need help organizing a VERY small space *pics added post #11* - Page 3

[SeekingJoy]

I second (third? fourth?) many of the pp suggestions: over the toilet storage instead of a freestanding cabinet, declutter, ditch at least one desk, coffee table as storage/blanket chest, reduce the number of kitchen chairs or use them as the desk chairs, put your spices in magnetic containers on the refrigerator, toss the cd racks in favor of booklet storage, etc.

Other suggestions I wouldn't be able to do: reducing the number of books, getting rid of a sofa bed, reducing tableware (we entertain tons), etc.

I would only add these thoughts to the mix:

* what about hanging the two guitars together as "art"? Create art by grouping any of your other collections (plates, serving pieces, photographs)

* under the cabinet over the kitchen sink, what about adding hooks to hang your mugs on or a metal rack to hang your glassware/stemware from? http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html...sin=B000BNY692

* have you maximized your cabinet space with wire racks? http://www.target.com/Storage-Soluti...ank&rh=&page=1

* can you replace your shelves throughout the space with ones that go to the ceiling? vertical storage is your best bet. For example, the kitchen wire shelves can go MUCH higher. Paper goods, bulk foods, and other light items grouped in baskets can all go overhead.

* do your closet shelves go to the ceiling?

* the glass-topped side table in the LR (on the wall looking into the kitchen) doesn't serve enough function to be kept. It is too large for the space, doesn't store anything, and serves the same function as the central coffee table. If you feel you need something there, try a plant stand, a stack of coffee table books, or a much smaller side table. This seems like a small detail, but each inch counts and sometimes small changes can snowball.

* can you hang your pots and pans on the wall?

I promise this can be done. You are already off to a great start. We have been there with a 700ish sq. ft apartment when it was just the two of us and now just over 1000 sq feet with 4 of us.

[Max'sMama]

I haven't read all the responses, but I would go to a single couch and chair. If you have a child you will spend most of your time on the floor anyway.

The bookcases on either side of your TV. I would put them on their side and stack them, so save space, plus then you could put the TV on top of the bookcases. I would see where you could double up items. If you don't use the stationary bike DAILY. I would use the space it takes up for other things and get rid of it. Go down to a single desk. I think I saw two in your bedroom.

Selling off the round end table and the corner shelf would give you more space and not having the coffee table would open up your space too.

I would have to say that the dishwasher I would get rid of. That would free up space in your kitchen for your chairs and your closets for 'other' stuff.

Plus, washing by hand takes just a few minutes once you get into a groove with it and if done after each meal, with just the two of you (and even with a baby) wouldn't be much time.

You could mount the guitar on the wall and going down to one end table in the bedroom would give you a bit of space too.

Looking through, though I haven't read the other responses, I would get rid of many many things, so much could be used for other purposes. Plus getting rid of one of the couches would free up lot of space for other items.

Good luck!

[ErikaLeigh]

any update?

[kallyn]

Well DH is completely unwilling to get rid of any of the furniture. We are likely only in this apartment for 2 years, and he doesn't want to get rid of stuff only to have to re-buy it. However, we did figure out some other stuff. I'll try to go by room.

We're going to get rid of the kitchen table and chairs temporarily by storing them at my parents' house (they fit in the car, so we can take them up at xmas). Then, we'll get one of those free-standing counter things from Ikea so that I have more counter space! We usually eat at the living room coffee table as it is, so I won't miss the dining room table. Anyway, that's the major thing we decided on so far.

The dishwasher isn't going anywhere. It actually belongs to our landlord. He said he'd take it if we didn't want to use it, but I tried washing dishes by hand for like 2-3 weeks to see if it would be feasible and it just wasn't. I'm too messy of a cook and apparently I never learned how to clean dishes properly. The kitchen was always messy and the dishes were never clean enough and it was turning into a Big Deal.

For the shelves in the living room, I LOVE the idea of putting the CDs/DVDs in a binder. Awesome suggestion! That will free up practically one whole bookshelf! DH is also somewhat open to the idea of replacing the short shelves with some taller shelves, so we'll see if that's cost prohibitive. Hopefully we can find some inexpensive ones with cabinets on the bottom. We can maybe ferry some books to my parents' house. They are already storing 2/3 of our books as it is (yes, that is our "pared down" collection, lol).

I appreciate all the hang-the-guitar-on-the-wall suggestions, but I don't think they'd work either. It may not have been obvious from the pics, but we have 4 guitars. Definitely not enough wall space for all of them. Anyway, DH is a guitar man besides being a computer man, and he says that hanging guitars like that damages the neck and you shouldn't do it. If the guitars/amp end up being in the way too much, we'll probably put 3 of them and the amp at his grandma's house and just keep the acoustic.

I'd like to get rid of that little end table next to the loveseat because I think it takes up way too much space. It's part of a matching set with our coffee table though, and I am anal about always having a surface near eat seating area so that people can set down drinks and stuff. Oh, also, I don't know if it was obvious from the pics, but both the coffee table and the end table have a shelf on them so I CAN store things. I'd just have to get some nice decorative boxes since the table tops are glass and you can see through them. So maybe that would work instead...just decide what I'm going to store on the tables and get some nice boxes that will fit?

I like the idea of storing the hockey bag in the trunk of the car. At least for now. There is just nowhere else for that huge thing to go. DH already keeps his sticks in the car. The bike stays where it is. DH rides it very regularly while playing video games.

We're not going to do anything to the bathroom. I guess it looked crowded in the pic, but it really isn't.

For the bedroom I'm just going to get some nice baskets and make that bookshelf look prettier. I'm also going to get rid of my computer chair. One of the wheels is broken and there is a rip in the seat anyway. I'll just use one of the kitchen chairs because they are much much smaller. I can maybe get DH to do the same thing, but I think he'd need some convincing. We can't consolidate any of the computers/desks unfortunately. DH is a computer guy and he needs his workstation set up a certain way and each computer serves a different function. Yeah yeah I know. As it is we actually have FOUR computers...his desktop monitor is actually connected with a switch to a Linux box.

We've already got a lot of stuff under the bed, so I don't think we need risers. Oh, and for the people who asked about using the end tables, we're already using them for all our underclothes. Hopefully once we get rid of those kitchen chairs like I mentioned, we can fill their space in the closet with that big suitcase we have in the bedroom. Someone posted a link to some little shelves that were 3 high and suggested them to hang over our computer desks. I actually really like them! So we might get those if we still need some more space in a little while.

Um, that's all I can think of right now that we decided on. Thanks so much for your suggestions ladies! :

[sapphire_chan]

Music shops display guitars hanging up, how do they do it and not hurt the necks? Is there a support under the body of the guitar?

[insahmniak]

Congratulations on your plan to clear some stuff out.

I want to put in a plug for yet another IKEA item: we just got some of these. They are so versatile! We got four for kitchen table seating and I'd wished I'd gotten a couple more. They stack of course. They are inexpensive. They can be used to sit on (quite sturdy), as an end-table, desk chair, a lodge for a 4 year old....and they are so easy to make disappear! Without backs there is so much less visual clutter as well. Very inexpensive yet clean-looking.

Best of luck!

[kissum]

I think DH just doesn't want to hang up his guitars, lol. My dad and I both play, and we had 8 hanging on a wall at his house for years, and they are all fine I've never heard that before, but if it's true (I'm going to look it up) it's good to know.

I think your place is darling, please please update pics when you get a chance, I'd love to see what you did!