How do you organize your space when there is no space? I was asked this question by one of my followers, so I hope this helps. Small spaces? I’ve been there. In art school I shared a 600 square foot apartment with 2 other people. This is not the time to abandon the principles that work in a larger space, but to double down on them. Below are five key concepts to keep in mind when organizing your small spaces.
Prioritize to organize
First, you have to prioritize to organize. Having more comfortable living space means having less storage space. Things you use annually should be reduced and smaller. Someday/maybe items should go entirely. For example those product boxes, you might want to hold onto for moving someday. It’s hard to justify the space they eat up in a small room.
Clear surfaces
Clear surfaces are more important than ever for processing. Items ordinarily accessible will be more likely to be stowed in boxes, so you need that surface for regular processing and for multiple functions. It needs to be easy to get back to clear for each function.
Reveal don’t conceal
The Reveal Don’t Conceal rule is more important than ever, especially at the most accessible level. Actually it’s important at all levels, because visibility maximizes find-ability.
Showroom vs. stockroom
Next, maintain the priority distinction of showroom vs. stockroom, but now your showroom may need to look more like a stockroom. Take more advantage of vertical storage. Think of Costco or Home Depot. All the accessible items are on the lower level, but all the back-up supplies are overhead. Don’t want to settle for the Costco look? To make floor space there are only two directions to go: UP and OUT. That’s it. So if you don’t want to store Upward…you have to reevaluate what can go OUT. This brings you back to Tip 1: Prioritize to Organize.
There’s no magical container to get around this. It’s just basic physics.
Circulation prevents accumulation
Finally, it is more essential than ever that things circulate out as reliably as they circulate in. You need to schedule regular times to get items returned, sold, and donated. To reference a key concept in my book, The Circulation Solution, Circulation prevents accumulation. It’s actually possible to live large in a small space, but the focus must be on function first. Filling follows.
Do you have a small space that you need to organize? As always, we’re here to help!
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