Organize + Energize: 5 Things to do When You’re Short on Space
Tuesday, March 06, 2018
Are you looking to move into a new home because you feel like you’ve outgrown the one you own? Stop and take a minute to re-evaluate the spaces in your home. Are you disorganized? Are you maximizing the rooms to their fullest potential? Walk into your home with a pen and paper and go through each room and really take a look at what’s going on. When was the last time you actually did this?
Here are 5 things you can do now to see if you’re really short on space:
Declutter. Once you’ve completed your walk through, it’s time to make a plan to declutter every room. Take inventory of what you’ve been using. What haven’t you used and can you let it go? You may find that you’re getting rid of more than you thought you would. This is going to free up some space and make your home feel light and airy.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTMaximize your space. I talk about this often. If you’re organizing a space, you have to take everything out of that space. Take everything down to bare shelves so it looks like when you first bought the house. Now that you can see the empty space, you can get a better vision of how you want to function and you can map out the placement of items. You can’t maximize space if you just shift items around. It just won’t work.
Get creative. There are so many great organizing products out there that are meant to save space. Once you figure out what you need to contain, then you can purchase the perfect product. Space Bags are great products to contain comforters, linens, seasonal clothes, curtains, etc. They’re inexpensive and once they’re shrunken down, they take up very little space. Ottomans that open and have space inside are also great for storing extra toiletries, seasonal clothes, linens, etc. Over the door organizers can maximize space also.
Designate spaces. Keep like items together. Don’t have batteries, lightbulbs and office supplies stored all over the home. Having only one designated spot for these items will free up drawers and closet space. Having one spot will also allow you to save time when searching for them and you’ll also save money because you’re not purchasing duplicate items.
Use organizing containers. If you haven’t already, start using containers all over the house. Use them in drawers, linen closets, closets, kitchen cabinets, in the home office, bathroom, etc. You’ll maximize space in these areas by using these containers. Remember to always get organized first, and then purchase your supplies to fit what you need to hold. Everything should fit like a puzzle. Don’t forget to measure the height, width, and length and be sure to head to the store with a list.
Before you make a quick decision to move out of your home, try applying some of the above tips. You may find that, after all, you don’t need a bigger home; you just needed to declutter, get creative and get organized.
Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, is an organizing & efficiency expert and owner of Organizing in RI. Kristin teaches her clients that living an organized lifestyle will save them time and money, decrease their stress levels and help them become more efficient and productive. Her articles have been published in local and national magazines. She has also given over 70 presentations throughout the state. Watch Kristin LIVE every Thursday at 3pm here on GoLocal LIVE with Molly O’Brien.
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