going into the library. The TV goes on the end table, to the right of the chair, but I need help because I can't lift it up there.

What is tansu storage? I'm not familiar with that term.

writersblock, I agree that there may be a way to store more things more efficiently in this space. But... I am just in love with this suitcase storage idea! Lol!! I think it would be a beautiful artwork, and certainly a conversation piece.

The lower, sloping ceiling would be helpful in getting things down, because most of it would be within reach. Most of the things I would want to store there are quite light and I would only need to get them out once a year, at most.

It would also fit my personality and the overall feel of house I'm going for. I think, after reading Chris' suggestions, that if I decide I want to do it, I would likely go with building a whole built in unit that would surround the bump out and would include the window bench with storage inside. I would, ideally, enlarge the window, but that will depend, of course, on finances. I have to replace all the windows in the house at some point anyway, probably when I put on the new siding.

I like Chris' ideas for suitcases as end tables, and to have some pull out drawers. Keeping as much light as possible coming in would be top priority!

I think I could build most of it myself, except putting in drawers/pullouts, and making the cushion seat for the bench. But I have a good friend who reupholsters furniture and I think she and her DH could make that. Or, maybe I could score a restaurant seat from a remodel or going out of business.

BUT I haven't made a decision yet. I tend to let things percolate...sooner or later, maybe I haven't even thought about it for weeks or months, and the decision will come to me and I'll be 100% sure. Maybe weird, but works for me! :-) I made the decision to buy this house in less than 48 hours, but researched for months for a pitcher, haha!! But when I know, I know.

Thanks for your help and advice! You've both given me a lot to think about.

Oh, Chris, I meant to say thanks for reminding me I will likely have to reinforce the floor if I do this, or any type of storage area in that bump out. I will have that done when I get the floors done, either in January or next June, I hope. :-)

I think it would be a beautiful artwork, and certainly a conversation piece.

Well, that's a whole different story, then. It's one thing when you're just looking for efficiency and another when you're willing to compromise on that for aesthetics.

Tansu is a traditional Japanese kind of storage:

Incidentally, I can't believe how much better the house looks already, without all the stuff in it.

Debbie,

I noticed your fridge jutting out from the little divider wall by the south window. I had a similar issue and stumbled across this fridge:

http://www.compactappliance.com/Equator-Conserv-Tall-Refrigerator-Freezer-CT380Z/CT380Z.html

it's expensive, though if you can find a white one you'd save a bit. I had mine drop shipped from Stacksandstacks.com, though that was a long time ago, I don't know if they still carry it. That was discounted enough I splurged on stainless, but in retrospect, I think I would have been fine with white...stainless and fingerprints...ugh.

It's 24 by 24 inches by 6 1/2 feet tall. I am short, so the top shelf is a reach, I keep the included wine rack at the top and store 1 L bottles of club soda* there, since I mostly drink red wine at room temp. Honestly, I'm 5' 3/8" and I can reach everything. I keep short condiments in bins on the top shelf under the wine rack, so I just have to catch the front edge of the bin to get it out

It is almost sculpturally beautiful, light weight, on castors, doesn't have a grill in back, so can fit tightly in a corner, is utterly silent and sips energy. I've had mine for 13 years now and have only had to defrost the freezer section three times. It's not large capacity, but I have plenty of space. The freezer space is more generous compare to other models and I love that the freezer is on the bottom.

I eliminated most upper cabinets in my kitchen remodel. I have two small ones for glassware and never use the stuff on the upper two shelves. I don't miss upper cabinets at all.

*my club soda/selter water trick. Dunk a teabag in cold sparkly water and allow the bubbles to brew it for 20 or more seconds. Remove the teabag, add ice. Delicious sparkly tea. My favorite right now is Stash Mango and Coconut Oolong.

Writersblock that is a Beautiful Tansu. Course most of them are.

Debbie keep your eye out for the foam cushions that go in camper dinning room sleeping areas. I picked a set up this spring at a yard sale for 5 dollars. There was ink or paint spilled on the seat one but it does not matter because I was not going to use the cover that it came with in oranges and browns. I used the back one for my couch in the dinning room and saving the bottom one for the seat of the couch if I ever decide to put a table in front of the couch it will raise it up high enough for that. It is a little short right now.

Or consider the twin sized futon mattresses if they come in twin and I think they do have the bunk bed ones with a twin on top and full on the bottom.

