Given: an ordinary Moscow family of three (parents and child), a standard two-room apartment (bedroom, nursery, kitchen, etc.) and just completed general cleaning. We note the time: how long will the ideal order last after cleaning? The correct answer is 1.5 minutes.
This is exactly how long it will take until you pour cappuccino into your favorite cup (of course, so that you can forget it in the sink), and your child pulls all the pillows off the sofa to make himself an Indian wigwam. Conclusion: there is no ideal order that lasts more than two minutes!
Is it possible to save the perfectionist within you who is drowning? Yes! We suggest taking apart each corner of the apartment on shelves to understand how you can make storing things convenient, practical, and most importantly - cozy and stylish. Order is a temporary thing, but convenience should be permanent.
Why is everything so complicated (not really)
The most common problem when organizing storage of things in the house is the quantity: different clothes, small items, toys, household appliances and devices.
The secret to properly organizing your household items is to separate them into groups and find the right place for them. For example, it is better to immediately put all household supplies and household chemicals in the bathroom, because in the kitchen you use them less often. And it’s easier to store books and gadgets in one place - in a relaxation and entertainment area, for example, in the living room.
Even within one kitchen cabinet, you can organize a small order: a shelf for spices, a shelf for cereals, etc. Dishes will take up less space if you sort them by size and put one inside another, for example, pots. And you can simply hang the pans above the stove. These and other tips are in our longread about storing things at home.
How to store clothes
10. Conveniently store jeans and handbags.
To store your jeans conveniently, you will need hangers, regular elastic bands and paper or cardboard.
Just hang each pair on a hanger, cut out a small tag from cardboard or paper and write on it the characteristics of each pair or where you usually wear these jeans. After this, make holes in the tags and use an elastic band to attach them to the hangers.
Buy a plastic basket and put all your bags in it. You can organize handbags of different colors and styles into several small baskets.
But first, take a photo of each handbag and put the printed photos in an album. This way you will know in advance which handbag you want to take with you and where it is stored.
The same can be done with shoes - take a photo of each pair and stick the photo to the box with the shoes so that you know which box contains which shoes.
Storage systems for wardrobes, chests of drawers and cabinets
And your closet may be a little smaller than Carrie Bradshaw's, but there are probably just as many dresses! What to do? Call Marie Kondo for help: vertical storage is a reliable way out of any “clothing” situation. Place all the basic sets in the chest of drawers vertically, and leave only holiday outfits, shirts and anything that wrinkles easily on the hangers. Multi-level hangers and additional hooks on the door are an inconspicuous move that will increase the capacity of the closet by at least 1.5 times.
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Principle 9. Heavy - down, light - up
This commandment is a direct continuation of the previous one: vertical storage should be properly organized. Heavy items should not subject shelves and furniture fastenings to serious loads, and also pose a danger to human health if they fall - the upper limit of items that require serious effort to lift or move should be located at a height of no more than a meter above the floor level . If boxes or containers are placed on top of each other, the heaviest ones should be placed closer to the floor, and the light ones should be placed on top.
Everything is under the bed!
The storage system for beds has changed slightly with the advent of new styles - the New York style has come into fashion, where a multifunctional bed contains drawers not only for linen, but also for clothes, household appliances and various small items. In the nursery, you can organize the storage of toys in baskets on wheels, which the child can easily get out.
Hallway
This room can be square or elongated. In any case, it is worth equipping the top. A long shelf on top is enough. It is necessary to attach hooks of different configurations and sizes to the walls. They are placed in even rows or randomly so that hanging items are as far apart as possible.
A small wardrobe system and separate open modules can accommodate most outerwear. The presence of a high wall in the corridor is a very common phenomenon, but this may not be enough: it is advisable to buy special inclined shoe racks. In the hallway, wicker baskets for large items and organizers for small items will be useful.
Such devices are needed mainly by those who forget keys and other things when leaving home. You can store umbrellas by the front door. There is room for one or two chairs in the corner of the room. You can save space by using a large roof rack as an alternative to a wall.
