We use the space that is usually empty even in the smallest apartment: 
It is not easy to store many things in a small apartment. Especially if you love shopping. The limited space should be used to its fullest. If your belongings do not fit in the closet, hang an extra hanger in the corner to help organize the space more efficiently.
If you love to cook, it is very important that your favorite condiments and spices are always at hand. Use office organizer trays as a shelf. Well, if you take magnets, then such a shelf can be easily placed right on the refrigerator. Nothing will be lost for sure!
Storage space for pans
If there is not much space in your kitchen, then at least there are always walls there! It may seem unrealistic, but every centimeter of the wall can and should be used! For example, it is convenient to place hooks for pans and utensils that you often use. 
Jewelry stand
Limited space is a real torture for women who love accessories. Use a chalkboard and your jewelry will always be in order. Convenient hooks and pins will help you to neatly place earrings, bracelets and beads on the board. 
Storage space for detergents
Most of us store detergents and cleaning products under the sink. This often leads to confusion and the inability to find anything in the piles. Place a bar between the sides of the cabinet and hang spray bottles on it. 
Hanging shelves
The bathroom usually has the highest demands. But very often they are made too small in size. If you need more space, place shelves on the walls: they will provide additional level space, and will not need to take up floor space. 
Towel holder
The towel is an important bathroom item that takes up too much space. Instead of storing them away in a closet, use a wine rack: roll towels and place them in place of wine bottles. 
Pantry organizer
Most conveniently packaged food is very inconvenient to store. For convenience, use a shoe organizer in the closet. It can perfectly store juice packages, spices and other packaged products. 
Additional bar in the bathroom
The crossbar is usually used to place the curtain on it. Place the second next to it, and it will be very convenient to hang brushes, washcloths and various little things from it. 
Fuse for car door
One of the big problems with small garages in a home is the lack of space to open the car door. As a result, the wall is damaged and the door is scratched. To avoid this, attach a lengthwise cut foam roller to the wall. Both the car door and the garage wall will be safe. 
Ecology of life. Interior design: When organizing the space of a small apartment, we strive to optimize it as much as possible and expand it in every possible way small space... But those nuances that are applicable for modest areas can be used with benefit in any interior - from a cramped dormitory to a spacious home.
When organizing the space of a small apartment, we strive to optimize it as much as possible and expand the small space in every possible way. But those nuances that are applicable for modest areas can be used with benefit in any interior - from a cramped dormitory to a spacious home.
1. Hide the pantry in the most visible place
If the storage room is sorely lacking in space, it doesn't matter. It can be built from a practical rack. Equip it with everything you need - from shelves where you can place books or objects, to spacious baskets where things or even groceries feel cozy. Dishes on open shelves will be able to fulfill the function of additional decor.
2. Expand the boundaries upward, not in width
Decorating a room with paintings or simply hanging shelves and placing furniture, the space above should be fully utilized. This approach, in addition to saving space, makes you move your gaze upward, which allows the interior to visually appear more spacious.
For book lovers who are limited by their living space, American designer Lauren Lees suggests adding extra storage space with very tall shelves. Another thoughtful step is not to use cabinets as such, but to stack books in small piles.
3. Space under the stairs - why not use it too
Usually in a small apartment there is no staircase, but if it is still present in the interior, then it is worth considering the grandiose possibilities for storing things that this part of the house implies. Chicago-based architect Tom Stringer harmoniously arranges recessed drawers under clients' staircases. In addition to this approach, there are various other options to occupy the empty space under the stairs.
4. Curtains close to the ceiling
“Approximately 5 cm left between the cornice and the ceiling will allow you to achieve desired result"Says designer Allen Brett. The secret to the success of visually high ceilings lies precisely in this lightweight approach. The curtain rod is attached as close to the ceiling as possible. It is worth making sure that the cornice will extend at least 10 cm on each side of the window. The window now lets in a lot of light and appears wider thanks to the curtains hanging at a great distance.