If you are going to change the window then I would make it up higher from the floor. Our windows here are 19 inches off the floor. Gives nice light but all furniture is in front of them.

How nice of your friend to buy you the light curtains.

Oh! Oh!! Oh!!! I just saw a "peek" of The Yellow Paint in the kitchen! It's in the photos in the response four or five postings above this one!

I'm going to love it.

If you have a large spice rack or drawer, Alphabetizing is a Godsend. I don't generally use more than 5 jars at a time, so storing Cumin before Paprika is truly a no brainer. I also write the day I open the jar so i can instantly determine if my cream of tartar is relatively fresh or 5 YO!

i save sales receipts but nothing less than $10. It greatly reduces the paper ribbons on my counter

I also have what I call the "when in doubt" box for receipts, flyers etc that I'm not 100% decided on. About every 3months I go thru it and would you believe 100% goes to trash/recycle? Seems I should toss from the get go but sometimes I'm not sure. The WID box lives in a hidden corner of pantry so my counters are pretty clutter free this way,

Stringweaver, Summit and other companies also make fridges in that configuration. If you can stand a slightly lower capacity LG and Blomberg have 24" counter depth models in the $700 range:

https://www.ajmadison.com/cgi-bin/ajmadison/LBN10551.html

https://www.ajmadison.com/cgi-bin/ajmadison/BRFB1042X.html

ETA I've never seen the Blomberg, but the LG is quite a nice fridge, much better looking in person than in the photos.

The only receipts I keep are for appliances and I usually tape or staple them to the appliance booklet and file in my appliance/house binder. I never keep flyers unless they have an add in them I will be purchasing. I do not want to have to handle incoming paperwork more than once. It all goes directly to the trash. I use my debit card for all purchases and check the bank online and those receipts go to the trash right away too. I have tried to eliminate all paper billing and do everything online.

Some of the easier storage things I'm using. Desktop envelope or file holder to hold lids. I did have to put a twist tie across the end to keep the lids from rolling out.

Larger file folder dividers to hold both small casserole dishes and lids.

Little baskets from Big Lots or Walmart - cut down to fit into a drawer. They cut easily with a pair of scissors and I've even made them longer or made them a triangle shape by cutting pieces out and gluing them back together.

I enjoy the way I have organized my basic 6 ft. reach in closet. On one end my father built shelves 2 ft. wide. I stack sweaters, jeans, & jammies on them. The rest of my clothes are on hangers organized into outfits. T-shirts and other tops are folded over the coordinating capris/shorts/skirts - so two or three items of clothing on one plastic hanger. This way I don't have look in different places/drawers to get dressed and I don't have a rod jam packed with hangers. I like being able to see all my clothes at once. Easier to cull pieces I've stopped feeling comfortable wearing and to see at a glance what a new item might "go with".

On the closet floor I maximized shoe storage by placing less frequently worn shoes sole to sole on top of each other on the back row - a pair of shoes taking only the space of one. In the front row I have enough space to put pairs heel/toe. I saw this as a tip on the net...arranging pairs heel/toe takes up less space than pairs placed side by side heels and toes facing the same direction. It's true.

On the back of my bedroom door I hung up an old accordion - style peg rack. 10 pegs is just enough for me to hang purses and light jackets. I can't believe I didn't think to do this YEARS ago.

I was on vacation last month and found a complete set of 1930s handpainted ceramic storage canisters at an old stuff shop. Not a steal, but a good price. I would have paid just about anything for them, I like them so much. That initiated removing the shallow wall cupboard I have never liked and replacing it with an Ikea shelf I have coveted for several years. I have begun re-organizing my pantry cupboards. I bought the two crates and cleared up the cluttered top by putting all the liquor in one and bakeware in the other. Early this year I considered replacing those cupboards with a whole wall unit, but happily I thought better of it.

I removed a 1 foot wide base cabinet next to the stove, which I never liked and found a tiny rolling island to fit under the 15 inch deep counter I set up across a window that replaced an exterior door. I extended that counter around the corner with a shelf for the big jars which store the dog and cat food, with treats and medicines in tin canisters for them on another shelf below..

I'm still working on fitting out the pantry cupboards with bins and adjusting shelf heights and working out what goes where. After that I'll finish organizing the fridge and get some pictures of it.

