Even if you don’t live in a “tiny home”, some living spaces just...aren’t as big as others. And while you may love living in a small space, or simply like to make the most of what little room you have, it can be a little tricky to balance the size of your space with the amount of stuff you need to keep in there (even if you’re not exactly a collector)! There’s a ton of ideas out there for organizing small spaces, but we’ve decided to look outwards for some inspiration lately - and to the small apartments of Paris! France, and Paris in particular, have long favored smaller apartment designs due to the amount of people they’ve had to fit into their more populated areas. As a result, people living in these apartments have come up with a lot of creative ideas for organizing and making the most of their small spaces, and we think a lot of these ideas could be pretty helpful for you!

Small Space Organization Tips

Start with the entryway Any organization project needs to start somewhere, and with smaller apartments, it may be a wise move to start with the very beginning of your house: the entryway! Setting up some small entryway storage right near the front door can actually save a lot of clutter further into the house. Even if your entryway is less of a traditional entryway and more of a ‘small spot where the front door is’, setting up some coat hooks and smaller storage solutions will give you a home for things like your coat, your hat, and the other stuff you don’t need taking up room further into your home. Think multi-functionally Smaller living spaces often need each room to do the job of two or three, so thinking outside the box will help you stay organized while maximizing your available space. For example, you could line one wall in your main living space with wooden wall shelves placed low enough to act as a desk/work area, while still providing shelves for storage. TV stands can become bookshelves or display cabinets if you don’t have a lot of DVDs or video games to keep under there. Even simply using a side table to divide rooms better can help create a more efficient use of space! Look in spaces that haven’t been used In any small living space, the floor is the first place to run out of room, followed by the walls. This means you’ll have to get a little creative! Over the door storage is a common fixture in small apartments both in France and around the world for storing bath towels, kitchen supplies, or even just a few books you don’t have the space for on your favorite table. Every corner of the kitchen Small living spaces don’t usually have a ton of room to spare in the kitchen, and Parisian kitchens have been no exception. Kitchen backsplashes with small wall shelves have become a popular way to store common spices and ingredients close at hand, as well as being a more decorative solution for what may be a room too small to decorate otherwise. Even if you have cabinets built into the wall, using the gaps between them for fresh produce and canned goods alike can help you store more than you expected, and stop you from constantly having to shop for groceries. (Unless you really like grocery shopping, of course.)