I’m taking a sabbatical and have lined up a few posts ahead of time. I’ll also be re-sharing some of my fave OTR articles and re-introducing you to some favorite OTR guest authors, like Ellen Delap. Today, she has advice on how to help your children keep their rooms clutter free.

Kids rooms get stuffed to the brim after the holidays! Helping them learn organizing strategies as well as modeling decluttering is one of our most important jobs as a parent.  Just like every new skill, it takes patience and practice to create good systems and routines.

• Set a time that will work well for you and your child to organize. You will be able to have them work with you between 30 and 60 minutes, so you really want to hit the hard stuff first.  Before you start, set your goals together to be sure you are communicating. Work toward a goal of completion and not perfection in this endeavor. Going into this work with a team attitude makes all the difference as well. If your child is done, but the room is not, continue on but ask about the items you declutter before you donate.  You are teaching respect for each other and taking care of your property, too!

• Think through the areas that are used in your child’s room, including technology, attire, reading and any other zones.  Mapping this out ahead of time helps you both set boundaries for what will fit in this space. Often we have too much in one space to make it work.

• You and your child will approach decluttering with different perspectives. Give your child permission to declutter without guilt or second thoughts.  Often your child is ready to let go of an item and  you are not.  Be sure that you are open to their opinions, regardless of the cost or use of the item.

If your child is reluctant to declutter, be sure to help them by gathering together the items, then asking how many they might need of a single item or if they will keep only a treasured number. By helping them approach decluttering in a positive way, you are encouraging a lifelong process.

• Keeping toys or clothes for your next child? Use 66 quart bins, labeled with size and season for clothes. You can store these on the upper shelves in your child’s closet.  Toys can also be stored this way. Be sure to be discerning and keep only the best of these.

• Kids need a keepsake box, too.  The size of the box helps them limit their keepsakes to what is most precious. This can also be stored under a bed or at the top of the closet.  This strategy also helps them honor what is precious.

• Choose products that encourage independent maintenance of their space. Think of their ability to access and spaces they can return items to so that they can easily keep their room orderly. Place items that are frequently used in open bins for just dropping in. Color and labels can make organizing fun and attractive too. Be sure to label each spot so that everyone knows where items belong.

• Establishing routines are an important final step. Talk through the maintenance with your child. Will they be picking up a little every night? It is much easier this way!  Will they be preparing for the next day each evening as well, taking out their clothes, filling their back pack and getting ready? Easy to follow routines can be reinforced with a chore chart and praise to insure completion.

• Keep a schedule for decluttering each season. Whether it is a holiday or birthday coming up, frequent decluttering is the most reliable way to keep order in your home. Calendar it and you will be sure to keep organization a priority for you and your child.

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About the Author

Certified Professional Organizer ® and Family Manager Coach, Ellen Delap, is the owner of Professional-Organizer.com. Since 2000, she has worked one-on-one with her clients in their home and offices, streamlining their environments, creating effective strategies for an organized lifestyle, and helping them to prioritize organization in their daily routines.

She holds ADD and Chronic Disorganization certificates and specializes in working with ADD and ADHD adults and students.  Ellen has been featured at The Woodlands (Texas) Home and Garden Show, on ABC13 Houston, in the Houston Chronicle, and is an Expert on The Clutter Diet, an online organizing resource.

Connect With Ellen: Twitter | Facebook | Web | E-Mail

I’m taking a sabbatical and have lined up a few posts ahead of time. I’ll also be re-sharing some of my fave OTR articles and introducing you to new guest authors, like today’s blogger, Jane Simpson. She has advice on how you can improve gas mileage just by being a bit more organized. 

Organization and efficiency will go a long way toward making each tank of gas stretch as far as possible. Many consumers think that buying a new car is the only way to achieve better gas mileage, but this is completely untrue. Several simple tricks can improve gas mileage significantly and reduce the amount of money that must be spent on fuel.

Plan Travel Wisely.  Planning all travel, whether daily errands or a huge vacation, can result in greater fuel efficiency. The following ideas are a great place to start:

• Combine errands along the same route so that several may be accomplished in one trip.