Those canisters are darling, stringweaver.

stringweaver those canisters are so wonderful. I am so happy you bought them because they pleased you. Can't wait for further back reveal photos. I remember a little about your kitchen quandary. Glad you kept the cabinets too. i think they are great storage.

Love those canisters! I would have bought them too, even if it meant changing paint, curtains, and everything in my kitchen.

Debbie B, where are you going to put the mini split? On that same wall? If it were me, I wouldn't put a window seat under a window that is 11 inches off the floor. And I agree with the thought that building in suitcase shelves would make the room look darker and smaller. In fact, it would be smaller because suitcases are pretty deep.

What is above the ceiling in that bump out? Any way of opening it up? If not, what about shallow cabinets, something like ikea's Hemnes or Stall shoe cabinets on either side of the window? The Stall cabinets are only about 7" deep and hold more than just shoes.

I was thinking along these lines only with slots for the suitcases and maybe some drawers.

Built in around low window

I measured half of my suitcase collection under the bed and they are 15 1/2 to 16 inches deep counting handles. 8 inches tall. I do not know if I was just lucky to get them all the same size ?? Or if this is a pretty standard size. I do have a few smaller ones. Maybe child size?? Right now those are in my loft waiting their turn in the house. I also have one really square one that I could not get to to measure with out a lot of effort. I believe it is deeper than the others but same height.

I used to try to organize and store. Then I realized, it wasnt an organization issue. It was a "too much junk" issue. So I started purging. I live in 990 sq feet with 4 other people and I now have plenty of storage and everything is organized. I now know where "everything" is. All the time! If I had two of something, I just got rid of the second thing. We keep one cup for each person in the family, one plate that each person has to clean up themselves when they are finished with it. One bowl each etc. 2 pots, 2 pans, my vitamix and a salad spinner a wooden spoon. Thats about all thats in my kitchen and I havent missed any of the stuff I got rid of! Toys are down 10 fold, I only keep one extra pair of sheets for each bed and I now store them under the given mattress. Ive gotten rid of lots of bath towels and lots of clothing articles that were just taking up space. LOVING it!

No microwave either, I got rid of that probably 10 years ago. I hated how much space it took up in my small kitchen and we didnt use it enough to justify keeping it. Best decision I could have ever made.

Danelle,

you are so right!

I have done a lot of purging and sheesh...I still have to declutter once or twice a year...more stuff keeps coming in, though I"m more careful about assigning everything a spot when it moves in. If there isn't a spot for it, either I don't get it or something else has to go.

Then I get the bins/shelves, whatever is needed to keep that amount of stuff organized.

I would love to get rid of my microwave, but I do use it often enough to merit keeping it. I have the smallest model I have been able to find. I don't have a toaster. On the rare occasions I want toast I quickly heat it up in the cast iron grill pan on the stove. I seldom drink coffee, so I don't have a coffee pot either.

Danielle, I could not agree more! When people set out to organize their kitchen, home office, or home, often the first thing they do is run out to Target or The Container Store and buy up a bunch of bins, baskets, files, and organizers. Many professional organizers actually suggest this.

Joy and I don't agree with this. Before you can know what kind of organizers you need (if any), and what size, and for what purpose, you first have to know what you have, where they belong, how many items you need to keep, and what you are going to keep. THEN if you need organizers or storage products, you will know exactly what you need. Many people end up buying way too many organizers they can't use.

Many people's problems with organization is actually what you suggest: TOO MUCH STUFF! For us in "smaller homes," there is a particular version of this problem: thinking you need, and should have, as much stuff as people who live in much bigger houses.

The cold, hard facts are: you have X sq. ft. You can fit X amount of stuff in that. The floors of my manufactured home are sunken and tearing away from the walls, partly because of water damage, but also because the previous owners, hoarders, had so much stuff that it actually was about to fall through the floors!

I absolutely love your minimalist living! Joy and I are doing the same thing, although we haven't pared down as much as you have. We have a home with literally zero storage. We sat down and decided how much of each thing do we really need? This was especially important in the kitchen. Between my stuff, Joy's stuff, and the hoard that was left behind, we pared down to one set of dishes, one set of pots and pans, a reasonable number of cooking utensils, and only the small appliances we actually use. We have: one blender, an electric can opener (I can't open cans with a manual opener due to my arthritis.), an electric skillet, a food/rice steamer, and one coffee maker. We have 5 knives. No toaster. We do have, and use, a microwave.

