The best ways to make the most of small storage space

Organising and decluttering expert Julie Morgenstern, who has run her namesake New York City-based business for more than 25 years, in a Q&A on how to make the most out of home storage

‘The inside of every door of every closet can be used for hooks and racks and shelves’ (Charles Hosea)

Q: I just purchased a condo with limited cupboard space. Do you have suggestions for getting the most out of it? I’m looking for organising ideas for the tiny coat cupboard and kitchen.

A: There are many ways to stretch limited storage. Get out of the business of bulk purchasing, which can be great if you live in a big home, but doesn’t work for small spaces. Online services allow you to “subscribe” to basic household supplies, which automatically come to your door every month or so. Assign specific functions to each closet. Get furniture with storage: end tables with drawers, coffee tables with lift-up lids, etc. And use vertical space. The inside of every door of every closet can be used for hooks and racks and shelves. See if there is a wall where you can add an armoire, shelves or storage.

Q: My problem is paper: cards, handwritten notes and articles ripped from magazines or newspapers. Do I create a miscellaneous paper file? Suggestions, please, on where and how to start organising these random but important pieces of paper.

A: Never create anything called “miscellaneous”. It’s the easiest way to clean up, but it’s impossible to retrieve anything from such a file or container because even 10 minutes later, we can’t remember what we meant by miscellaneous. You need to break paper into specific categories and label each according to how you would look for it. Ask yourself: “Under what circumstances would I look for this piece of paper?” Cards and handwritten notes might go under “memorabilia” or “thoughtful words” or “friends and family.” Articles of interest might be “conversation starters” or “knowledge” or “things that tickle my funny bone” (as one client of mine did).

Q: I just cleaned out my wardrobe and I have several bags to donate and sell. What is the best way to do that these days? In the past I’ve been surprised at how shops will not take all clothes, even when they are from top retailers. They seem much more selective than before. Do you recommend working with some of the online companies?

A: We are in a time when there is so much stuff, and people want to get rid of it, so giving things away (or selling them) is not always so easy. Some things to keep in mind:

Find out what sorts of items charity shops near you want, then send them only those things.

Check out websites like LetGo and AptDeco, where you can post photos of things you are selling and people in your area can buy them.

Recognise that we often cherish things we’ve owned more than others would, so unless things are in exceptional condition, it can be hard to sell them.

Q: I am normally very organised. I moved and started a new job last year, and my sorting skills seem to have stayed behind. I had plans to get my house and things at work organised fairly quickly, but it’s been six months and I’m still a mess. The house appears to be neat, but if you look in the cupboards you’ll see it’s really not. Things that belong together are not together. Things are shoved into places where they don’t belong. Thinking about what needs to be done to get it right overwhelms me. I’m the same at work. To make matters worse, I am putting off doing things I need to do because they suddenly seem so difficult. I’m not sure exactly why I went from being super organised to a complete mess. I’m not totally happy about the move/new job, so that may be part of it. Suggestions for getting back on track?

A: I think you answered your own question: not being happy about the move/new job probably led to resistance to settling in and creating a new “nest” in either place. You don’t really want to put roots down. But you are suffering from the chaos and should put your organising skills to work. Remember, the more organised you are, the more mobile you are, so getting organised to make your life function better in the moment doesn’t really tie you to your new job or home. It just makes life easier so you have more choices and freedom. It’s a great way of taking care of yourself in a place that is otherwise not as nurturing. So nurture yourself and get things in order one room at a time, starting with the room you spend the most time in.

Q: What’s the best way to organise scarves? They are a big jumble in my drawer.

A: Scarves work best on a series of hooks on the inside of a closet door (maybe two rows of hooks, one at the top of the door, one in the middle). Or, if they are beautiful, you can hang them on decorative hooks on a bedroom wall, as a design feature.

Q: I am the repository for a lot of inherited memorabilia from my family: books, photographs, old documents, etc. It all means a lot to me, and I don’t want to get rid of any of it, but I need to somehow organise it so that it takes up less space. It’s now distributed throughout my house, mainly in an assortment of boxes. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

A: Memorabilia is best enjoyed when it is displayed and accessible. When it sits in boxes it’s rarely gone through or appreciated. For anything that remains in boxes, perhaps you can get a big armoire, or beautiful piece of storage furniture, divide the memorabilia into categories (eg journals, letters, photos, etc), and transfer each category into a labelled archival box, allowing yourself or other family members the pleasure of sifting through when the mood strikes.

Q: I need a way to contain things in my daughter’s bathroom. It is the world’s smallest full bath, in our basement. The previous owners put in a short cabinet above the toilet that will hold all her stuff, but right now it is just sort of thrown in the cabinet willy-nilly. When I went down to clean it out, I discovered mould on the bottom shelf from old spills, fresh Band-Aids in their packages stuck to the shelf and lots of trash. I know I can’t make her keep it clean, but if it were a little more attractive, perhaps she would be inspired to do so. I plan to clean it (not sure how) and repaint it (along with the rest of the bathroom), and then what? Baskets for everything? Money is tight. Ideas?

A: In a small bathroom, there are typically four areas to find storage:

The medicine chest: best used for everyday items like skin care, toothbrushes, etc; store medicines outside the bathroom in a closet or cabinet.

Under the sink: put stacking pullout plastic or mesh drawers on either side of the water pipe to get the most out of that space.

The shower area: add a shower caddy for shampoo, etc.

Over the toilet: line the shelves with acrylic or metal mesh drawer dividers for easier cleaning and a more attractive look.

Q: My young daughter and I are taking an online drawing class. It’s great! But we now have pencils, charcoals and erasers lying around as well as a 12-inch model of a person and very large sketchbooks. Is there any sensible way to organise these materials while making it fairly easy to pull it out when it’s time to draw?

A: Designate a place in the house that will become the “art zone”. Then assign a cabinet or drawers to hold all the paper and supplies. Within the cabinet, any sort of small containers that group similar items (charcoals in one, coloured pencils in another, erasers in another) will make it fun and easy to find things and put them away.

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