Mezzanine
When purchasing a standard wardrobe, the owner of a cramped hallway does not have enough space for seasonal items, hats and shoe boxes. It is important to use the entire area, so for the entrance area it is more appropriate to choose either a wall cabinet on the ceiling or a system of sliding wardrobes with mezzanines.
High shoe rack
A narrow corridor can be not only comfortable, but also spacious. The principle of vertical storage will come to the rescue. Instead of a small shoe store, it is better to use a special shoe cabinet with folding compartments. This makes the furniture look neater and the shoes look bigger.
Mirror with a secret
We are used to mirrored cabinets in the bathroom, but rarely see them in the hallway. A rectangular sheet of mirror, hiding shelves behind it, will allow you to be convinced of its irresistibility before going out and stores useful things: keys, money, accessories. And with a box, you don’t have to allocate a separate place for various little things and think about buying a housekeeper.
Learn Swedish
If you were asked to name any word after hearing “rack”, we are sure you would name BILLY, CALLAX or even FREDLEV. You can assume that you almost know Swedish, because who else but Ikea taught us to love shelving. They can be used for any purpose: books, equipment and gadgets, clothes, shoes, children's toys.
Desk storage system
The most ordinary drawers in desks can hold more if you use dividers. You can even make them yourself.
Pantry
All owners of apartments in new buildings are now, of course, smiling. After all, they know what we are talking about! Storerooms. They are gaining popularity, and a storage room is not only a basement room in a house, it can be right in your apartment. This is usually a very modest sized room without a window. In the design studio you can order a personal storage system, or you can measure the pantry yourself and purchase rails, boxes and hangers. What is the main advantage of the pantry: it is hidden from view, which means you can show your imagination and do whatever your heart desires.
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Boxes, crates, baskets
Open shelving and shelves are not universal - some things still need to be kept hidden from view. Cardboard or plastic boxes, wicker baskets, wooden boxes and other similar containers will help with this. They can be placed on open shelves: this solution will be much more economical than using a cabinet. The drawers can be chosen in different shades to add color and bright accents to the room.
Photo: blogdecorandoonline.com
The darkest place in the apartment
The hallway has the least light and the least space. The storage system for the hallway most often comes down to one completely banal and boring solution: a huge wardrobe. But often such furniture eats up all the space. There is a lot of practicality, but no style and buzz from the design. Unload the floor as much as possible and provide bright lighting. Better now, right? Mix the functionality of items: the seat can also be a shoe rack, and behind the mirror there can be a mini-cabinet for storing small items.
Behind the curtain
All open shelves, racks and niches can be closed - but not with cabinet doors, but with a curtain all the way to the floor. This solution has many advantages. Firstly, a long curtain raises the ceiling and makes the room wider. Secondly, the fabric creates a more comfortable home environment. Thirdly, you can choose any curtain color, making the interior brighter.
Photo: tremontgrand.com
It smelled like something was fried.
This is where half of the salary is sent, something is constantly bought here, and how it’s all stored - you can close your eyes in fear and horror. We're in the kitchen! Almost every day we buy groceries, try new recipes and try to unravel the secret - how to store things in the kitchen so that it is convenient? How to find balance on this kitchen wheel of vegetables, grains, spices, dishes and household supplies. The main life hack, of course, is storage boxes and containers. If you have tall drawers, make practical use of the space with tiered containers. The more drawers you have in your kitchen storage system, the easier it is. Here are some interesting ideas.
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Kitchen
To accommodate all the necessary utensils, owners of small kitchens implement a lot of interesting ideas.
Spacious furniture
Absolutely all standard furniture can serve as a storage system: instead of chairs and stools, a bench with a folding seat is suitable, where you can store bulky dishes or empty spaces for the winter. A table with drawers will be useful for storing small items, and a kitchen set thought out to the smallest detail will provide a comfortable kitchen.
Wardrobes up to the ceiling
In a kitchen with a modest square footage, it is important to use every centimeter: to accommodate more dishes and products, designers recommend installing cabinets with high ceilings or storage systems suspended in two rows.
