Thanks to Aim4Order for this month’s Tips from the Pros about making the most of small quarters, making a home with less square footage more livable.

There’s no room!

No matter what size home you have, there never seems to be enough room. People who own expansive estates still have trouble keeping clutter at bay. It’s all about your perspective.

Baltimore households these days often include a grandparent or other extended family member. With the added people, homes feel like they are shrinking. However, living in small quarters is no excuse for a cluttered house.

Small homes have small storage, and being thrifty with space becomes a way of life. Get rid of what you don’t need. If you don’t love something, find someone who does or toss it. You don’t have the luxury of saving everything, pick your very favorite items and hang onto them.

Use vertical space

When you have the opportunity, build upward. Add a shelf above your dresser. Use storage on the back of bedroom and closet doors or add wall hooks to convert empty areas into storage. If you are not happy having your belongings hanging all over, then either find a way to keep them in a cabinet or let them go.

Make space in your closet

A bathroom towel rack can hold scarves. Add hooks for purses and belts. This will free up some space in the closet. With extra room between hangers, your clothes will have less wrinkles than crowded closets stuffed with too much clothing.

Wasted space

Under the bed storage containers can come in handy for holding off-season clothing or footwear. Don’t use it as a place to throw everything to get it out of the way. When you store things, do it in an organized way by putting like things together.

Some ottomans, benches, coffee tables or end tables have hidden storage areas under or inside of them. They can be great cubbies to store your favorite items that need a permanent home.

More space ideas

Bunk beds take up half the room of twin beds and give your kids more space to play. Consider a trundle bed, which slides out from under another bed, daybed or sofa, if bunk beds are not an option.

Rolling up towels, spa style, can give you added linen closet space. Folding sheet sets and storing them inside of one of the pillowcases will keep them organized and you won’t waste a lot of time rooting around the closet to find the complete set. Just grab the pillowcase and you are ready to go.

Unusual closets

Some smaller homes have oddly shaped closets that are difficult to use at all. Closets can be very shallow, offering very little storage space. Find things that fit in the shallow closet like brooms or other items that do not need the depth of a big closet. Save the deeper closets for larger things.

Under stairs storage areas, are unusually shaped. A lazy Susan may help you get to everything in the closet if it’s hard to reach the back.

Whatever your storage problem is, there is a solution to deal with it when living in cramped quarters. It may involve editing down what you keep. You may need to add some shelving, hooks or towel racks.

Please remember that you are not alone. Aim 4 Order is here to help if you need it. We do not judge, we only help you free your life of excess clutter.