Keeping things neatly organized is a must in a tiny home. Use drawer organizers, dividers, and French cleats to keep everything tidy and out of sight when it’s not in use.
In-Built Storage
If you live in a tiny home (or even if you don’t but are inspired by the movement) clever storage is key. The minimalist lifestyle demands that you get creative ways to store small items like your wedding band to maximizing space, and there are lots of unique and stylish options. From shelving to hidden compartments, these tiny house storage hacks will help you stay organized without taking up valuable floor space.
When space is at a premium, you need to make sure every item has its place in your small home. This includes everything from tools, sporting equipment, and a full set of bed linens to cleaning supplies, toiletries, and more. To maximize your living area, try adding seating with built-in drawers or cubbies that keep everyday items close at hand. This seating can also double as extra workspaces, and the multipurpose design means you don’t have to sacrifice space for a dining table or couch.
Another way to free up room is by storing items under furniture, which works especially well in tiny homes. For example, a seating bench seat that lifts to reveal shelves is ideal for storing things like sweeping equipment, skis, snowboards, mops, and other taller objects you don’t use very often but still need in the house. A similar option is a kitchen counter with a tucked away shelf that can hold cookbooks, utensils, or pots and pans.
You can also add smart storage to your home’s walls, which makes the most of vertical space. Shelving is a popular choice for this because it doesn’t take up much floor space and can be stacked in tiered layers. Staggering shelves in this manner helps to create visual balance and prevent overcrowding. Wall workstations, nooks, and hidden tables are other ways to make the most of your tiny home’s walls.
For kitchen items, you can install hanging organizers that fit under your cabinets or hooks on the inside of your pantry door. These behind-the-door storage solutions are ideal for tucking away cooking items you don’t use very frequently and free up room in your cabinets for larger products. For other home items, consider using under-shelf baskets for books and small kitchen appliances, or a slim spice rack for the kitchen so you don’t have to fill up a cabinet with jars that will eventually lose their lids.
Wall Storage
Using walls for storage is one of the best tiny house ideas around. Whether you use a small loft to store books and bedding, or you install a foldable desk to make the most of your bedroom space, wall storage is an effective way to keep things off the floor and out of sight.
Adding shelving to areas where you normally store items, like above the kitchen sink or under seating, is another great tiny home storage hack. Staggering shelves in tiered layers can create visual interest in a space while giving you ample room to store items without creating clutter. For instance, a kitchen shelf can hold jar lids that are too large to fit on a cupboard or drawer, while a stacked wooden bowl or metal bucket can hold your spices.
You can also utilize unused spaces in your home, such as the space under stairs or inside closets. A tiny home is not a large space, so you’ll need to be more creative with your storage solutions than a traditional home. A nook under your staircase can hold shoes, boots or other outerwear so you can find what you’re looking for when you get ready in the morning. Similarly, you can install a hanging basket in your entryway to keep keys, hats, jackets and pet leashes out of the way while keeping them easily accessible.
When you live in a small space, it’s important to embrace a minimalist lifestyle and only keep the essentials. However, this is easier said than done. Many people struggle to minimize their possessions and are not happy with the results. In order to successfully transition to a minimalist lifestyle, you should plan your space well. Organizing your possessions is vital to simplifying your life and eliminating clutter, but it’s even more important to have the right kind of furniture for your space and rethink the ways you can use common spaces.
By incorporating the principles of minimalism into your tiny house, you can create a beautiful and functional living environment. By taking the time to consider the ways you can incorporate multifunctional furniture and clever storage solutions, you can achieve your dream of living a minimal lifestyle.
Seating with Built-In Drawers or Cubbies
If you’re short on space for storage in your tiny house, don’t be afraid to add seating that doubles as shelving. This smart hack lets you keep your belongings off the floor and out of sight while keeping you comfortable. Look for chairs and benches with built-in drawers or cubbies for a convenient way to store books, blankets, and other items in your living room, bedroom, or office.
Floating shelves are another excellent option for tiny home storage because they attach directly to the wall without bulky brackets, and can be easily moved around as needed. Look for shelves in a variety of sizes to best fit your space, and use a variety of colors and finishes to add style. If you need to spruce up your home office, consider adding shelving that holds filing cabinets or a desk with hidden storage for supplies.
In small spaces, it’s essential to have everything organized so that there’s no clutter on surfaces like tables and counters. A lot of the time, clutter builds up because there’s no place to put things. If you find things that aren’t needed in your cabinet or on a table, it may be time to purge and make room for something new!
Another great trick for small homes is to install a shelf above your toilet. It can be used to hold things like paper towels, swabs, cotton balls, and more, and it will free up valuable space in your bathroom. This no-fabric storage solution is a huge timesaver!
You can also utilize under-shelf storage in your kitchen to maximize the area beneath your cabinets. Fitting toe-kick drawers in this space is a clever way to keep cookbooks and other small kitchen necessities organized, and a narrow rack on wheels can be used as a pantry for dry goods.
Having a good system of storage is essential for tiny home owners, and the options are endless. From a vanity organizer to keep makeup and other personal items neatly organized in your bathroom, to under-shelf baskets to hold extra linens and other items, these clever storage hacks can help you stay tidy even when you’re living with limited space!
Baskets
If you live in a tiny home, whether it’s a school bus, a teeny A-frame, or a minuscule cabin, clever storage is key. This requires looking at common areas with a fresh perspective and adding storage solutions that serve multiple purposes. For example, a spiral staircase can be transformed into shelving with the addition of some simple railings and a few decorative dividers to keep books and other items organized in style.
You can also repurpose open shelves to hold more than just dishes and vases. For instance, stagger the shelves in tiered layers to help manage visual overcrowding and tuck a few small baskets under them for more storage. Or add a few hooks to the underside of your shelving to hang keys, hats, pet leashes and more. These hidden storage ideas are also a great way to make your shelves look more decorative, and can be a quick DIY project.
Another smart trick is to look for furniture with built-in storage or that offers a lot of flexibility and multifunctionality. Couches that pull out into beds and dining tables on casters are all the rage in tiny homes, and there are plenty of other options as well. Try stackable chairs or modular furniture that combines into different seating configurations for the ultimate in flexibility.
If you have a tub in your tiny house, add an over-the-toilet basket for bath products to keep them from crowding the counter, and use a bathtub tray to hold books, magazines or drinks while you relax. If you don’t have a tub, a shower curtain with built-in pockets or an over-the-door organizer is a good way to store toiletries without taking up valuable floor space.
If you need more closet space in your tiny house, install a wardrobe or a combination dresser/closet to hold clothes and shoes. This will free up a lot of floor space to accommodate other storage solutions, like drawers or cabinets. Alternatively, you can swap out your current couch for one that has drawers underneath, or build a modular storage couch in your living room to give you all the seating and storage you need.