Shelves above the table
A small kitchen is often divided into two parts (cooking and eating), but if there is little space, it is worth using the wall above the dining area. Open shelves and hangers for storing cups and sugar bowls, as well as closed shelves and wall cabinets, are suitable.
Multi-tiered stand
The most ordinary stand, designed for the beautiful presentation of cakes and other sweets, can serve as an excellent service in organizing storage. For example, you can use it to organize an elegant tea corner. Or increase the usable area of a window sill or bedside table.
Microwave
The obvious is not always used in practice. For example, a TV is often hung on a bracket inside. Why not do the same with your kitchen appliances.
Non-standard solutions
By looking around the free areas of the kitchen and using your imagination, you can find enough space in the kitchen for towels, cutlery and other necessary things.
Cabinet doors and the end of the refrigerator can be used as additional walls for small shelves, railings, various baskets and beautiful drawers as aesthetic but functional decoration.
Welcome to the bedroom
The simplest room in terms of storage is the bedroom. Bed, bedside table, wardrobe with clothes. What else is needed? But even a spacious closet sometimes does not accommodate all the necessary things. The storage system in the bedroom can be organized using drawers on wheels that slide under the bed, and you can also use the ceiling - namely hanging hangers. Look how comfortably you can fit in literally three square meters!
Cabinet:
The printer can be stored in a closet
Wires
Tangled cables are allowed
filing cabinet
Transform your bed or dresser into a filing cabinet
Bathroom storage system
You most likely know about organizers, wicker baskets, and mirror cabinets. We would advise you to take a closer look at glass - it is transparent materials that allow you to increase the space that is so often lacking in the bathroom. Transparent boxes for storing household cleaning products and glass shelves are the best ideas for the bathroom. Secret: just like in the kitchen, you can hang a magnetic panel in the bathroom, on which it will be convenient to store scissors, files, jewelry and other small items.
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Shower curtain rod
How irrationally we use the rod in a small bathroom, hanging only a shower curtain on it! Hang a few hooks to dry on the back of the washcloth, or get waterproof pockets for hygienic shampoos, scrubs and gels.
All little things will be hidden behind the curtain and will not bother you.
Balconies and loggias
Everything that usually doesn’t fit in the rooms goes onto the balcony, turning it into a cluttered warehouse. Things deteriorate and become damp, and you pretend that this balcony is not yours at all, and you also don’t know who littered it. Stop being ashamed! Turn a balcony or glassed-in loggia into a chill-out area - a wicker chair or beskar furniture, a portable speaker, a houseplant and a shelf with your favorite books. There is only one conclusion - the balcony is not a place for storing things.
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Solution
To summarize, the most important rule of smart storage is that all the things in the apartment are used. And here comes the question: what to do with your favorite mountain bike in winter? Or: “I’m 30 years old, but I can’t part with my collection of childhood drawings and photographs—where should I put them?” And it also happens: “I think I heard that keeping car tires at home is harmful, but I don’t have a balcony or a garage!”
Calmly. You don't have to spend the night hugging tires, stepping over your bike in the hallway, or throwing away memorabilia.
Use a cloud storage service to store your items and put them in a warm warehouse. The attic is ready to store seasonal items, snowboards, skis, furniture, clothes or household appliances.
Do you know who the most popular inhabitant of our warehouse is? Books! If information from books was transmitted telepathically, our storekeepers would already become doctors of science!
Storing in the Attic is simple: movers come to your home, pack your things and take them to the warehouse. As soon as you need something, we will bring it back right away. Storing household items will become easier when you only have items in your home that you use regularly.
Principle 10. Don't forget about the value of things!
It seems to be a completely understandable truth, but, alas, many people forget about it, and then cry bitterly over their grandmother’s broken vase, damaged photographs or family heirlooms. Any items (boxes, containers, dishes) on the shelves should be placed stably, clothes made of delicate fabrics should be stored in special cases, valuable papers and photographs should be kept away from moisture, sunlight and aggressive substances. Things dear to the heart should be kept away from everyday items that are not of particular value, but can violate the storage conditions of family heirlooms or expensive items.
