You Can Do That?! Genius Tips To Maximize Your Minimal Space

Declutter Your House Often

You should go through your home a few times every year and declutter. Grab a few boxes and label them “keep,” “donate,” and “throw away.” Then, go through every room in your house and fill the boxes. You’d be amazed at how much you can accumulate in just a few months that you don’t need or aren’t going to use. Try the Marie Condo method. If an item doesn’t bring you joy and you aren’t going to use it, then get rid of it!

Maximize Space In The Kitchen

Finding enough space to store everything you need in the kitchen is tough, especially when you’re working with limited space. Thankfully, there are usually tons of little nooks and crannies around the kitchen where you can fit some extra storage! The space between your fridge and counters or the wall is the perfect spot to add a set of pull-out shelves like the one seen in the picture. It’s the perfect spot to store the food you’re planning on cooking that week or snacks for the kids!

Keep The Pantry Organized

Most pantries have some organization, but you can always step up your storage game with labeled containers, baskets, and jars. Keeping your pantry organized will enhance the storage space and ensure everything is kept in its rightful place. A great trick is to empty out large boxes of cereal or other frequently used foods into clear glass jars, as seen in the photo. They store better than the giant boxes the food comes in and prevents your pantry from looking messy.

Hidden Laundry Area

Laundry stations can take up a ton of space, and some homes even have entire rooms dedicated to doing laundry. You can easily get away with having a hidden laundry area that provides you with all the essentials you need for washing your clothes. Tuck away your washer and dryer in cabinets like seen in this picture, and then use the cabinets on either side of the laundry machines for storing laundry hampers, detergent, and more.

Embrace Small, Multifunctional Furniture

Everything in your home should have at least two purposes. Replace your old end tables with ones that have storage drawers and an extra shelf, like the one shown in the picture. Get rid of any big, bulky furniture that’s only useful for one purpose because you can easily replace a large coffee table with a couple of smaller end tables like this that will open up your space and provide you with extra storage!

Get A Bed With Lots Of Storage

This is another example of finding multifunctional furniture. Your bed needs to be a comfortable place to sleep, but it can also be the perfect spot to store some essentials! Find a bed with a frame that doubles as extra storage space like the one in the picture above. You can store your favorite books, extra sheets and linens, clothes, and more in the little shelves and cubbies in this frame. Some beds even have extra storage underneath the mattress itself!

Expand Your Space With Large Mirrors

Using mirrors to make your space feel larger is a common design trick that’s been used for centuries! Mirrors help make your space feel bigger and they add a cute touch to any room. Find large, full-length mirrors that you can place against your bedroom or living room wall. You’d be surprised by how much having this reflective space can make your room feel twice the size.

Use A Curtain To Divide Your Space

People living in studio apartments or open concept tiny homes know the struggle of dividing their sleeping space from the rest of their living areas. A simple curtain works wonders to separate your bedroom area from the rest of your home. This trick can also come in handy when your kids are sharing a room and want to feel as though they have their own space. Set up a curtain like the one seen in the picture above and you instantly create a separate space that provides everyone with a bit more privacy.

Utilize Furniture With Exposed Legs

This is another helpful interior design trick that everyone living in a small home should know. Using furniture with exposed legs helps create a more cohesive flow to your space and helps the room feel larger. It’s also much easier to move furniture like this, which can help when you do your decluttering and rearranging! This trick can work in every room of your home and will create a gorgeous aesthetic that also makes your space feel bigger.

Get Magnetic Spice Tins

Finding a good spot to store your spices can be challenging in tiny or cluttered kitchens. Magnetic spice tins provide a simple solution that keeps your spices organized and out of the way. You can attach these spice tins to the side of your fridge, or buy magnetic strips to put on the wall above your stove! You’ll always have the spices you need in reach and using these tins opens up space in your cabinets to store other food.

Think Vertically

There are always ways to create more vertical storage space. Whether you’re looking at your living room, kitchen, or bedroom, there is a plethora of storage units and racks that can help you use the space going straight up to your ceiling! Making the most out of this typically unused space will give your tiny home a big advantage! This is how you fit everything you need and want into a small space without making it feel cluttered and unlivable.

Store Your Trash And Recycling Bins In The Cabinet

Some homes come with a pull-out cabinet for trash bins pre-installed, but many don’t. Those that do usually only have enough room for one trash bin so, if you really want to maximize your space, you should DIY a cabinet that can fit both a trash and recycling bin! Putting these bins in a cabinet will get them off your kitchen floor and out of the path of your daily life. It’s also more sanitary than just leaving your garbage sitting out in the middle of your kitchen!

