If putting the laundry away means moving a suitcase, your flat could use a better storage layout. The same goes for the kitchen cupboard that empties itself when you pull out a saucepan, or the chair that has become a second wardrobe. Small apartment storage solutions work best when they make everyday things easy to reach and give the rest a place of their own. Start with one room and the problem that bothers you most. A few useful changes can make the flat feel easier to live in without replacing all your furniture.
Before buying boxes, empty the drawer, shelf or cupboard you want to improve. Put back the things you use, move anything that belongs elsewhere, and set aside what you no longer want. You will get a clearer idea of how much storage you actually need.
Then look at the empty space around what remains. Is there room above a low stack of plates? A gap beneath the bed? A wardrobe rail with shirts at the top and nothing underneath? Those are good places to start.
Measure the space before shopping, including the opening a box must pass through. Check that you can pull the box out and open its lid once the furniture around it is back in place. Try one organiser before buying a matching set.
Low boxes or zipped storage bags can hold spare bedding, travel clothes and other things you do not need every morning. Choose containers that slide out easily and keep the handles facing the side you can reach.
Put one category in each container. A box marked “guest bedding” is more useful than a box containing a blanket, shoes, cables and half your winter clothes. If you cannot see through the container, label the end that faces you.
Suitcases can hold travel pillows, packing cubes and other travel items between trips. Keep those things together so you can empty the case quickly when it is time to pack.
If you are replacing a bedside table, consider a small chest with drawers. It can still hold a lamp and a glass of water while giving socks, chargers or spare pillowcases somewhere to go.
A wardrobe is easier to use when the clothes you wear now are within reach. Put occasional clothes and spare bedding higher up, and keep everyday shirts, trousers and work clothes where you can see them.
A few small changes can help:
For a bedroom without a wardrobe, a clothes rail and a small chest can be a practical starting point. Choose them together so the rail leaves enough room to open the drawers and walk around the bed.
Wash and dry seasonal clothes before putting them away. Our guide to storing clothes explains how to prepare the different fabrics.
Start where things collect. If keys, post and bags land on the nearest chair, put a tray and a few suitable hooks close to the entrance. A narrow shoe cabinet or rack can keep the pairs you wear most often together without filling the hallway.
In the living room, use a basket for throws, a drawer for remotes and chargers, and a box or shelf for games. Keep each group near where it is used. Putting things away becomes easier when it does not involve crossing the flat.
A tall, shallow bookcase can add shelves without taking much depth from the room. Check the width of the walkway as well as the space against the wall, and follow the furniture's assembly and fixing instructions.
If you already need a coffee table or extra seat, consider one with storage inside. An ottoman can hold spare blankets; a table with drawers can take the small things that otherwise stay on top. Use what you have first, then look for these features when something needs replacing.
Deep cupboards become frustrating when everything at the front has to come out to reach the back. Group things by how you use them: baking supplies together, food containers together, everyday mugs near the tea and coffee.
A shelf riser can use the empty height above plates or cups. Upright dividers keep trays and chopping boards separate, while a small turntable can bring jars at the back of a cupboard within reach.
Nest food containers and keep their lids together beside them. Remove lids without a matching container and containers you never use before buying another organiser.
A slim trolley can work in a spare corner if it leaves room to open nearby doors and appliances. Measure the gap and the route the trolley will take before buying it. Keep frequently used items on it so it earns the floor space.
Keep the toiletries you use each day in one tray or basket. Put unopened refills and spare supplies together in a cupboard so you can see what you already have before buying more.
Under a basin, small removable baskets are often easier to arrange around the pipes than one large box. A narrow freestanding unit may suit a gap beside the basin, while an over-door towel rail can free up another surface.
Give each person a basket if several people share the bathroom. It makes the counter easier to clear for cleaning and stops small items spreading across every shelf.
You can make useful changes without fitting permanent cupboards. Drawer inserts, baskets that hang beneath shelves, under-bed boxes and over-door organisers can all move with you.
Check that an over-door hook lets the door close properly. For adhesive hooks, follow the product's surface and weight instructions, including how to remove them. If furniture or shelving needs wall fixings, check what your landlord allows before buying it.
Choose pieces that are easy to rearrange. A small shelving unit may work in the living room now and beside a desk in your next home. That makes it a more useful purchase than something chosen for one awkward gap alone.
Some belongings take up a lot of room even when they are neatly packed. Camping equipment, spare furniture, decorations and boxes between moves can fill space you would rather use every day.
Separate what you use each week from what you will next need in a few months. Keep the everyday things at home. For the rest, a small storage unit can free a cupboard or spare room while letting you keep belongings that still have a use.
Make a list before choosing a unit, and group the things you will collect together. That way, bringing the camping equipment home does not mean searching through boxes of clothes.
Need somewhere for the things you use less often? Explore Wadaya's small storage units and see what could move out of your everyday living space.
Start with the space that causes the most trouble. That may call for one under-bed box, a cupboard shelf riser or a drawer organiser. Measure first and try a single item before buying more.
Use under-bed containers, drawer inserts, over-door organisers and freestanding pieces suited to your room. Follow the assembly instructions, since some freestanding furniture still needs to be fixed to a wall.
Clean and dry them, then use under-bed storage or a labelled box on an upper wardrobe shelf. If those spaces are already full, consider storing the clothes you will not need for a while outside the home.
When useful belongings still have nowhere suitable to go after you have sorted and organised the flat. It can be particularly helpful for bulky items you use occasionally or furniture you are keeping for your next home.