5. Bring retro style into your home
Antique or retro items take up much less space than modern pieces of furniture. In addition, they add charm and a bright note to a humble home. For example, the Smeg refrigerator. This model in the style of the 50s is less than 60 cm wide, and modern technology of this kind will take up about a meter of space.
6. Universal functional furniture - worth buying.
A striking example of such a piece of furniture will be a modern bed, which is equipped with a variety of shelves. Its use increases the storage space in the bedroom.
7. Mirrors in every room - stylish and spacious
The technique of using mirrors to expand space has long been no secret. Designer Christopher Breining says: "Mirrors can brighten a space by scattering light throughout a room." But the place for the mirror should be chosen carefully, because this object can both help in expanding the space, and aggravate the situation if you hang it in wrong place... So, a mirror placed opposite the window will reflect all the light back, that is, onto the street. Reflect light, illuminate a room, fool the eye profitably - these are the main abilities large mirrors that are placed in the correct way. Little secret: the mirror panel in the kitchen, located behind the sink, can visually transform a modest space.
8. Use a neutral shade
Correctly chosen colors, shades and their combinations significantly help to visually expand the boundaries of the interior. You can use vibrant, saturated colors, such as a deep brown for your library, for an incredible sense of coziness. And yet, when a neutral scale prevails in a small space, this makes the image of the house more collective and holistic.
How to optimize the living space at home? How to fit all your belongings into a limited space? How to make things in the house not only take up less space, but also become more convenient to use them? This article is about it.
I have opened a wonderful new world microhomes. This is a completely different concept of approach to the construction and design of home space. But last time I went through with "wide strokes" and a little haphazardly. I would like to systematize, detail and concretize the principles that we will use when planning our home.
1. Vertical space
I already wrote that people are too used to thinking in planes. square meters... But why not add to the horizontal planes the vertical planes of the walls, as well as the horizontal planes of the ceilings or the lower planes of the shelves?
Almost all interior items can be hung up rather than put on. This is especially true for the kitchen - after all, so many small objects are concentrated in the kitchen. These items do not have to be smeared on the bottom of the kitchen drawers - this way you will not fill up any drawers. But almost any kitchen item can be hung on a hook or a special railing, of which there are a lot on sale, and they cost a penny. This primarily applies to the largest objects - pots and pans. On the same rails, you can hang glasses for storing spoons and forks. Special magnetic knife holders are also sold, which not only save space, but are also very convenient. Special hooks for hanging mugs will also save a few square decimeters.
But if you save big, then why not take the bed upstairs to the loft? As a rule, in micro-houses they place it above the kitchen, which lowers the level of the ceiling in it and allows you to use this plane for hanging everything and everyone. And why do we need haute cuisine? I'm sure the space above the cabinets just gathers dust and disappears. Actually, like the top shelves of kitchen cabinets. You cannot reach them, and therefore you keep there any rubbish that you practically do not use.
True, a bed in a loft is also a big enough compromise. Katya and I, but it was not very convenient to use them. Although, we did not bother to make a comfortable staircase, and this played a significant role. It is also worth mentioning that loft owners complain that it often gets stuffy upstairs at night. So you need to pay special attention to the organization of normal ventilation. And you don't have to make a bedroom upstairs - you can use the loft to store rarely used things.
You also need to understand: there are never enough shelves... They can and should be placed absolutely everywhere. Keep them small. But from a large number small shelves can get an additional square meter of space, or even two, or even more. If the house has a loft, then the shelves can be made, including between the bearing logs of this loft - there is always a trifle that can be shoved there. Especially if there is a kitchen under the loft. And if you store things not just on a shelf, but in a small basket or box (there are just a lot of them on sale, and it's easy to do it yourself) - then it will be very convenient.
2. Double use of furniture
A staircase is usually an object that takes up a huge amount of home space. I already wrote about this. Therefore, in all micro-houses, it is either attached, or there are shelves and storage boxes in the stairs.
A sofa can also serve a dual purpose. Its insides can either be used as additional storage, or thought so that it folds out into a bed for guests or even hosts. And you can manage to do both. In any micro-house they do not stand idle and stools-ottomans - they can also organize storage of little things.