Use A Fold Down Desk

Fitting an entire desk into an already cramped living room or bedroom can make your space feel even smaller. Rather than trying to get a whole desk to work with your space, try one of these adorable fold-down desks! Whenever you need to get some work done you just pull up a chair and pull the desk top down. When you’re all done, fold the desk part back up! These are also great for small homes because they generally have shelves and cubbies installed for extra storage.

Hang Your Pots And Pans

Pots and pans take up a ton of valuable space in kitchen cabinets. Instead of trying to keep them organized in a cabinet, try hanging them up underneath your spice rack! You can also install an old magazine rack next to the pots and pans for holding the matching lids. This will open up a ton of cabinet space while filling in some of the empty wall space in your kitchen.

Combine Your Living & Dining Areas

When you’re dealing with cramped space and lack a proper dining room, this trick will make your space feel more functional without creating a cluttered environment. Find a long dining room table and stick it directly behind your couch! This way, you can still eat at a table, but it won’t take up a ton of extra room. This is also a great solution for families that like to gather around the television during meal times, but don’t want to create a mess in their living room.

Make The Most Of Every Corner

Finding ways to make use of every inch of space in your home is the best way to maintain an uncluttered space with a good flow. Corner shelves are a great tool for homes with limited storage space, and they can be placed even in super tight spaces. Floating shelves like the ones shown in this picture are especially helpful in small spaces because they take up less space than bulky corner shelving units and you can put in as many as your walls will fit!

Extra Storage Under The Bathtub

This tip is perfect for those who are in the process of building their small home or have the funds to replace their current bathtub. Many creative people are looking for hidden spots in their homes where they can squeeze in a little extra storage, and this has to be one of the best ideas we’ve seen yet! Adding pull out drawers and cabinets to the bottom of your bathtub will give you significantly more storage space in your bathroom without interupting the flow of the room.

Use Light Colors On Your Walls

This is a design tip every homeowner should know and put to use! When you’re dealing with a small space, you should always paint your walls light colors. Pair your light-colored walls with an open-concept floor plan and you’ll be amazed at how well light flows through your space! While you may love purple or forest green, they won’t make your space feel any larger. In fact, those colors will only make your space feel smaller. Neutral colors like white, tan, and pale yellow actually reflect light. This will make your space feel a bit roomier. Try pairing this tip with the mirror trick and see how much more spacious your rooms feel!

Turn Stair Railings Into Bookcases

Remember, everything in your home should serve more than one purpose to maximize your storage space. Stair railings are a necessity for safety, but they can also be a valuable component to the overall storage in your home. Transform your bland stair railings into bookcases and fill them with books, knickknacks, or whatever else you want on display. You’ll get a little extra storage space and an awesome conversation piece when guests come over.

Turn Your Closet Into A Nursery

When you’re expecting a baby in a tiny home or a one bedroom apartment, one of your first concerns is probably where to put the nursery! Thankfully, there’s an easy solution to this issue that won’t take away from the space in your home. You can easily turn most closets into a nursery with a little work and ingenuity. All you really need in the closet nursery is a crib and a small dresser or clothing organizer. You can keep the rest of the baby supplies in the main area of your bedroom or living room.

More Staircase Storage Ideas

Staircases can seem like a big waste of space, but there’s plenty of potential to add some cabinets or drawers to your staircase. Some people add little drawers into the stairs themselves, while others create pull out cabinets like the ones shown in this picture. You can turn all that extra space into a storage haven! All you need is the right tools and knowledge, or a professional who can get the job done for you.

Create An Open Closet

Some spaces are too small to reasonably fit a closet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t store your things nicely! An open closet essentially takes the concept of a closet and creates that space without using doors to close it off from the rest of the room. You can install a rod for hanging clothes, put in a couple of shelves, move in a dresser, and add a shoe rack to the space to create a closet-like area in your bedroom. Not adding doors will save you a little square footage and enhance the flow of the room.

Invest In A Good Wall Bed

Wall beds were the height of trendiness during the 1920s, but they’ve fallen way out of style since then. However, we think it’s time to bring this trend back! Wall beds, otherwise known as Murphey Beds, are a great option for people living with limited space. They often come attached in the middle of wardrobes, so they come with plenty of storage space, and they easily fold up to provide you with more room during the day. Seriously, if you haven’t tried a wall bed yet, you need to!

