How I Organize My Items in a Small Space

I am someone who thrives in an organized environment. Ever since I was a little girl, I was always very neat, tidy, and organized. I love having a space for everything and making sure everything is in it's place. Of course I can always let my space get a little messy but there's something so special about an organized, perfected space. 

My home doesn't look like something out of The Home Edit (even though I wish it did) but I try to keep things as organized as possible. I live with my mom and sister, and storage is very limited in our home so things aren't as perfect as I'd like but I have my ways. 

For the home itself, I don't necessarily use any of the following items. For the kitchen, we have plenty of cabinet space and everything has it's place. Our linen closet is filled with towels, sheets, blankets, and a few other miscellaneous items like back up hand soaps and tissues... plus our Crock Pot. In our living room, we recently converted an empty corner (it was dead space) into a storage area with the addition of a gorgeous folding screen. 

The items I'm going to talk about are how I organize the items in my room. My closet is small so I utilize the space under my bed for my out of season clothes and other items like sorority memorabilia that I don't want to display and don't want to get rid of.

My closet holds my clothes, shoes and some handbags but everything else has it's space... and these are five must-haves for organizing your belongings in a small space. 

Stoney Clover Pouches

This shouldn't come as a surprise because Stoney Clover is my favorite brand of life! Their pouches aren't just good for travel or daily use in your handbag, you can use them to organize your stuff in your home! I recently started doing this and it's really helped. I have a few pouches that I keep in my little 'storage section' (more on that later) that I keep random items in; I have a large pouch that I keep a ring light in, open tops that I store tidbits and giveaway items in, and then another large pouch for books I'm planning on reading soon. I have a small pouch for backup medication and another open top that I have all my headbands on display in. This has helped me use my pouches more but also display fun items like my headbands that don't have to be stored away! 

Trays

Jewelry and serving trays are another way I organize yet display certain items in my room. I've used jewelry trays for years to house my jewelry and lay it out nicely so I can see everything I have. In my shelving unit (more on that later) I have a shelf for all my jewelry and there's a handful of trays that house my earrings, bracelets and rings. 

I house my makeup brushes and most used skincare in an acrylic tray on my dresser and then on my nightstand, I have a glass tray that has my essentials such as tissues, melatonin, lavender oil, lotion, lip balm and CBD gummies. I love that the trays keep things in a contained space so items aren't just spread out all over a surface. I never used trays until a few years ago to organize my nightstand and my makeup, and it's a true game changer. 

Command Hooks

Command Hooks are essential when it comes to a small space. I have a few stuck to my shelving unit to hang necklaces and they've been up for years. I have the necklaces organized by finish (gold, silver and rose gold) but then also by what I wear the most. I have since used command hooks on the sides of my other shelving units to hang bags and hats. I might hang one behind my door next for sweatshirts and other items. These little hooks expand your storage space and give you endless possibilities! 

Drawers & Shelves 

Ah my drawers and shelving units... the epitome of my storage situation in my room. It's been years since I first talked about my Ikea Alex Drawers but they are essential in my storage situation. As a blogger, writer and beauty industry worker, I have a ton of beauty products. I first purchased my Alex Drawers in 2015ish when I started working in the beauty industry and really fell into my love of makeup. I needed my makeup and beauty items to have their own space. These drawers are small enough that they don't take up a ton of room but provide a great deal of storage, both in the drawers and on top. I have an acrylic beauty organizer on top of the drawers that hold even more makeup and little tidbits. I can't recommend the drawer system enough! 

Next to my makeup drawers, I have my handbag storage. I have an incredible amount of handbags but also other accessories, like my Stoney Clover pouches, and they needed their own space. I purchased this when we moved into this home 5 years ago and they've held up so nicely. I originally purchased them from Amazon but you can find these simple cubby shelves anywhere. I store all my handbags and accessories in them, but also use the top shelf as a display for candles, trinkets, and other bags. I even gave my beauty fridge a shelf for easy access. 

On the other side of my room, next to my bed, I have a large shelving unit. It was part of my aunt's entertainment system and she was getting rid of it so I decided to take it. I really loved the idea of having shelves in my room as extra storage and display (are we sensing a theme here?) and it has worked out so well. The shelf unit faces outward so unless you're standing in front of it, you can't see what's in it. It allows me to take a few more liberties with what I store here since it can be a little more crowded than I'd like.

The shelves are organized by use: jewelry, lipsticks & perfume, handbags and other random items, and then books on the bottom shelf. I use the top of the unit for displaying coffee table books, sentimental items, fancy perfume bottles, and my headbands.

A unit like this also me a lot more storage than normal shelves as they're pretty deep and hold a ton. Plus, it's not too large and can fit in a small space. 

Decorative Boxes and Baskets

The best storage system for a small space? Decorative boxes and wicker baskets! I have Kate Spade boxes that hold chargers, phone and iPad cases along with bunch of random stuff that I need to throw out... so I'm using this as a reminder. I have a larger basket next to the boxes that I used to use as a hamper but then figured I could use the built in hamper in my bathroom, so now I store my weighted blanket in it! You can also use baskets to store hair products, makeup, bags, really anything! I'm considering getting another basket for the corner of my room, or even my closet just to throw stuff into... but sometimes the more storage I have, the more stuff I collect.

My room is fairly large, it's probably larger than the master bedroom, and I have it filled. Sometimes I get self-conscious that I'm a hoarder or that my room looks like a store but as long as I go throw my belongings every few months and clear out space, I'm usually good. Also, the key to not feeling cluttered is to make storage easy! It's definitely possible so I hope this post helped a bit.

What are your favorite storage solutions?

xoxo
B