We also have a one in, one out rule: Nothing comes into the house unless something of equal size and function goes out. For example, if we buy a coffee mug, one of our existing coffee mugs goes to the thrift shop. If we were to buy something to cook in, let's say a deep fryer, for example, the electric skillet or the steamer would have to go. If I decide to get a cast iron skillet, one of my SS skillets (I have two) would have to be given away.

We're going to take "the minimalist challenge," probably in October. The minimalist challenge goes like this: you do it for one month. On the first day of the month, you get rid of one item in your house (and don't replace it!). On day 2, you get rid of two things. On day 3, three things, etc., until the last day of the month, when you get rid of 30 (or 31) items.

:-)

Have not read other comments yet. Tri fold t shirts and stack in drawers so u can see each one. (Meaning they are stacked vertically so shirts aren't on top of each other)

Purging is really important. Once out of the cabinet I realized I have a bowl hoarding problem. Rehoming 5 sets, keeping 5. When you see them all side by side it's easier to see which ones are unimportant. I thought I had to keep the cute but tippy rice bowls I never use but looking at my hoard found I have several other pretty sets of bowls from MIL so was able to let them go. Sets=2-6 bowls, it's not quite as bad as it sounds.

Filling the the inaccessible corner of my lower cabinet may make it more usable in the end as things can no longer get pushed back there. I put boxed up stuff I am not comfortable rehoming yet back there. Key is - box it!

I put almost all the small electrics on the garage pantry shelf in plastic bags to keep them less dusty. We only use the rice cooker more than once a week so it's in the house. The small food processor earned its way back in the house as well. Been that way for several years and working out very nicely. Most are awkward to stoop down to get from the lower cabinet, definitely don't deserve front and center if you only have a 2' length of easy to access upper cabinet and if they aren't used daily they don't belong on the counter.

"If they aren't used daily, they don't belong on the counter."

My philosophy as well. :)

My usual storage solution is the trash can.

Wow! When I started this thread, I wasn't sure anyone would post at all. But now there are so many great organizing and storage tips! I thought perhaps I could briefly list them, and hopefully even more folks will share their secrets to organizing their smaller homes.

Here's what we've got thus far:

1. Think outside the box for unconventional storage, such as storing microwave plate covers in the microwave.

2. Under the bed storage. Raise bed up to create more space.

3. A chest can I a beautiful piece in the LR, BR, or DR, and used for storage. It can even be used for seldom used kitchen or pantry items such as a bread machine, large sacks of flour, etc.

4. Install locker bins inside cupboard doors for small items like pens, odd utensils, clips, ties, most used spices, etc.

5. Use your suitcases to store craft supplies, holiday decor, linens, or seasonal wear such as sweaters. You can even build a bookcase like structure as an attractive display for your suitcases.

6. Use a large binder with plastic protective sleeves to organize things like product warranties and instructions, receipts, and any important information pertaining to your house. If you ever sell your home, it would be a thoughtful gesture to leave the binder for the new owner.

7. Declutter your cooking utensils, or any part of your kitchen using the ten step method posted above.

8. Plastic drawers that can fit under a desk can be used to store kitchen linens neatly, rather than stuffing them all into one small drawer in the kitchen or piling them up on a shelf. The plastic drawers can be hidden with an attractive curtain or table cloth.

9. Take pictures or video of everything in your house for insurance purposes, should catastrophe strike.

10. Use kitchen utensils for multiple purposes. Tongs, for example, can be used in many applications, reducing the need for "one use only" utensils.

11. Tansu storage is both beautiful and efficient.

12. Add another shelf to dish and pantry cupboards to instantly double your useable shelf space.

13. Things get less tangled up in smaller spaces. Use drawer organizers strategically to give you more categories into which you can sort items. Placing an organizer in the middle of a drawer gives you the left and right sides as two extra spaces.

14. If you have a very small kitchen, consider smaller appliances, such as a tall, but skinny refrigerator, a small range with two burners, a smaller dishwasher (or drawer or portable DW), stacked washer and dryer, or the all-in-one washer/dryer. This can give you substantially more counter space and maybe room for shelves or folding table in your laundry area.

15. Banquette seating in the kitchen and benches in the LR or FR can open for storage and can seat more people in a smaller space.

