Organize a Small Space- Part 1

My husband and I have decided to downsize in order to save money and allow me to continue to stay home with our son.  The problem? We are going from a large, three-floor condo with a garage to a smaller, two-bedroom apartment, and we have acquired a lot of.... stuff.... in our large place.  We have already done a yard sale, and plan to put some things into storage, but I realized that I need to re approach how I organize our living space in order to not be overrun by toys and overwhelmed with cleaning.  I have been finding ways to help the transition before the move, and I thought I'd share my new tips with you!

Problem One: The Bookshelf

Between the three of us, we have a lot of books!  My husband and I have filled two large bookshelves in our den area with our collection, and our son has a small, three shelf one in his room.  However, the large bookshelves belong to the condo.  Most of the books will go into storage, but we would like to keep some of ours at hand.  So, in other words, we will use the small shelf for our adult books, but we needed to find another place for our son's books, puzzles, and craft supplies.

The solution

His toys were kept in black, milk crates.  I emptied them out (more on that later) and stacked them in his room.  I then sorted through his books; any books that would not be read until he is older were put into storage, as well as seasonal and holiday books.  With the remaining pile, I organized them in their new home!

The stack is masculine and cute, as well as a major space saver! Another plus? When we're ready to move the books are already packed!  But what about the third shelf with the craft supplies and puzzles?

 I rearranged my son's dresser.  I packed away clothes that were too big and too small, and put away clothes that were out of season, and voila! An available drawer! All of his supplies and puzzles are now neatly tucked away.  That box on the right holds all of the puzzle pieces to avoid losing any.



Problem Two: The Toys

Now, what to do with the pile of toys in my living area?

I looked around, and found two large bins in the garage that I had completely forgotten about!  My mom had bought diapers in bulk with a coupon, and they came in these big bins!  One holds his small toys, and the other has his larger toys.  They're stackable, and again- the toys are already "packed."

His soft toys are kept in these cloth bins. They're small, and won't take up much room in the new place.  I think they'll even fit underneath his bed!

Other: the top drawer

The top drawer of his dresser is where I keep his diapers, wipes, and accessories. (The middle drawer and closet has his clothes).

Between him taking off while I reach for a new diaper, and the wipes container being left on the floor, I wanted to find something with easy access that didn't take up much room.

I found this basket in our storage, and decided to use it in his room! It has diapers and wipes, and sits nicely on top of his dresser!

I hope you enjoyed part one!  Keep an eye out for part two!

xo SC