How to Make the Most of Limited Storage Space in Any Room

Storage space can be great for organizing and keeping your house free of clutter. But if you don’t have much storage space, or if you’re working with confined spaces overall, you may find it hard to make things work.

What are the best ways to make the most of limited storage space throughout your house? And how can this benefit you?

The Plight of Minimal Storage Space

In some rooms, like the bathroom, storage space is an arguably necessary luxury. If you don’t have enough storage space to store all your most important items, it’s natural to feel stressed or frustrated. But if we’re going to solve this problem, we need to be more specific about why insufficient storage space is so problematic.

These are just a few of the most important reasons:

•       Disorder. Storage space is a way of keeping your life organized. If you had a specific drawer or cupboard for every item in your house, you would never have to worry about finding things when you need them or keeping your positions out of the way when you don’t. When you don’t have enough storage space, disorder becomes a true inevitability, and it can significantly disrupt your life if you aren’t careful.
•       Poor aesthetics. Storage is also a way of improving the aesthetic experience of any room. Nobody wants to see clutter or miscellaneous items strewn about; when properly stored, this isn’t really an issue. But if you don’t have enough storage space, your items are going to spill out and compromise any feelings of comfort or organization you have in a given space.
•       Conflicts. Sometimes, limited storage space can lead to interpersonal conflicts, especially if you live with several other people. If you take over one of the only cabinets or shelves available, it could lead to a fight or deeper resentment.
•       Less personal space. Finally, with less storage space available, your personal space is naturally going to be encroached upon. Depending on where you store your items, you could have less space to stand and move around.

So how do we solve this problem?

Clear Divisions

One option is to use clear divisions to make sure everyone has an equal amount of storage space, even if that storage space is insufficient. This isn’t going to magically give you more space to work with, but it is going to proactively resolve any personal conflicts that might arise. Division is also a good strategy for compartmentalizing the storage space that’s available, so you can maximize efficiency.

Fold and Pack

Another option is to fold, compress, and/or pack your belongings so they take up less space in the limited storage space you have available. If done wisely, you might be able to store twice or even three times as many items in the same space. If you want to take this idea to the extreme, you can use vacuum packing for items you don’t need to use on a regular basis. For example, you could vacuum pack a thick winter comforter during summer months, when you don’t need it.

Store Your Least Needed Items in the Back

This is a simple strategy, but a highly effective one; store your least needed items in the back. This way, you’ll be able to find an optimal allocation, and you won’t have to worry about storing items in an inconvenient manner. You can keep your most frequently used items organized more loosely, so they’re more available in the front.

Weed Out What You Don’t Need or Use

Your storage space won’t feel as limiting if you have fewer items to store. Take the time to sort through your possessions and get rid of anything you don’t truly need, or anything you haven’t used in the past year. You might be surprised at how much clutter has built up in your house.

Avoid Building Up Clutter

Clutter may seem like one of those inconsequential inconveniences of life, but it can actually have a profound effect on your mental health. While it’s tempting to allow your items to spill on a counter, a table, or another common surface, it’s best to avoid this if you can.

Add New Storage Options

Finally, if you want to increase the amount of storage space you have available, consider adding new storage options that make use of what little space you have available.

•       Vertical shelves. Vertical shelves are designed to take advantage of walls and vertical spaces that would otherwise go unutilized.
•       Organizers. Segmented plastic organizers make it much easier to keep your possessions in order.
•       Tight space shelves. Some shelves are designed specifically for tight spaces, where barely anything can fit.
•       Behind doors. You can also get hanging shelves and hooks that allow you to take advantage of the space behind doors.

Fixing the problem of limited storage space isn’t always straightforward, but there are always small alterations and strategic changes you can employ to make any room more accommodating. If you’re consistent, and willing to put in the effort, your whole house could become better organized this way.