• Use a GPS unit to find the shortest route and help with traffic problems along the way, or carefully mark out a longer trip with an atlas.

• Consider public transportation, car pooling, walking, or biking as options for each trip.

• Pack as lightly as possible and ditch the excess baggage, as any additional weight in a car can reduce gas mileage.

• Make trips during the times of least traffic congestion to prevent wasting gasoline while idling.

Maintain the Vehicle Properly. No matter what type of vehicle you drive, it will get better gas mileage if you keep it in excellent working order. The following actions are especially important to help the engine get the best fuel efficiency:

• Air up those tires according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

• Clean filters on a regular schedule.

• Stick with the recommended oil grade.

• Have regular tune-ups to keep spark plugs and sensors working effectively.

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Improve Driving Habits. Even with organization, wise planning and proper vehicle maintenance, drivers may not get the top mileage from their automobile if they have developed poor driving patterns. The following aspects of driving will make a great difference in how far that tank of gas will actually go:

• Keep the vehicle moving at a constant speed as much as possible; this may mean keeping a greater distance between your car and the next vehicle and closely watching the road ahead.

• Keep speed under sixty miles an hour, even when driving on the open road.

• If the vehicle has overdrive, use it.

• Turn the air conditioning off whenever feasible.

• Turn the engine off when waiting in lines or stuck in traffic jams.

• Skip the fill-ups; instead, lighten the vehicle’s weight by keeping less gas in the tank.

In addition to these bits of advice, using cruise control can sometimes increase fuel efficiency, and using it frequently almost always teaches the driver to maintain a constant speed. Drivers should also work on coasting as they approach a traffic light or stop sign.

Making these practices habitual will keep gas in your tank longer and put extra money back into your pocket.

About the Author

Jane Simpson enjoys the challenge of getting more miles out of each gallon of gas. She writes for an auto loan calculator website and loves learning new habits to save money.

I’m taking a sabbatical and have lined up a few posts ahead of time. I’ll also be re-sharing some of my fave OTR articles and introducing you to new guest authors, like today’s blogger, Frank Anderson. He shares some tips on taming the clutter while in school.

Of the many things the collegiate experience is known for, organization and clutter free living don’t rank high on (or even make) the list. Considering that the dorm room normally serves as a young adults first “home away from home,” and that they often share this tiny space with a complete stranger – keeping it organized can be a challenge right from the beginning.

However, it is possible – and even necessary to be organized. After all, living among environmental chaos makes it doubly more difficult to focus on academic studies.

The biggest challenge to dorm room organization is the fact that so many belongings are packed into such a tight space. This is just one reason it is essential that students prepare to get creative and utilize every inch of the dorm room.

1. Options for Small Spaces

Consider using bed risers to maximize storage space underneath the beds. Then, you can use brightly colored or themed totes and boxes to store clothing, memorabilia, or even music collections and photo albums. Bunk beds are another way to increase floor space.

Over the door shoe organizers hung on the backs of doors and on the walls of the dorm (using adhesives) can be used for holding anything from shoes and art supplies to personal hygiene items and clothing. You can also get creative and place photos in the spaces to display your dorm room savvy and design sense.

2. Organize Your Work Area

The desk/study area is another multi-functional space that can easily be cluttered. Using decorative boxes to hold every day items like paper and pens, and placing all paperwork in clearly labeled binders for future use ensures you wont ever lose a study guide! Plus, when the course is over, you can store the completed work and information for easy access should you need it for other classes down the road.

Also, come up with a filing system that utilizes tote boxes with lids, so you won’t be leaving important papers and books lying around when not in use. It is vitally important that you also keep a calendar handy, and in quick view so you will always be prepared. While most phones come with calendar programs, research has shown that highly visible calendars serve as better visual reminders.

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3. Sharing Space With Your Roommate

Since you are sharing your space with a roommate, think about color-coding in the dorm room so the two of you won’t be constantly figuring out what belongs to whom. For instance, having a small plastic tote box, big enough to fit flip-flops and all of your other showering necessities can take the chaos out of dorm shower times.