Use Your Bedframe For Extra Storage

Your bedframe can hold a ton of extra stuff if you think outside the box! Create open cabinets in your footboard to store books, shoes, and other items you want close by. Your headboard should come with plenty of extra storage in the form of cubbies, shelves, and even hidden drawers. This is a great place to store your personal items that you don’t want on display around the home and anything you typically use during your nighttime routine. You could even use it for storing extra clothes or blankets!

Utilize The Space Under Your Shelves

There is so much space underneath your shelves that you should be taking advantage of! Install a bar underneath your shelves to hang small, light objects like measuring spoons and cups. Hang a fruit basket from your shelf and attach a paper towel holder. You could also nail the tops of jars to the bottom of your shelf and use those jars for holding spices or other necessary kitchen items!

Get A Bed Within A Bed

Sleepovers are a vital part of every kid’s childhood, but it can be tough to squeeze in enough room for an extra person when you’re dealing with limited space. You should invest in a bed within a bed for your child’s room! Essentially, it’s a regular bed with a secondary pull-out bed that friends and overnight guests can enjoy. It easily slides back in, so it doesn’t take up any permenant room in your child’s space or in any other area of the house. It’s way more convienant and takes up less space than a trundle bed!

Behind-The-Door Bathroom Storage

The backs of most doors in your home are the perfect places to add some additional storage. The back of your bathroom door is the perfect spot to install a track and add a few storage bins. You can use these bins to store extra toilet paper, washcloths, towels, shampoo, conditioner, soap, and other toiletries. Just make sure you have enough space when you open your door so these items don’t get smushed against the wall!

Medicine Cabinet/Table Flip Frame

Medicine cabinets are essential storage spaces in bathrooms, but they can also double as a little table for doing your makeup and getting ready in the mornings. These flip frames can be a little costly, but you can also find plenty of DIY tutorials online! This is a great way to get some storage space in your bathroom while ensuring your storage is multi-purpose. Everything should have more than one purpose in a small home!

Hidden TVs may seem like something from the early 2000s, but they can be a great space saver in tiny homes today. This little coffee table gives you a bottom shelf and a drawer for storage and has a main storage compartment that also holds your television! You can easily pull the top up to watch your favorite shows and then fold it back down and use the coffee table as a desk when it’s time to work. Multifunctional furniture is the key to success when you’re living in a home with limited space!

Clothing Drying Rack For Stairs

Most small homes and apartments don’t have space for a full washer and dryer. If you’re trying to save money by doing laundry at home, then you need a solid space to leave your clothes to dry. Putting out a clothesline in the yard would be most people’s first choice, but if you don’t have the space outdoors for that, then you can buy one of these clothing drying racks that go above your stairwell! These are great because they don’t take up any space that you would normally use and they keep your clothes out of the way while drying. It’ll also save you a ton of money if you aren’t running to the laundromat every week.

Tetris Your Furniture

Small homes don’t offer a ton fo space to fit your furniture, which is why becoming a tetris master is key. Learn how to look at your space and visualize where everything can fit. Find ways to squeeze extra furniture into nooks and crannies you’d normally overlook. It’s also helpful to remember to stack vertically whenever possible! You can often stack appliances on top of each other, like a toaster on top of a microwave. It’s also easy to stack storage cubes and totes on top of one another. Get creative and visualize how to make the most out of your space!

Install A Hidden Cutting Board

If your home or apartment didn’t come with a hidden cutting board already installed in your kitchen, then you need to consider installing one yourself! These don’t take up much space and give you a solid area to prep your food without taking up any precious counter space. It’s super easy to DIY a hidden cutting board as long as you have the right tools and a little time to spare. Look up videos and articles on how to add a hidden cutting board to your kitchen and you’ll be amazed at how much smoother your meal prep routine becomes!

Create A Vanity

Many people love to sit in front of a vanity in the mornings to get ready, but they’re often bulky pieces of furniture that take up too much room. An alternate idea is to create your own vanity! All you need is a mirror, a solid drawer or shelf, and a little stool. You can set up a vanity space like the one shown in the picture above in your bedroom, closet, bathroom, or any area of your home where you have a little free wall space. You can still enjoy getting ready in the mornings without having to deal with another large piece of furniture.