16. Alphabetizing your spices saves time when prepping meals. Writing the date on your spice jar when you use it helps you know when they need to be replaced with a fresh jar.

I would add to this that you can use this method for sorting utensils, knives, almost anything in the kitchen. Let's use knives as an example. Write today's date on a piece of masking tape and put one on each knife. Every time you use a knife, put a new piece of tape with the date on it. Do this for three months. When the three months are up, check the date on each knife. Any knife with the original date still on it goes to the Good Will.

17. Keep a WID (when in doubt) box in a discreet corner in your kitchen or pantry. If you're not sure whether to keep a receipt, flyer, take-out menu (and I would add a kitchen utensil or any kitchen item), etc., toss it into the WID box. Go through the WID box about every three months, and if you haven't used it, needed it, or missed it, toss it out.

With #16 & #17, there are exceptions. You may have a turkey platter you use once a year. Or the big turkey carving knife. Maybe you have a set of holiday kitchen towels or mugs. You don't use them every month of the year, but you use them. As long as you really use them, keep them. OTOH, if you haven't gotten the turkey platter out in five years, give it to a relative or the thrift shop.

18. Try to never handle a piece of paperwork more than once.

19. Eliminate all paper billing, if possible, and pay bills online.

20. Use a desktop envelope or file holder to store lids. Use larger file folder dividers to create spaces to hold casserole dishes and lids. You can cut down little baskets from WM or BL to fit inside your drawers. You can even cut two and glue them together to make a bigger, or oddly shaped, basket.

21. Organizing the basic 6ft. reach in closet:

A. On one end, put in some 2 ft. wide shelves and use them to stack sweaters, jeans, jammies, etc.

B. Put the rest of your clothes on hangers, organized into outfits. 1-3 tops folded over each bottom (skirts, capris, shorts, dress slacks, etc.). So there will be 2-4 items on each hangar.

C. This allows you to see all your clothes at once, saves time in choosing an outfit, helps you get rid of clothes you don't wear, and makes it easy to find the right match for new clothes. It also allows for more clothes in less space without cramming.

D. Shoes: Maximize shoe space by placing less frequently worn pairs sole to sole on top of each other in the back row, and frequently worn shoes heel to toe in the front row, which takes up less space than side by side.

E. Over the door organizers: there are many types of over the door organizers that can be used to store scarves, purses, jackets, gloves, shoes, hats, or almost anything you can imagine.

22. Use beautiful canisters that you love to store essentials and create a lovely display at the same time.

23. Maximize any under counter spaces with small rolling islands, carts, or pullouts.

24. Sometimes an organization problem is really a "too much stuff" problem. Think minimalist, and get rid of what you don't need or love.

25. Tri-fold t-shirts and stack in drawers so you can see each one without stacking them on top of each other.

26. Frequent purging is necessary to stay on top of the amount of stuff in your home. One method is the minimalist challenge.

Another is to set out sets of items, like bowls, side by side so you can easily see what you have and what you use (or don't use) and what you should keep or toss.

"I spent a lot of money on it," "Someone gave it to me," and "My family will kill me if I get rid of it," are NOT reasons to keep something that is cluttering up your home. On that last excuse, contact your relatives and tell them you can no longer keep the items in question. Give them a date one to three months away for any of them to claim it. If no one wants it by then, you can donate or sell it with a clear conscience.

A method Joy & I use to decide whether we keep or toss something is to look at each item and answer these questions:

A. Have I used it in the last year? If the answer is no, out it goes!

B. If it broke, would I buy a replacement? If the answer is no, I really don't love it or need it. Out it goes?

C. Is the thought of wasting money keeping me from tossing this? Well, you've already wasted the money by buying it in the first place. Keeping it around to clutter up your home won't change that. Forgive yourself, toss it, and move on.

D. Do I love it? Does it make me happy to look at it, wear it, or use it? Not everything has to have a utilitarian purpose. Art is the obvious example. My seasonal sofa pillows are another. I don't "need" four sets of sofa pillows, but I LOVE them. It makes me happy to keep my home fresh with the changing seasons. A home should be filled with things you love, and with nothing you don't. If you don't LOVE it, toss it!

