So you’ve found the perfect apartment, but you aren’t sure how to make the space work for you. For many renters, the relief that comes after finding a budget-friendly apartment is swiftly followed by the feeling that there is a lack of storage space. If you feel a little cramped in your small apartment, don’t despair. Check out these effective organization ideas that can help you settle into your apartment more comfortably. All you need are some shoeboxes!
Organize Those Deep, Dark Drawers
Drawers are one of the saving graces of a small apartment—especially if they’re extra-long! The problem is, if you have a set of dark, long drawers under the bed or in the closet, it’s tough to find what you’re looking for inside.
The solution? Transparent shoe boxes! Organize the contents of your drawers into different types of items; then put those into clear shoeboxes to make finding everything much simpler. Pens, papers, and crayons might take up one box, electronic devices another. It all depends on what you need to store! Just make sure that each shoebox is filled with similar items so that you don’t need to search through more than one when the time comes.
Clean up the Closet
If your socks are falling out of the shelves or dresser drawers, you aren’t alone. Underwear not staying where it should? Again, this is a common problem.
To keep everything in your closet neatly in place, try designating 2 or 3 shoe boxes into your dresser drawers or closet space. Once paired, throw your clean socks into 1 one the boxes; underwear into another; bras into the third. Are you a swimsuit hoarder? Toss those suits into their own shoebox and keep them from mixing with the rest of your clothing.
This way, you won’t have to search through an entire drawer full of undergarments to find what you’re looking for. Keeping small clothing items in shoeboxes will also stop them from migrating into other parts of your wardrobe. This kind of organizational system gives you an ideal place to toss popped buttons, zippers and other clothing items for later repair.
De-Clutter the Kitchen Cabinets
There are so many tiny items floating around in most people’s kitchen cabinets, some only get found before moving house. Between loose tea bags, packets of juice crystals and gravy, stock cubes and the odd Hershey’s Kiss, the kitchen cabinets can become littered with stray items.
For those non-perishable cupboard dwelling packets, introduce a couple of clear or color-coded shoeboxes. Keep it simple, but not too strict: 1 box for savory; 1 box for sweets. Another for all those tricky little bits and pieces that get used only a couple of times a year, say for cake decorating.
Your spice collection can also benefit from the use of a spare plastic shoebox, preferably one that has a solid color. Dried herbs and spices do get stale over time, so it’s best to keep them stored carefully in a dark, cool place.
Depending on the climate where you live, the ideal place for a shoebox full of herbs and spices may be the corner of your pantry, a top shelf in the cabinet or even inside the refrigerator. Make sure that the lids of each bottle are tightly closed to ensure the longevity of their contents.
Get Creative with Shoeboxes
Nearly anything is possible in a rental apartment, no matter what the size—especially when shoeboxes are plentiful! If you’re worried that plain shoeboxes aren’t going to fit into your decor scheme, why not fancy them up a bit?
All it takes is a bit of measuring, glue, and some wallpaper or gift paper that you like. Wrap the boxes up neatly in the paper, and you’ve got an attractive theme piece that can be added to every room in the apartment!
Once you’ve prettied-up your shoebox collection, you can use some boxes to hold useful daily items that have no real home elsewhere. Batteries, spare remote controllers, unmatched socks or gaming controllers can all sit comfortably in their own shoebox, completely anonymous until you need them. It’s a great way to conceal unattractive items within a cute, decorative box!
How do you make the most out of your apartment space? Are shoeboxes a regular part of your routine? Share your ideas with us on Twitter!
Photo Credit: New Africa / Shutterstock
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Source: apartmentguide.com