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Original poster

People with tiny homes! Talk to me about space saving and storage!

58 replies

IsisOhIsis · 21/10/2013 15:24

I have a teeny tiny terrace house. I have very little cupboard space in my kitchen, and a 2yo DD with toys that seem to breed when I'm not looking :-/ I am getting a bookcase for christmas from my mum (the excitement!) so that will be more space in my living room but I would love to hear your ingenious space saving and storage ideas! I'm on a teensy budget too, so unfortunately can't just buy lots of things or have a new kitchen fitted!

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Looking for advice on keeping things organised or making the most of a small space? Check out our round-up of Mumsnetters’ life-changing storage boxes, space-saving tips, and decluttering hacks. MNHQ.

OP posts:
TiredFeet · 21/10/2013 15:27

Following! We seem to be being swamped by Ds's (age 3) toys!

LonelyGoatherd · 21/10/2013 15:29

Declutter and get shot of anything via ebay, car boot, freecycle, charity shop that you don't love or need.
IKEA Trofast good for toy storage.
Kindle instead of books (budget permitting...)
Meal plan so you only buy the food you need.
Fit as many shelves as you can in the cupboards.
DVDs and CDs - bin cases and store in those flip book thingies.

DontMentionThePrunes · 21/10/2013 15:33

Don't buy furniture that a) takes up a lot of floor space, and b) that you can't put other stuff in.
And look up, not across: high cupboards will store stuff out of sight. You will need a stepladder always, though...so make sure you have a space for that Grin
Definitely don't go for wicker baskets on shelves as everything automatically falls over and looks shit. (IME)

OneLittleToddleTerror · 21/10/2013 15:36

Adding to LonelyGoatherd's list. Also bin DVDs and CDs. Same treatment as the kindle. Rip all of them and put on a computer/NAS. Then get rid of the whole lot on something like music magpie.

We've stopped buying books but still have two ikea billies left of old ones. If only you could rip books as easily as DVDs and CDs.

Janek · 21/10/2013 15:49

I like ikea's expedit shelves - they are really versatile, are surprisingly capacious and come in a range of sizes. They have a relatively small footprint too, i think they're brilliant.

Original poster
IsisOhIsis · 21/10/2013 17:48

I love books, I'm not sure I could get rid, they have history for me. I must get an ereader and stop buying new paper books though! I'm getting rid of one of my sofas and will replace with an armchair (dont need two 3 seaters) so that will make some room. I'm also having a look at my furniture placement to see how I can rejig to maximise space. I really want an expedit!

OP posts:
spiderbabymum · 21/10/2013 21:08

Look on here apartmenttherapy

lagoonhaze · 21/10/2013 21:13

Expedit is your friend!

noisytoys · 21/10/2013 22:50

I agree with think tall. Ceiling height storage, shelves above door frames and declutter. Less stuff = more space

Original poster
IsisOhIsis · 22/10/2013 01:04

I have house envy from that website, Spiderbabymum!

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PinkStarStuck · 22/10/2013 08:52

For your kitchen cupboards, doubles the space: this and this .

Also, you can buy fairly big plastic storage boxes with lids, I have those on top of the kitchen cupboards as well as pot and pans that don't get used much. I have a folding step stool tucked away so I can reach. Bit of a pita but it means the cupboards are less cluttered.

If you look in TK Maxx they sell over the door hooks, they are strong and cheap and you can hang all sorts on them. That said, because my house is tiny I took most of the interior doors off and have stored them under a bed, doing that has made the house feel a lot bigger and has meant I can position my furniture a lot better.

I hung on to my books for ages, then decided that I would rather have the space, I've kept some really precious books but sent all of the paperbacks to the charity shop and bought a kindle (which I love).

De-cluttering helps, and then not buying the clutter in the first place, my poor DC's get magazines a lot less than they used to (they always have tat attached to the front).

OneLittleToddleTerror · 22/10/2013 09:03

I have house envy from apartment therapy too. A lot of the small apartments in the US is way larger than my 3-bed semi here. (My house is 75m2, and I see loads of 80-100m2 apartments on the site). Modern houses in England can't even have storage above door frames noisytoys. I have about a hand's width of space between the top of the door frame and the coving. Because of the low ceiling, I can't hang any pendant light either Sad

TheArticFunky · 22/10/2013 14:14

We have a tiny home. We are planning on getting a 4 x 4 expedit bookcase for the childrens room. We have built in bookcases in the living room, built in wardrobes etc. We have chopped a bit off a bedroom to make room for a home study. We have a small double bed rather than a full size one.

PiratePanda · 22/10/2013 14:20

All of you advocating getting rid of books, DVDs and CDs - you do realise that you effectively only rent digital books abd music from the likes of Amazon and iTunes, don't you? According to their T&Cs they can withdraw your digital purchases at any time. I've had this happen already with albums they've decided to remove from their catalogue.

BigFairy · 22/10/2013 14:29

We have a small house too. Some good storage we have is under the bath (bath panels have a magnetic door which pops off so I can store toilet rolls and cleaning products under there) and maximising use of under stairs cupboard with extra shelves and hooks. I'd love more space though, I would find it much more relaxing.

Oriunda · 22/10/2013 14:30

Only books I buy now are from charity shops, which I then return after I've read. I borrow books from the library. I only keep classic books at home like old green Penguins and my Agatha Christie collection, which I know I will read again and again. When I go on holiday, I load the free books that the apple store has onto my ipad. They're not brilliant, but usually basic thrillers that are easy to read on the beach.

TheArticFunky · 22/10/2013 14:35

I didn't know that Pirate!

GwendolineMaryLacey · 22/10/2013 14:43

The expedit looks good but doesn't come in any useful colours. I don't want red shelves :(

Original poster
IsisOhIsis · 22/10/2013 15:26

I rent my house so can't make any big changes, unfortunately. Under bath storage sounds brilliant, though!

Those shelf things for the cupboards look great, pink, getting some of those! and boxes on top of cupboards! Why didn't I think of that?!

OP posts:
TinyDiamond · 22/10/2013 16:16

go up wherever you can. Shelves right up to ceiling in alcoves, above doorframes etc. Boxes on top of kitchen cupboards. Mirrors on backs of doors so that no floor space is taken up. over door hooks on any doors you need to they are £4 from wilko/b&m etc. I have them on inside of understairs cupboard for coats and tape measures and general bits. Back of bathroom door for towels and dressing gowns, my bedroom for bags, inside wardrobe door for necklaces, front door for coats.

TinyDiamond · 22/10/2013 16:16

PS get on pinterest.hundreds of ideas

Lagoonablue · 22/10/2013 19:34

Floor to ceiling cupboards in our alcoves made a big difference to us. Board out the loft if you can. Draws in beds to store bedding.

Original poster
IsisOhIsis · 23/10/2013 01:16

I have under bed storage which is handy. I've been doing a huge sort out and now have a tub on top of my cupboards which has cleared enough room for my breadmaker and food processor to go on the shelves instead of sitting on the floor! And I've stacked my recipe books instead of having them side by side which has freed up about half a foot of space!.amazing what you can do when you get mumsnet on the case really think about it!

OP posts:
Original poster
IsisOhIsis · 23/10/2013 01:17

I've also moved most of dd's toys upstairs, leaving only a small selection in the living room, which ill rotate. Hopefully this will.mean she'll play with everything a bit more and I don't have to look at a room which resembles something toys r is threw up on

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