Perhaps one of the most important aspects of staying organized, is making sure that you don’t over estimate the space you have. Consult with your roommate before college begins to avoid bringing duplicate items that take up excess space, such as microwaves.

And, when you pack for college – rather than bring everything in your closet and drawers, pack for the season. Chances are you will be coming home during the year, and can trade out seasonal wardrobes then, making it much easier to keep your dorm organized. When it comes to dorm room clutter, bringing less equates to much, much more space.

4. Create a Routine

Last but not least, commit to a weekly sprucing up routine. Messes and clutter are easier to deal with in small doses. If you allow the dorm room clutter to get out of hand, it can be even harder to organize.

About The Author

Frank Anderson is a blogger and writer for college and university topics. He also helps schools with their email exchange hosting systems.

Short on space? Today’s guest author thinks self storage might work for you.

Having too much stuff can be a headache, especially when you don’t have enough room in your living space. The greatest and easiest way to reduce your clutter is by getting a cheap self storage. Aside from this, you also have the following options:

1. Get rid of your stuff through antique shops, thrift stores, and Goodwill.
2. Make an extra effort to re-organize your place.

Insufficient space is a problem among the people in the United States. 10% of U.S. households at the moment rent at least one storage unit. The financial repercussions can be grave: several storage renters wind up paying far more for the space than their stuff is worth. In order to reduce the costs of self-storage, you need to do a massive amount of research beforehand to discover the best long-term deal for you.

• First find out what you need. Self-storage services will often charge higher fees while offering additional benefits. You need to be adamant and check to see if you’re getting a deal. Also, each self-storage company offer units that have different sizes, amenities, and locations.

To choose what storage fees you are comfortable with, it is essential to formulate a list of what you want from your storage space. Look at the location, climate control, and size to make your choice.

• Make a decision on how much space you will need. If you don’t know how much you need, you won’t be able to do a proper cost comparison. One company might offer great rates on really large units, but charge more than the local competition on a smaller unit that fits your storage needs better. As a general rule, storage prices will be lower for smaller units.

Once you’ve determined how much space you’ll need, take a second look at your possessions and see if there is anything you can give away or sell.

• Look for the best deal. Self-storage is a very low-innovation business, and has been slow to adopt to the digital world, so there’s no price transparency. Fortunately, aggregators such as SelfStorage.com and SpareFoot can tie into storage facility management software. They can also provide information on services and pricing at each location.

You can use these sites to look for your amenities such as a free moving truck rental, drive-up units, climate control, 24-hour access, and strong security. You can then sort by price to discover the cheapest self-storage unit with those features.

• Estimate the actual savings of short-term promotions. A lot of storage companies will offer a discounted rate for 3-6 months, a discounted rate for a contract for a year or more of storage, or a free or $1 first month. Think about how long you plan to rent out the unit to come to a decision on which promotions will save you the most money in the long run.

While self-storage ought to be a last option for organizing your home, there is a correct way and an incorrect way to go about the search. Remember that just about all storage customers don’t intend to keep their storage unit for as long as they do. Perform a thorough research beforehand to make sure you don’t wind up paying more than your stuff is worth.

About the Author

Margot McClelland is a guest post writer on the subjects of homes and lifestyles.

Connect With Margot: Web 

I’m taking a sabbatical and have lined up a few posts ahead of time. I’ll also be re-sharing some of my fave OTR articles and introducing you to new guest authors as well as other interesting info while I’m away. Enjoy this post by Feng Shui expert, Ann Bingley Gallops! 

The holidays are here! Now is that unique time of year when we transform our homes to celebrate and give thanks with our loved ones. This festive season is also the most quiet “Yin” time of year (in the Northern Hemisphere), so it’s important to keep your home in balance with lively “Yang” elements.

1. To activate positive Yang energy make sure you have adequate and attractive lighting inside and outside your home. Family and social gatherings will wake up your space and get you moving, even if your natural tendency might be to hibernate right now!