E. Are you keeping it for a project that will never materialize or for "just in case"? This is the hardest stuff to get people to toss. If you have stuff for this great craft idea, and you've been saving it for five years, admit that you have too many great craft ideas and you can't do them all. If you're saving something "just in case" something highly unlikely happens, let it go! When my SIL were cleaning out my parent's house, out in the shed we found nearly a dozen coffee cans full of used razor blades. We asked my dad why he was saving them, he said, "In case there's another war and the government needs steel for the war effort." The fact that the nature of war has changed since WWII completely eluded him.

Should you have a well stocked first aid kit and emergency supplies in case of disasters that could happen in your area? YES!! But don't keep things for events that will never happen. Don't insist on keeping 28 place settings and chairs just in case the entire family all decides to visit you at the same time, even though none of them have dropped by in the last 30 years.

F. Do I have multiples of this item? If I pull three hair dryers out of my bathroom clutter, I need to toss at least two of them. Do I have 20 coffee mugs? What's the biggest number of coffee mugs I have ever used at one time? Not the number I think I should keep just in case; the actual number of mugs that were in use in the last year all at once. Four? OK, keep four, toss the rest.

G. When I wear this, do I feel confident? If the answer is no, out it goes!

H. Could someone else benefit more from this than I can? If your youngest child just hit her teens, but you've still got all her baby clothes and toys, donate it to a charity that helps single moms. Knowing someone would really need and use them makes them easier to part with.

I. Is this item worth the time, effort, and money I spend to clean and/or it? When my mom was young, before she met my dad, young women kept "hope chests." They were a trunk or chest in which girls and young ladies kept linens, silverware, towels, things for the future they "hoped" to use in their household with their husband. My mom had managed to save and save and buy a nice 12 settings real silverware set. I bet we didn't use that silverware a dozen times during my parent's 52 year marriage. But every month she dutifully got it out and spent an afternoon polishing it. She hated that chore! She should have sold it and used the money for something she would have actually enjoyed!

J. Does it work in the space? Even if you love and use your treadmill, if it's so huge your children can't play in the family room, and guests have to maneuver a narrow path from sofa to restroom, rethink your options. Sell your big treadmill and use the money to help buy a more streamlined one. Join a gym. Do step aerobics. Just don't keep something that doesn't work in the space.

K. If you had to move next month, would you pack it up and move it? If not, out it goes!

L. Could I get money for this? While donating your excess things is commendable, sometimes all of us could use some extra cash. If you are on the fence about an item, research and see what you might be able to sell it for on Craigslist or eBay. Cash is always a good incentive for purging!

M. What is it costing me to keep this? If, God forbid, you are keeping stuff in a storage unit or two, figure out how much your stuff costs you per year. Now multiply by the number of years you've been paying. You might be astounded! My hoarding friends have three large storage units. They pay nearly $4,000 a year for stuff that is mostly useless. They "can't afford" to live in a better place--but if they had saved all the money they've spent on storage units over the years they'd have a nice down payment for a decent house. What is the cost of maintaining the things in your home and is it worth it? Cost isn't always financial. Is it costing your relationship with your partner, your children, your friends? Is it costing you job advancement? A material thing is rarely worth damaging a relationship over.

27. If they aren't used daily, they don't belong on the counter!

28. The trash can provides an excellent storage solution! :-)

Phew! This took a long time! :-) As people add more organizing and storage solutions for the smaller home, I'll edit this post and add them in. If I missed any of your ideas, it was purely unintentional. Please let me know and I'll add it in. :-)

Hooray for smaller homes!

My mom had managed to save and save and buy a nice 12 settings real silverware set. I bet we didn't use that silverware a dozen times during my parent's 52 year marriage. But every month she dutifully got it out and spent an afternoon polishing it. She hated that chore! She should have sold it

What a pity. If she'd used it, she'd hardly ever have had to polish it. We used ours for dinner every night and the flatware almost never needed polishing. Serving pieces that sat around between parties, now those were a different story.

Stringweaver, thanks so much for the info on the streamlined refrigerators! When I save up enough to remodel the kitchen in a few years, I definitely want to consider smaller appliances, both to gain counter space and to save energy.

I'm afraid my picture was a bit misleading, though. Joy and I had actually pulled the refrigerator out a few feet when the circuit blew and we had to access the plug so we could plug it into an extension cord in a working outlet. Then we left it out so we could paint. It's now back in its designated space.