Also a common solution is - pull-out or drop-down furniture... In the last article I have already given video of a house in which the bed is pulled out from under the study — perfect solution considering that the bed is about 3-4 square meters (including the space next to the bed to be approached).
There are scenarios where the same place can be used in different ways. The sofa can be just a sofa. And it can also become a workplace if next to it there is a retractable, or lowering, or rising table. It can be as basic workplace, and additional. It is possible to provide a number of shelves on which, when the table is folded, the items necessary for work will be located - a computer, stationery, etc.
Another trick used by some microhomes is related to doors. More often all doors are made not hinged, but retractable- this is how space is saved. Sometimes curtains are used instead of doors- it is much cheaper and sometimes even more convenient. By the way, pockets are often made in the curtains for storing little things... Sometimes you can observe a picture that the lower kitchen cabinets of micro-houses are closed not by doors, but by curtains with pockets in which, for example, vegetables are stored. It seems to me that this not only saves space, but also quite convenient! Following the same principle, sometimes they make shelves right on the sliding doors, especially if the door separates the kitchen and the bathroom. Or the door closes the shelves in the kitchen, and when it slides, it closes the bathroom.
3. Optimization ideas
Of course, the first thing to optimize is yourself... You can easily say goodbye to most of the trash which you keep as Gogol's Plyushkin - just in case. You can start with the same kitchen. Practice has shown that Katya and I need four flat and four deep plates to provide dishes for both ourselves and our guests. So having more is wasting valuable space. The same applies to our kitchen utensils - its minimum so we don't need a lot of space to store everything. By the way, a small amount of dishes makes you wash it more often, and I think this is more of a plus than a minus - there is no constant pile of dishes in the sink.
Also you can say goodbye to most of the clothes, especially old and worn out... How many times have I seen a picture that old jackets (or pants) are kept in case they are needed as "combat" (for example, to go to nature, so that it is not new clothes spoil). Moreover, 2-3 jackets are stored at once. And this despite the fact that the house has a specially purchased jacket for nature. What to do? Right, throw away or hand over to collection points for clothing for those in need.
I have already said that any corner of the house can be optimized with shelves. But you can also use some hanging baskets or pockets... In the hallway, they can store keys, a dog leash, a flashlight and other little things; in the working corner - pens, pencils, rulers and other office supplies; in the workshop - tools, etc.
Hardware and hardware stores are now full of similar solutions. But you can also find there and other useful things for optimization like drawer dividers... By inserting such a divider into a drawer of a bedside table or chest of drawers, you can get many small compartments - it will be easier to find the necessary items, and it will be even easier to fill the space vertically so that it does not disappear. Go shopping and a ton of ideas will come to your mind.
From theory to practice!
Perhaps I wrote in a messy, abstract and incomprehensible way. If you don't understand, take a look and watch all the videos that I mentioned in it. Most of the ideas and solutions I got from there.
But I also found a video that shows the implementation of almost all of the tips I mentioned. It's called 21 Space Saving Tips. The video, like all videos about microhomes, is in English. But even if you do not understand it, after reading the above, everything will be clear to you. But just in case, I'll list the tips mentioned in this video below, with my comments.
- Get a little girlfriend.
- A table that, when folded, serves as a chalk board.
- Hanging things on walls and ceilings.
- Loft for storing things.
- You can store stools or things under the sofa. These stools can be used to turn a sofa into a bed or add a row of seating around the table.
- Hanging baskets for small items in the hallway. The heroes of the video have a flashlight, a dog leash and the like there.
- Ladder with compartments and storage boxes.
- Magnetic holder for knives and spice jars.
- Pockets on the curtains of the lower kitchen cabinets for storing vegetables and kitchen utensils.
- Wall pockets for growing herbs as seasoning or tea.
- Removable disposable towel holder - you can take it with you if you are going to the bathroom with serious intentions.
- Sink grate - increases the kitchen workspace and makes it easier to wash vegetables.