2. Your kitchen is especially important during the holiday season since the stove and cooking activity there give this room the most Fire-y Yang energy in your home. Be sure to keep your stove burners active. From heating up cider to baking bread, the delicious smells from a healthy kitchen bring good Feng Shui nourishment into any home.

Today’s guest blogger, Amber Killmon, shares a personal story about a loved one who’s a hoarder. If you’re a pro organizer who’d like to help, please reach out to Amber.

As far back as I can remember, my grandmother has always been a “packrat.” Her favorite pastime is visiting thrift stores, flea markets, and going to yard sales. She’s constantly buying things, whether she needs them, has a use for them, has room for them or not. We all shrugged it off at first, and then we really took notice to how bad it’s actually gotten. Her house isn’t to the extreme that’s shown on TV (yet), but it is a hazardous environment nonetheless.

At the moment, my grandmother has 3 coffee tables in her living room (about 10×10 – her house is a bungalow), 4 chairs, a sofa, 2 ottomans, 2 entertainment centers, 5 to the ceiling stacks of newspapers, magazines and books and a ton of odds and end knick knacks everywhere. Me and my mom go to her house once or twice a month to try to clean it up and clear out the clutter, but my grandmother has gotten so she refuses to let us in.

Her bedroom is by far the worse and most dangerous room in the house, as that’s where she “stores” her boxes and buys she hasn’t sorted through yet. On average, I’d say she spends a minimum of $600 a month on this stuff.

Being in her 70’s, I’m constantly worrying about her health and safety. She raised me the majority of my life and is one of the few family members I have left. This year alone she has fallen 6 times, broken 3 bones and fractured 4 more due to her hoarding. The majority of her falls have happened in her bedroom while trying to crawl over the many mounds of clothes and boxes to get to or from her bed. Luckily my brother has moved in with her, to help take care of her, but he works and isn’t able to be there 24 hours a day.

I’m terrified that something horrible is going to happen to my grandmother, and wish we had done something sooner to try to prevent this from happening. Me and my mom have been talking and have decided that we’ll give her another week or so to let us come in and help, and if she still refuses we’ll have to call in the state. We don’t want to resort to that, but in order for us to keep my grandmother alive, I’m afraid we wont have any other options.

About the Author

Amber Killmon is the owner of the blog Parent Palace. Amber is a stay at home mom living in Virginia with her son, boyfriend and cat.

Connect With Amber: Web | E-mail

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Normally, our guest bloggers are featured on Thursdays, but since that’s a holiday this week in the US, we’re sharing an interesting piece by Victoria Brown. She thinks there’s an upside to being unorganized. What say you?

I am naturally an organized person, but running my own design business has taught me the merits of taking the disorganized approach from time to time.

Why do today when the goalposts might move tomorrow?
In all walks of life, the best laid schemes go awry. When working with clients, I find that the brief can change frequently throughout the course of a project, which can render previous work redundant. In this case, masterly inactivity is key. If you were to take the organized approach in this situation and do all the work as you receive it, your productivity would decrease, since you would spend more time undoing and redoing your previous endeavours.

Being organized can preclude enjoyment
Think about events and gatherings you have enjoyed, occasions where there was a real positive spirit and everyone had a good time. Were these the best organized occasions? Not necessarily.

An organized approach cannot manufacture a good time and often has the opposite effect. Couples invest thousands of pounds on their wedding day; families organize every minute of their holiday. In both cases, an inordinate amount of pressure is placed on one day or two weeks, which can never hope to live up to the expectations.

More important is that everyone feels relaxed and able to be spontaneous. Sometimes when we try to plan each and every little detail, enjoyment falls by the wayside.

Efficiency can be at the expense of getting things right
We often find ourselves working to a tight deadline so it pays to be organized, right? Wrong. Often trying to be too efficient and get things done too quickly can be the source of errors. If something is important and you need to get it right, it’s better to take the time to do so.