Kathy, I hear you about being strategic with small cabinet space. I have ONE lower cabinet that has to hold my steamer, electric skillet, mixing and serving bowls, baking dishes, cutting boards, and colanders/strainer. Right now everything's in there and juuuuust barely fits, but I know I've got a set of Pyrex mixing/storage bowls I haven't yet unpacked. And I've missed them because I can't microwave or bake or freeze anything in the Chefmate melamine bowls...so even though I love them, I'm probably going to toss them. I like your idea of keeping seldom used appliances out of the kitchen. I think Shades does that too.

Speaking of Shades, thanks Chris, for the pic of the built-in around a low window. I love that! It really frames the window beautifully! Also, THANK YOU for measuring your suitcases!! That is so kind of you! I'm guessing your hunch is right, and those were standard sizes.

Missouribound, no, the minisplit will go on the main (only) living room wall. Smaller units in the bedrooms. What is above the ceiling in the pop out? The sky, lol. :-) A pop out in an old manufactured home is like ones you may have seen in RVs or travel trailers. The RV is driven to its camping spot and then, like an accordion, the owner pulls out (pops out) another little section from its side. If I ever moved this MH, they would literally fold it back into the house in order to be able to drive it without wind sheer. I'll try to remember to take some pics of the outside and post them. It's an inexpensive way of giving people a little more square footage, in my case 35 more sq ft makes a big difference. By the way, I really love your basket idea! I'm going to try that!

Time for bed. Goodnight everyone! :-)

Debbie, Great compiling of all the information posted here. I will be saving it to a file on computer.

Writersblock , you are so right. That is why I have a policy that we USE the things we have! I just don't see the sense in keeping valuable and beautiful things up in a cabinet that rarely or never get used. My parents were usually good about that--the silverware was kind of an exception. I know a few people who grew up in "museums," where they were never allowed to touch anything or be in certain rooms. I have a friend in LaJolla who has this amazing, white on white very modern living room. They never use it, so to me it's just a huge museum piece.

OK, so when the neighbor kids, ages 11 and 8, come over, they get the Tupperware glasses. But everyone else gets the nice Bormioli glasses, and that's what Joy and I use every day. We never use the Tupperware.

Thanks, Chris! I'm glad you found it useful.

I wanted to add a thought: not everyone has to, or wants to, live a minimalist lifestyle. It is one of many ways people can organize and store. Probably all of us can stand to go through our homes and clean out the excess and streamline. Most of us have more than we need.

My daughter and I are attempting to live a minimalist lifestyle, and I think that's a great thing. We have our reasons for doing this. But not everyone is us. I hope I haven't come across as "minimalism is THE way everyone should live," because I don't believe that.

Organization and storage for our smaller homes can take many creative forms, as we have seen in the list above!

:-)

I got rid of the little shelf thing I had my spices on. I also tossed out about 1/3 of my spices that were ancient, lol!

So, where to put my spices? I found this neat little slide out:

I still have to measure, but I think it will fit perfectly between my fridge and dishwasher. It's 5 1/2 inches wide and would easily hold my spices and more. If the gap isn't big enough, there is also a 4" version. These retail for about $25-$35, depending upon the brand and where you get it. Amazon reviews are pretty good.

Debbie, it's so much fun to watch you getting your new house figured out. The little pullout is genius if you have a place to put it. I love yellow kitchens, too.

Great thread Debbie! Even with the tips I already knew it is nice to be reminded!

Th thanks, writersblock and Anne! Trying to organize any house, no matter what size, can be like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. It's a lot more fun when others see pieces of the picture we don't. :-). I do really like that little pull-out I stumbled across on the Internet, and I'm thinking of other small spaces around the house where they might fit and be useful. It's great to find things that use space that would otherwise go completely unused. :-)

I’m going to enjoy reading about your organization tips :)

I have a messy room. I recently rearranged my space. Our shoes go in the garage - I found a shoe rack on Amazon .Inside my coat closet, I have 2 stackable shoe racks and one of those hanging shoe holders. We also have shoe tower rack for our children https://thehomedweller.com/best-shoes-organizers-reviews/ because it organizes our shoes and saves a lot of space in a hallway

I came upon this post tonight while just stopping in to check on some of my favorite people...and although it is several years old, it is great! There are some ideas that I could use in paring down my “stuff”. Debbie, you did a fantastic job of compiling this list! I guess I need to mentally move again...I was so good at parting with things when I thought about moving, storing, and moving again! Thanks