- Heat-resistant serving mats - you can not only put dishes on them during meals, but also put a hot pot or frying pan.
- Curtains instead of doors - not only save space, but also significantly cheaper.
- Internal curtains on windows that are inserted into the window opening, rather than hanging from the outside. You can make both curtains and blinds.
- A folding double-sided mirror in the bathroom, which can be used by two at the same time, or separately both in the shower (say, for a haircut so that hair does not fall on the floor, but in the shower), and outside (say, for shaving the male half of the family or for pointing "War paint" female half).
- Swivel hangers in the bathroom - can be used as both towel racks and dryers.
- A shower curtain that extends beyond the tray provides more room for shoulders and arms, which significantly increases the convenience and spaciousness of the shower. An interesting tip: if you attach several magnets to the curtain, and make a strip of metal on the wall (in this case the walls are entirely metal) - then using the shower will become even more convenient.
- Storage over places that you obviously won't be standing over, such as a toilet. More small shelves and storage baskets. Tip: Clothes can be stored rolled up and upright. So it can fit more.
- If you don't have a lot of clothes to wash, you don't need to have bulky and expensive ones. washing machine... You can also do with a special washing bag - it is more convenient and saves water. Larger items like sheets can be washed in shower tray... Tip: wear clothes made from natural materials (for example, from flax) - they will last much longer and can be washed without powders and other chemicals by ordinary boiling.
- The thinner the mattress, the greater the height of the loft!
By the way, I re-read my long-standing articles "The ideal size of a house" (
A fully comfortable environment in the house directly depends on the properly thought out organization of the space. At home, everyone is looking for a calm, relaxed atmosphere. And nothing in the interior should be irritating or stressful.
Organization of space
To make your apartment look like this, try to optimize its space as much as possible.
Look at your apartment as a stage. As a director, you need to define a location for each action.
Remember the habits, lifestyle, hobbies of all family members. Think about who and where it will be more convenient to go about your business, how often you get together, where it happens. An important point- how often do you host parties and what kind of parties they are - quiet dinners for several people or fun parties with a couple of dozen guests. You need to decide for yourself where the public zone ends and the private part begins. It may well turn out that the traditional division of home space into a kitchen, living room and bedroom does not suit you.
Try to evaluate the space of the house as a whole, without dividing it into rooms. Consider several optimization options to fit your needs. And depending on this, you can decide on the placement of furniture and things in your apartment.
Storage of things. Where to begin
A well-thought-out storage system relieves stress, saves time, and makes the room more free.
Think about how often things are used and how they are prioritized. Based on this, you can already determine their reach in your storage system. Things like silverware or crystal dinnerware are not needed every day, or even every month. Therefore, they should be removed further away.
Set up a separate area for out-of-season clothes and shoes. Take them away too. This will simplify daily access to seasonal items and save you time when getting ready for work in the morning, for example.
In every home there are things that you want to flaunt, and things that need to be hidden from prying eyes. Think about what and how much you are opening up for everyone's attention. Do not forget about the specifics of Russian conditions. Dust accumulates in our premises very quickly. And how quickly you get tired of wiping it off your favorite figurines, and even more so books. Maybe you should hide the vast and valuable library in glass cabinets?
Organization of storage space
When choosing furniture and, in general, containers for placing things, always start with the largest item, for example, a wardrobe. Even if at first it will be partially empty. Free space in closets tends to fill up quickly. In organizing storage, it is always worth thinking ahead for several years and allocating space with a significant margin.
You can make better use of space in your apartment if you build tall cabinets to the ceiling. There is always something to clean on the mezzanine.
When calculating the height of the cabinet, the ceiling structure must be taken into account. There are nuances.
In the case of a stretch or hemmed plasterboard ceiling for the built-in wardrobe, it is necessary to lay an additional beam. This is necessary to strengthen the structure. There are several ways to address this issue. In each individual case, it is worth consulting with specialists before starting the installation of ceilings. And, of course, know in advance the place intended for the cabinet and the dimensions of the cabinet itself.