In addition, not everything can be managed efficiently. It takes time to comfort a friend who is upset or to appreciate the finer things in life, such as the arts. The more we live life according to a schedule, the more impatient and stressed we become, and the less time we have to stop and smell the roses.

An organized desk may not be a creative desk
Apparently a messy, cluttered desk represents a more intelligent mind. Certainly, being organized can prevent ideas from flowing freely. So you’re trying to write a book, but you know that there are chores to do. If you take the organized approach, the housework will get done but will you ever get around to writing the book?

Sometimes we need chaos around us to let the left side of our brains – the more creative part – take control.

Sleep on it and let your mind do the work
Sometimes information is organised in the brain in a seemingly chaotic way, but there are important links which the mind establishes in its own way. Taking your time over a task or problem can often allow your mind to forge these links without your “organized”, conscious mind getting in the way and dismissing valuable connections.

The upshot? Everything in moderation. Don’t punish yourself for taking the disorganized route every once in a while. You may find that it opens up new, creative opportunities in your life.

About The Author

Victoria Brown is an experienced, professionally qualified freelance Cambridge web developer committed to delivering bespoke, elegant and affordable web solutions to small and medium-sized businesses.

Connect With Victoria:  Email | Web | Facebook | Twitter 

Lauren Brown of Maid Brigade shares a few ways you can make the jump to green cleaning.

No matter where you are on the path to going green, or if you haven’t even started, there are several ways you can implement eco-friendly practices in everyday cleaning tasks.  Here are some examples:

Easiest

• Use a high quality entrance mat to keep out dirt, allergens, and other contaminated particles

• Or make your home shoes-free

• Get good quality micro fiber cloths to clean better with fewer (maybe no) chemicals

• Use these cloths in a color-coded fashion, using separate cloths for the kitchen, bathroom, etc. to prevent cross-contamination of germs throughout the home

• Use micro fiber mops, not brooms, to remove daily traffic dirt and pet hair without stirring up more allergens

• Use the mildest cleaning solution possible for the job

• Watch the Signal Words on the product labels, avoiding anything stronger than a Caution! label

• Spray cleaners on the cleaning cloth, not the surface to be cleaned; overspray is a leading cause of unnoticed residues and airborne chemicals

• Wear rubber gloves to prevent absorption of chemical solutions and vapors through the skin

Medium

• Select products designed to work in cold water

• Select products with low or no VOC content 

• Find products with a moderate pH, from 4 to 11

• Purchase products that come in recyclable containers

• Purchase green cleaning solutions in concentrated form and dilute into re-useable spray bottles

• Avoid products containing pesticides, organochlorines, formaldehyde, or APEs

• Avoid products containing known or suspected carcinogens, neurotoxins, reproductive toxins, developmental toxins or endocrine disruptors

Hardest

• Get a high filtration vacuum (preferably a HEPA filter) with a closed canister system to trap and remove 99.7% of particles 1 micron or larger (including dust, dirt, pollen, dust mites, pet dander, hair and mold – really tiny stuff) 

• Go to a chemical-free dry steam vapor system to clean, deodorize, disinfect and kill mold, mildew and dust mites using water alone

• Purchase a water-ionizing system for a chemical-free portable device that effectively tackles just about everything (you may need something stronger on heavy grease and soap scum)

• Make your own natural cleaning products – like baking soda, lemons, vinegar, borax and vegetable-based oil soaps for ultimate knowledge and control of what is in your home

• De-clutter your home to make a more enjoyable environment for recharging and to make routine cleaning easier and faster

Take baby steps! Choose a few items here and there that seem doable and see and feel the difference.

About The Author

Lauren Brown is the Grass Roots Marketing Specialist with Maid Brigade.  Lauren has been with Maid Brigade for three years, educating the community on the importance of going green for the health of the environment and our families. She emphasizes the value of using safer alternatives and how easy and affordable it can be to go green! 

Maid Brigade is a residential cleaning service that uses only Green Seal certified cleaning solutions and green methods to clean homes. This ensures a safer work environment for their employees and a safer, healthier home for their clients.

