The Home, Cleaning & Organization

4 Small Spaces You (Probably) Need to Organize

It's that time of year again. Warmer weather is upon us (hopefully) and we have the urge to purge to lighten up for spring and summer. Piles of papers need to go... but where? And entryway systems need retooling for the warmer months. It's time to get organized, and there's no better place to start than in the spaces in our homes that serve as various components of our own command central.

Junk Drawer

Everyone has a junk drawer. Your junk drawer might look different from mine, but it probably resembles the cover of one of those I Spy books, and it might include quarters, bolts, pins, random papers, old spoons, measuring tape, the household hammer, and maybe even the keys to your diary you kept in middle school.

ISSUETHREE0142

While we hate to admit it, we need that junk drawer! What we don’t need is the mess that screams “chaos.” The best way to manage your junk drawer is to treat it like “emotional junk.”

Featured Product Clear Collection Drawer Organization Bins
Clear Collection Drawer Organization Bins madesmart Shop Now

First, recognize the problem, and then address it. Sort, separate, purge, repeat (at least once every three months). Dividers can work wonders to organize all these disparate items and get your junk drawer working for you.

Kitchen Cabinets

For me, these cabinets are the easiest to organize. Plates stay with plates and glassware sticks together. For my glassware, I like to put the tallest in back and work forward from there so that I can see everything. I’m also a fan of stackable glassware, which maximizes space.

ISSUETHREE0148

For your water bottles, consider purchasing a bottle organizer to stack them neatly.

Featured Product BottleStand Mug & Bottle Organizer
BottleStand Mug & Bottle Organizer YouCopia Shop Now

If you have tall spaces in your cabinets, consider buying risers so that you create extra shelf space. These are best used in spaces where you keep baking and serving dishes, which are often awkward shapes and sizes.

Featured Product Tosca Kitchen Rack
Tosca Kitchen Rack Yamazaki Home Shop Now

You can also purchase clear airtight containers or glass jars to store all of your baking goods and grains such as flour, sugar, rice or quinoa.

Featured Product Montana Jars
Montana Jars Anchor Hocking Shop Now

The design seals in freshness while allowing you to see inside.

Featured Product ProKeeper Baker's Storage
ProKeeper Baker's Storage Progressive Shop Now

Lastly, household items like a tool box could also be used to store sauces and other miscellaneous items.

Featured Product Tosca Tool Box
Tosca Tool Box Yamazaki Home Shop Now

Entryway

In busy households like mine, the entryway serves as the on and off ramp of our home, and it's the most prized real estate in the house.

ISSUETHREE0144

I try to maximize every inch of space and do it with style. Pretty woven baskets are always a great idea.

Featured Product Nesting Tea Stained Woven Baskets
Nesting Tea Stained Woven Baskets Honey Can Do Shop Now

Try a catch-all console table with space below to house and conceal sports gear.

Featured Product Pietra Console Table
Pietra Console Table Design Ideas Shop Now

Dress it up with a bouquet of fresh blooms and pretty tray for keys and loose change.

Featured Product Meeme Serving Tray
Meeme Serving Tray Zak Designs Shop Now

Desk

The desktop and desk drawers are likely the workhorse spaces in your life, whether they are used for your job or to keep important documents and bills organized and tended to.

ISSUETHREE0149

So, it's essential to keep these spaces organized in a way that's intuitive and accessible. Your desktop should house only what you deem essential - perhaps a computer charging cord, a clock, a pen/pencil holder with a few of each, a candle, and a notepad.

Featured Product Jotblock Bullet Pad
Jotblock Bullet Pad Three by Three Seattle Shop Now

Putting your computer on a riser also helps to create more vertical space and storage on your desk.

Featured Product Up-Rise Monitor Riser
Up-Rise Monitor Riser Three by Three Shop Now

I also like to have a small filing system with slots for action items (papers that need prompt attention) and outgoing mail.

Featured Product Birger File Storage Box
Birger File Storage Box Bigso Shop Now

Desk drawers should then be filled with items by order of importance. For example, the top drawer, or center drawer, should house all other items you need frequently.

Featured Product Brick Click Clock
Brick Click Clock Gingko Shop Now

Paper clips, Post-it notes, and index cards are some items I keep in this drawer. I also like to keep an extra set of car keys in my top drawer.

Featured Product Hygge Candle
Hygge Candle Paddywax Shop Now

If you are lucky enough to have more than one drawer, work down from there, keeping the least used items in the bottom drawer, and ideally, setting up one drawer as a vertical filing cabinet.

Photography by Constance Mariena

This story appeared in the Spring/Summer 2019 issue of The Inspired Home Journal, titled “Get Organized: Clean Sweep.”

Top

Even more Cleaning & Organization articles for you

Get on the list to stay up to date on everything The Inspired Home.