If it is not necessary to raise the cabinet directly to the ceiling, then stretch ceiling space must be left from the cabinet to the ceiling. Cabinet manufacturers ceiling installers call numbers in the range from 15 to 30 cm. It is necessary for installers to access the ceiling mount emergency cases, and cabinet builders to assemble the cabinet without the risk of damaging the ceiling
Having decided on the main storage space, you can safely take on smaller pieces of furniture. A large cabinet is best done to match the walls so that it blends in with them and does not create visual clutter. And next to it, you can put a spectacular chest of drawers or a bookcase for little things that would attract attention and, in contrast, distract the eye from a large cabinet.
Visual space clearing techniques
It is convenient to place shallow cabinets along the walls. They take up little space and will accommodate a lot of all sorts of little things. And it's worth hanging them up. Then you get the impression that they are hovering above the floor. With the help of such a simple technique, you will visually increase the area of the room.
All cabinets and shelves hanging at eye level visually take up more space - they often catch your eye. Pull them down or up from eye level and the room appears larger.
Glass is often used as a visual device to increase the area. Transparent shelves and tables seem to open up the space. But consider caring for them. Fingerprints and dust are best visible on the glass (this is a problem with all glossy surfaces). To make glass furniture look spectacular, it will take more effort in caring for it. Are you always ready to keep it in good condition? Alternatively, you should abandon glass in favor of materials that are easier to maintain.
Most interesting ideas on optimizing your kitchen space in this article. More than 90 photos and detailed description 25 ideas!
Today we will look at 25 original ideas for the kitchen to help you optimize your kitchen space. If the kitchen is still under development, then you have the opportunity to play with the arrangement of furniture and appliances. And on this topic, our first non-standard solutions.
Idea 1. Logic of furniture arrangement
Let's remember how food is usually cooked. First, we go to the refrigerator and get food. Some of them require washing and cleaning, which means that the countertop and sink should follow the refrigerator. After the sink, it is logical to place a work surface for slicing and other processes for preparing food. At the end, semi-finished products go for heat treatment, that is, on the stove, in the oven or in another household appliances, which should logically stand at the end of the kitchen set.
Take a look at the diagram below. All pieces of furniture and appliances are in accordance with the proposed above and, in our opinion, a convenient layout plan.
Idea 3. Built-in appliances
We need to think about this in advance and, if financial resources allow, put all the equipment into the “body” of the headset. The space savings are obvious.
Alternatively, use the "apron" space to create shelves.
Idea 5. Open shelves are better than closed ones
Do not be afraid to deviate from templates and install metal shelving systems instead of standard cabinets or wooden shelves.
Idea 6. Arrangement of pantry
Cabinets, shelves, shelves ... If space permits, combine all these elements and entrust the storage of utensils and products to one room. Create a small pantry in the kitchen space. And you no longer need to pile a system of cabinets and shelves above the work surface.
Move everything that does not require constant use to the pantry. Not sure if there will always be order? Make the room closed.
You can close the pantry not only with classic doors, but also using sliding doors.
Do you like open spaces and have the strength to keep order? Then let your pantry be open to the public.
Idea 7. Furniture-transformer
A hot topic for small rooms. There may be several variations in this case. How do you like the folding table option?
Or maybe you are interested in a variation with a built-in kitchen set and seats?
An additional work surface in the form of a roll-out table is also an interesting alternative to maintain space in the kitchen space.
Folding chairs, which can be easily stored here in the kitchen by hanging on a hook, will be good helpers in optimizing space, as well as when cleaning the kitchen floor.
Idea 8. Large windowsill
If in your small kitchen wide window sill, then why not, thereby saving space and money.
Idea 9. Storage near the place of use
And now for the important idea that underlies everyone else - keep all the necessary things close at hand. This avoids the need to rush around the kitchen looking for the item you want.
Agree when pots and pans are stored next to the stove, and bottles with vegetable oil and spices, cooking will be much more comfortable.