Put A Pegboard In The Kitchen

Pegboards are typically used in garages for additional storage space and to keep tools organized, but you can easily installed a pegboard on one of your kitchen walls. A pegboard is the perfect way to make use of otherwise empty wall space. You can hang pots, pans, lids, extra mugs, rolling pins, and a ton of other kitchen necessities on a pegboard. It’s the perfect way to maximize your storage space and add a cute aesthetic touch to your tiny kitchen.

Create A Play Area Under Your Kid’s Bed

Kids need plenty of room to explore, play, and grow. It can be difficult to create a good play area when you’re dealing with limited space, but your child is guaranteed to love this idea! Get a high bed like the one shown in this photo and transform the space underneath into a play area. This idea will work even in super small rooms and is an excellent way to essentially double the space your child has to work with. They’ll still have a peaceful, dedicated sleeping area while having plenty of room to play. Plus, you can hang curtains from the bed to create a fort!

Murphy-Style Dining Table

Finding space to put a dining table is a major challenge in small spaces. These murphy-style dining tables offer you the perfect solution. Simply fold the table down when it’s time to eat, then clean it up and fold it back up. You can store extra dishware and knickknacks on the shelves, and some even come with additional cubbies for even more storage.

Put Shelves Above Your Doors

Those few inches above your doorways may look like usable, empty space, but they can definitely serve a purpose. Installing shelves above your doorways gives you a little extra storage space to keep your favorite books, trinkets, and other non-essential items. Since these shelves aren’t easily accessible, they’re not a good place to store items you need to use often, but they’re perfect for things you want on display or old books you aren’t ready to part with.

Corner Shelf Shoe Storage

Finding a good place to store shoes that’s out of the way and doesn’t take up a ton of extra space can be challenging, but we have the perfect solution for you! Many people will use over-the-door shoe organizers, but in a tiny home, these aren’t always the best idea. Instead, get a corner shelving unit like the one shown in the photo above to use for shoes. You’ll keep your shoes organized while using up some space that doesn’t fit much else.

Unique Spice Rack Storage

There are tons of great ideas for storing spices. You can install magnetic strips to hold them against your walls, install a shelf on the inside of your pantry door, or try this trick! Screw the lids of your spice jars into the underside of a shelf in your kitchen. Then, fill the jars and screw them into the lids. This is a great way to get as much storage out of the shelves in your kitchen as possible. This idea can work for things other than spices too! Use this trick to store baking goods like sprinkles, chocolate chips, etc.

Cool Board Game Organizer

Game nights huddled around the coffee table are a treasured memory for families. But how can you make this tradition work in a home with limited space? You need a cool board game organizer that doubles as a playing surface! This little desk on wheels comes with slots where you can put all your board games, and you can play them right on the top surface. Plus, this organizer comes with wheels, so you can move it back into a closet or corner when you’re done using it.

Maximize Your Fridge Space

If you have a large family in a small home, then you’re likely struggling to keep everything organized in the fridge. There are tons of ways you can maximize the space in your fridge, and all you need is a little creativity. Add magnets to the bottom of containers and stick them to the side of your fridge to hold small items like grapes or nuts. Grab mesh bags to hang small servings of fruit or cheese. Get creative, and you’ll find a ton of options to increase your space.

Roll-In Drop Leaf Kitchen Island

Kitchen islands are great for additional counter space and storage, but they do take up a good amount of space. You can get a kitchen island on wheels that has extra counter space that folds up on either side. This will give you a ton of extra meal prep space, and you can wheel it back against the wall or into a closet when you’re done with it. It’s easy to move around, keep clean, and keep out of the way!

Bathroom Towel Hack

Super small bathrooms don’t always have an obvious place for you to keep your towels. If you’re in a super small home and don’t want to dedicate any closet space outside your bathroom for towels, then we have the perfect solution for you! All you need to do is install a small shelf above your bathroom door and then place your rolled-up towels on the shelf. This trick will provide you with a ton of extra storage space for your towels, and you could even keep other extra toiletries on the shelf.

Under-The-Floor Storage

We all dreamed about being able to hide our most prized possessions under the floor boards as kids, and now you can make your dream a reality! It’s not difficult to DIY storage containers underneath your floorboards, although you can always have a professional install these little hidden storage havens for you if you’d rather. It’s the perfect place for storing extra clothes, blankets, or things you don’t want on display around your home. Plus, if you have kids in your home, they’ll be thrilled to put away their toys in these little hidden storage areas!