How to take advantage of space in small kitchens and bathrooms? Put frequently stored items in the most accesible area. Use helper shelves to maximize vertical space between shelves and store items behind doors. Be as organized as possible with personal toiletries. Use the space above the toilet and using other closet.
Not everyone has been blessed with an expansive kitchen, ample cupboards, and enough ceiling space to hang every pot and pan they own from the rafters. Likewise not every homeowner enjoys the privilege of an immense bathroom, with room for bathing, dressing, and reading the latest novel. Instead many people are faced with cramped bathrooms and kitchens, with barely enough room to perform the most basic of functions. Is there anything they can do?
Yes! Lorie Marrero has professionally organized homes and offices since 2000. She is certain that every bathroom and kitchen have at least a few basic possibilities. In the kitchen, she recommends identifying the most frequently used pieces and storing them in the most accessible spaces. She also loves using an easy-to install product, available at most discount or hardware stores.
"There is a wonderful product called a helper shelf," she explains. "If you have vertical space on a shelf or when your existing shelving isn't adjustable, these helper shelves are placed inside the cabinet and instantly create additional space for storage."
She also likes the idea of utilizing space behind doors.
"Canned goods, boxed food and other non-perishables can sometimes fit nicely behind a door, out of sight," she says.
And it's a must to keep garbage hidden as well as possible. "If you have to keep your trash can sitting out," Marrero says, "find something with a fitted lid to hide the trash."
In the bathroom, Marrero suggests keeping close watch and control over personal toiletries. "If you have a small bathroom, you simply don't have the luxury of keeping six different kinds of shampoo," she says. Some families assign each member a set of towels in a particular color. Each member is responsible for hanging, reusing, and laundering his or her own set. In some households, members are asked to keep personal items like hairbrushes, curling irons, and electric shavers in their bedrooms; carrying them to the bathroom when necessary.
The space above the toilet is another often-overlooked jackpot of bathroom storage. Easily assembled pieces like cabinets with sliding doors fit nicely over the backs of toilets and hold toiletries, towels, cleaning supplies, and more. Marrero likes using under-bed storage boxes in bathroom linen closets to harness the unruly overflow of extra sheets, towels, and blankets. She reminds homeowners that not all linens need to be stored in the bathroom and can just as easily be kept in closets, dressers, or cupboards in other parts of the house - freeing the linen closet shelves for much needed bathroom storage space.
Both kitchens and bathrooms must first be functional, with eye appeal coming in second. Strategic positioning of small pieces like shelves and storage units can not only make the best use of workable space in these rooms; they can add to the overall décor as well. A few personal touches like fabric, glue, paint, and stencils can transform inexpensive and bland plastic pieces into lovely accoutrements. For a few pennies, one can convert such storage pieces from simply utilitarian to simply elegant.
