Tidying up and minimalism have become the craze nowadays. It can make all of us take a look at our home and ask, “Does this item bring me joy?” For most of us, the answer is “Yes, or I would not have bought it to begin with.”
If you’ve determined that all the remaining items in your house have made their home and are not leaving, then you likely struggle with knowing how to store them in the most organized fashion. Staying organized is hard on the best of days, from uncluttering your finances to managing toys when you have children, work, or a disability to balance – it can often feel impossible.
While it’s a challenge, getting organized will simplify your life in profound ways — you just have to push through! Look no further for the answers to your problems with limited space.
This article will discuss creative and budget-friendly ways to organize items in a small home!
If you’re just starting your budget or looking for a simple printable, check out this post here. Or if you’re looking for a customizable budget, read here.
There are affiliate links in this post. This means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I might receive a commission at no additional cost to you.
This post was originally posted in Feb 2019 and was recently updated in January 2025.
4 Simple Storage Ideas for Small Spaces on a Budget
Tackle the Closet
If you are short on space and have closets, start your organizing journey there.
Make the most out of your closets and all the space they offer. Don’t settle for one rail or one shelf. Instead, go for sturdy closet organization systems that will maximize your space from top to bottom, with the added benefit of being customizable to your needs.
If you need to purchase any organizing tools for your closet or any other rooms, keep your eyes peeled accessible closet that puts everything you need right at your fingertips.
(If you buy from Walmart, make sure to sign-up for Rakuten first. It will automatically look for coupons for you and give you cashback for making purchases you already make!) If you use my link, you also get $30 cashback for signing up (as do I!) win-win!
If your closet is just a tad too small or tight to fit in a full organization system, tackle your space by tweaking your current situation.
Plastic hangers are a tad bulky and seem to multiply the space your clothes take up. Felt hangers are a wonderful solution since they are slimmer and inexpensive — not to mention sleek — and they will prevent your clothes from slipping off and ending up in a ball on the floor.
In order to reduce the clutter on your floors and avoid bulky shoe boxes, use shoe racks to keep your shoes clean, orderly, and easy to find.
There are lots of different options available on Amazon Prime for under $25 normally. I probably wouldn’t spend much more than that. You can view the ones that are 4 star ratings and up here.
Also, don’t let your storage space go to waste; use the closet doors to hang scarves, shoes, and bags.
If all of this just seems like too much and the chaos is overwhelming, I recommend checking out the Organizing Home Course from Pulling Curls. If you want to try it there’s a 30-day money back guarantee. You can also save 10% with the code simplymom10.
Divide and Conquer Drawers
Clothes that are kept inside a chest of drawers can become balled up, and looking for matching socks — or that T-shirt you envision for a particular outfit — can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Dividers (often for less than $15) inserted into your drawers can help to organize your delicates and socks. By folding your clothes into standable, fillable squares and organizing them into lines, you can conserve space and see what you have at a quick glance. A chest of drawers can be particularly useful in storing clothes and smaller items if used efficiently.
See top rated clothes dividers on Amazon.
However, don’t stop in your bedroom.
All the drawers in your home can use some organizing and decluttering. We all have that junk drawer that can barely close, filled with scissors, rubber bands, pens, and who knows what else.
Now is the time to tame that drawer that seems to multiply with stuff. You can either use pre-made multi-section inserts or make your own out of cardboard boxes.
Arranging your drawers will not only make it easier to find what you’re looking for, but it will also save you the time and energy of having to search for what you need.
Utilize Vertical Space
Small spaces look cluttered and limited when filled with too much stuff. With that being said, use the vertical spaces to store the items you can’t live without in an easy-to-reach place.
A free way to maximize the use of your space is to store items under the bed. If you want to store bedding, shoes, gift wrap, or other items under your bed, purchase flat boxes or rolling crates that have handles on the sides; these products are typically less than $25.Vertical storage also means using your w
all space wisely. Adding shelving to your walls to store keepsakes, books, and pictures will not only provide creative organization, but it can also be used as decoration to add flair to any room.
If you use a mobility aid in the home (i.e., wheelchair, scooter), keep all your items within reach when using vertical storage.
Cabinets
A door on a space gives us the illusion that everything is organized because we can’t see the chaos that lies beyond the barrier.
If opening your cabinets brings you feelings of dread, and if they’re not working to simplify your life, it’s time to create some order.
Start by taking everything out of the cabinets. Purge items you don’t need or will not use and combine similar items into groups. If you have mobility limitations, put items that you use daily in a reachable space and don’t overfill the cabinets so that it becomes disorganized again.
Once you start putting things back, store each category of similar items together, and use baskets and boxes to sort items and make them easier to see and grab. Doesn’t rose gold just make you happy?
For items that are out of reach or hidden in a bin, use labels, which will make it easier to identify what you have just by a glance. Labels are super easy to make with a hand-held label maker.
A benefit of organized cabinets in the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room is that you will save money by avoiding waste and prevent buying what you already own.
Just like with your closets, use every inch through pull-out drawers, handling hooks or corkboard on cabinet doors, rods, and stackable boxes.
You don’t have to break the bank to create a tidy home, and there are plenty of methods to use that will accommodate people with disabilities. You can use bins, boxes, and spaces you already have.
If you need to purchase things such as baskets, rods, boxes, or dividers, you can do so at a low cost and use coupons and cashback opportunities for additional savings.
For example, if you sign up for Rakuten and start using it to get free cash back on purchases you already make, you get $30, and I get $30 to start us off! It’s an app on your browser and all you do it tell it when to activate. Shutterfly, Walmart, and Walgreens are all places that I get cashback from and there are a ton of other websites too. It’s pretty much a no brainer, so sign-up here!
Don’t stop with one space; make it a goal to conquer every inch of your home over time — starting with closets, drawers, vertical spaces, and cabinets.
An organized external life will help to make your days easier and less stressful, and it will ultimately benefit the whole family.