Connect With Lauren: Facebook | Twitter | E-Mail | 703.823.1726

Connect With Maid Brigade: Facebook (DC Metro) | Web

If you’re thinking about using solar energy, today’s guest author sheds light on what it takes to use solar power.

Solar energy has been a hot topic over the last five years and more people are looking into using this source of power for their homes. After all, solar power is clean, renewable, and abundant in supply. All we need to do is learn how to harness this power more effectively. There is a lot of misinformation about using the sun to create electricity so this article will cover the top 10 most common questions people have about solar energy.

1. Where is the energy stored for solar energy?

Even though the solar panels collect the energy created by the sun, they do not actually harness that power themselves. Each panel is made up of solar cells which are in series and all the electricity is channeled to a power supply like a pack of large batteries. These batteries allow power to be used at night or on cloudy days when there is not much sun. Every solar power system needs a place to store the energy, and as batteries become more efficient this becomes much more cost effective as well.

2. Is there any maintenance with solar panels?

Unlike other sources of renewable energy, solar power needs very little maintenance. This is in large part due to the fact that there are no moving parts on a solar panel like there are on a wind turbine. The only breakable part of a solar panel or part that can be susceptible to damage is the glass that covers the solar cells. This glass needs to be kept clear at all times so that the sun is not being blocked by dirt or pieces of debris.

Especially after a storm, these solar panels need to be inspected to make sure none of them have cracked and that no tree limbs or dirt is covering them up. For those who live up north, it’s important to remove any snow that builds up on these panels. Not only will the snow keep the sun from reaching the solar cells, but the weight of it can damage the cells as well.

3. How do I clean solar panels?

This goes right along with proper maintenance of solar panels since it’s really the only maintenance they need. But you need to be careful when cleaning these glass panels because they can easily crack if you step on them. There are special poles made with sprayers that will allow you to wash the panels while remaining safely on the ground, and this will remove any dust and dirt that has gotten caught on the glass.

You should seek every safety precaution if you plan on doing this yourself and especially if you plan on getting on the roof of your home yourself. There are solar panel cleaning companies that will actually do this for you if you want to have a professional clean the panels.

4. Where should I put my solar panels?

Most of the time you will see solar panels on the roof of a house, but this may not be the best placement for your solar panels. If you live in the United States, you will want your solar panels to face south, as they will get as much sun as possible. But if you don’t have a south-facing roof you will want to find another location other than the roof of your house.

You should also consider things like shade and what the shade will be like 10 years from now. After all, trees grow and even though your solar panels may not be in shade right now, they might be in a few short years. You should also consider using a tracking kit so the solar panels will follow the sun as it goes through the sky, therefore maximizing how much power you can harness.

5. How many solar panels will it take to power my whole house?

This is a very common question to those consider using solar power at home, and a large factor in how many solar panels you will need is what kind of solar panels you are getting, which we will cover in another question. First, it’s very possible to power your entire home with solar power, but it’s going to take some money.

The average home uses almost 9,000 Kilowatts a year, according to the US Energy Information Agency. This works out to about 24 Kwh every day, being 24,000 watts. With only limited sunlight during the day we need to produce 4,000 watts every hour. Using large solar panels that can produce 130 watts you would need about 30 panels to create enough energy to stay off the grid.

There are some solar panels that can generate 200 watts per hour, meaning you would only need 20 panels. And still, there are solar panels able to product 250 watts of energy, so as these panels get more efficient you will need less of them to do the job.

6. What type of solar panels are the most efficient?

Although there are 4 types of solar panels there are mainly 2 that are commonly in use. Amorphous silicon panels have been used for years but only have an electricity return rate of about 5%. The much more efficient monocrystalline silicon panels have an electricity return rate of about 16-18%, but they are also much more expensive. But since the monocrystalline silicone panels are the most efficient solar panels on the market right now, they are very popular and are used in solar plant fields quite often.