Also with all other utensils. Detergents and towels - near the sink, frequently used products - next to the work surface, ladles, shovels - again next to the stove. Forks can be hidden in the dining table with a secret.
Idea 10. Drawers in the headset
In the matter of optimizing the kitchen space, the second place after the competent arrangement of furniture is the equipping of the kitchen set. It is he who bears the main load on the storage of dishes. Want to optimize your space as much as possible? Be puzzled internal arrangement headset cabinets with pull-out systems.
It will be more expensive than just having a cabinet with one shelf, but the effect and pleasure of such a system will pay off with interest.
Idea 11. Options for storing dishes
Once again, we will speak out in favor of drawers and share tips for storing dishes. For plates, drawers with different ways separating and securing stacks of dishes. A couple of ideas below.
Pots, ladles, colanders can be stored in these sliding systems with wooden pallets:
It is convenient to store the frying pans in special retractable metal structures.
Baking dishes, if you have a lot of them, you can give a whole box.
Baking trays, boards and a couple of lightweight shapes can also be hidden in a vertical pull-out cabinet.
Idea 12. Corner storage systems
If you have a corner kitchen, then it will be useful to provide all the space in the corner with special storage systems. Usually it is convenient to store large dishes (pots, pans, etc.) there.
Corner systems can be of the common carousel type.
A more expensive type of corner storage system is a pull-out, which makes it as easy as possible to access your dishes.
It is possible to provide a headset and other furniture device in the corner, for example, narrow boxes for storing working kitchen tools.
Idea 13. Pull-out vertical cabinets
These cabinets can be placed in any narrow kitchen space. Highly effective method storage. It takes up little space, but takes a lot of objects and products for itself, or more precisely, takes a lot.
Idea 14. Sliding cutting boards
Convenient to store, convenient to use, and space-saving, as they say, on the face.
Idea 15. Litter-bins and solutions with them
Let's start with the retractable option. What is he better than that where the trash can is just outside the door? We answer: the retractable is easier to control, you do not need to bend over to it under the tabletop, since it rolls out right under your hand.
It can be made easier, but also effective. Purchase an urn with a special mount and a lever. When you open the door, an urn appears from the cabinet, and the lever automatically opens its lid.
With the same success, you can use another version of the hinged trash can, which is attached to the inside of the door.
Idea 16. Built-in bread bins
The breadbox that we meet in our kitchens most often is a table box that takes up a lot of usable space. So why not move your bread storage to the worktop cache?
You can make it easier and find a place for bread in drawer kitchen set.
Idea 17. Built-in tool storage systems
If we are talking about storing all kinds of openers, corkscrews or special knives, then this can be arranged using a special folding panel, where each tool will find its place in a personal "nest".
A similar panel can be made for storing knives.
If your kitchen set is no longer subject to drastic changes, purchase for knives wall option magnetic holder.
Spatulas, ladles, whisks can be placed on the rails or right at hand in the drawer.
Idea 18. Using roof rails
Roof rails are a convenient storage system for the most frequently used items during cooking. They are located in the zone of the kitchen "apron", they allow you to place any items on them - from spices and bottles of oil, to spatulas, towels and dishes.
Idea 19. Walls and their uses
"Houses and walls help." Have you heard this expression? A versatile formula that works for the kitchen space too. Place a perforated toolbar on a free wall or part of it and hang all kitchen items on it. The budget way of storing household utensils is ready.
The second option for using a wall is to combine different elements of racking and roof railing systems. A pair of metal shelves, a pair of roof rails and one or two magnetic holder- and the necessary items have found their place.
Idea 20. A ceiling to help you
It is about using the airspace of the kitchen for the benefit of its owners. How? With a hanging system for hanging pans and various kitchen utensils.
By the way, the top of the grill is a very convenient place to store items that you do not use often.
Idea 21. More shelves among shelves
When you add an extra shelf to a space, you double the usable storage area! Add metal shelves with fasteners or freestanding grilles and another dose of the essentials will find their way optimal place on the kitchen.