7. How much does a complete solar panel system cost?

If you want to go completely off grid and never pay for electricity again, it will take quite a large investment. We already talked about the average home needing 20-30 solar panels to power the entire home, and with solar panels costing anywhere from $500-$750, the cost of the panels will cost anywhere from $10,000 to $22,000. Of course, this does not include the cost of hiring professionals to install the panels correctly and buying a battery station to store all the energy as well.

8. Should I try to install a solar panel system myself?

After seeing the cost of solar panels you might want to just install them yourself, but it’s important that you talk to your local building inspector first, and also that you hire an experienced electrician to make sure all the wiring is correct. Even if you know a lot about electricity it’s good to have a licensed electrician do his job in this situation, and in most states it’s actually required.

9. How can I get solar grants from the government?

There are many grant programs and federal incentives for getting a solar power system. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will reimburse you up to 30% of your costs with installing a solar panel system, and there are many local programs for helping you pay for using solar to power your home. Each location is different so you will want to check with your state or city to see what grants are offered in your area. The Department of Energy’s website is a great place to see what grants are applicable to your situation.

10. How long should a solar panel last?

Most solar panel manufactures offer a 25 year warranty, but chances are you will not have to use it because they can last much longer than this. And that’s a good thing since it will take most people about 20 years before they see the solar panels turning a profit for them. There are reports of some solar panels lasting more than 40 years, but 25 years is a good average. If you keep your panels well maintained and cleaned they should have no problem lasting long into the future.

About the Author

Jonathan S. is passionate about green technology and writes about how to make solar panels at home and new advances in technology that more people are able to use in their homes.

Connect With Jonathan: Web 

Ever had to make room for a new roommate? Sarah Heckle (you might know her as Sarah Beckman) knows all about what it takes to merge households.

Very recently, my husband and I got married and moved in with each other — it’s been the best time of my life!

It just so happened my lease was up right around the time of the wedding, but his lasts until next spring, so I moved into his apartment. Chris has your typical, non-married guy’s space: small, unorganized, minimal decorations, maybe not the cleanest.

If I had the apartment to myself, all my belongings would fill the space up. My clothes could easily take up the entire bedroom closet, and my blankets, bedding, and towels could fill up the entire linen space. Needless to say, we had to do some serious downsizing and small-space organizing to make it work.

These days, there are a lot of people downsizing the space they live in. Sometimes financial situations, transition stages, or unforeseeable events force us to live in a spacer that’s smaller than ideal, but there are some space-saving tips to help you get through.

1. Narrow your items down to what you need. In general, most of us have way too much stuff. More stuff than we need. I’m guilty of this, but I’m trying to take notes from my parents who are the most organized people I know. They have a beautiful house — and I think part of its charm is that they don’t have it filled to every corner with stuff.

They buy things they need and not much more than that. Things that they don’t use, they donate to charity. If you need help whittling down your possessions, read my post on decluttering a small bedroom — these tips can be applied to any room of the house.

2. Find the right place for everything. You’d be surprised how much you can fit into a small place if you’re strategic with where you store things. You should store items in the room where they’re going to be used. So, if you have a “junk drawer” in your kitchen with random objects from around the house, find a better place for these items – this clears space for kitchen items.

3. Get clever with space. When you’re low on space, think vertically. Mount a peg board on a utility room wall to hang miscellaneous items. Install hooks on an entryway wall to create a coat rack that takes up no floor space. Another great vertical space to take advantage of is the back of doors. My husband and I use a back-of-door shoe holder from my college years as a catch-all in our utility room.

4. Look underneath. Pieces of furniture that have enough clearance for a thin storage bin should be taken advantage of. We have several under-the-bed storage containers that are full of off-season clothes. You might as well take advantage of the floor space furniture provides.

I’m looking at our time living in a small apartment with optimism: We have everything we need in life, and it’ll be a good story for our future children!

About the Author

Sarah Heckle is a writer and editor at Affordable Scarves where she develops content on celebrity style. As a lover of fashion, she must keep her closet organized at all times!

Connect with Sarah: Web |  Twitter | Tumblr