My Favorite Shelving for Maximizing Storage Space (and the Ones I Don’t Recommend)
The main principle of any good decluttering philosophy is that every item you don’t get rid of should have a designated place in your home. Depending on the size of your living space (and your personal preferences), this could be a problem. I’ve lived in several small apartments over the years and have found that shelving and bookcases work best for me, so I take a sort of “storage as decoration” approach: not everything fits in a closet or closet; some things just need to be displayed. Here are the shelving units I like and the ones I don’t recommend.
Cube storage is versatile.
The first type of shelf to consider is the humble cube storage unit. I have a four by two inch kitchen and two smaller units in the closet, and have had many other configurations over the years. They are most useful because the dividers inside the shelves allow you to be more organized. Instead of having one long shelf for, say, all your shirts, you can put long-sleeve shirts in one cube, short-sleeve shirts in another, sweaters in a third, etc., making organization much more efficient. You can also buy folding fabric boxes in different colors to keep your items out of sight and match the theme of your space.
A plastic bookshelf is a cheap and easy to maintain option.
Another item I really like is this simple plastic bookshelf. I have three: two tall, four-tier ones for seasonal clothing, and one smaller, two-tiered one that I use as an entertainment center: TV on top, consoles in the middle, and books on the bottom. What I love about them is that they come in a variety of colors, making outdoor storage more bearable. Just because you don’t have enough storage space doesn’t mean your solution has to be ugly, and it doesn’t mean you have to invest in something flashy. (If you’re using longer bookshelves, you can add several decorative baskets to keep items separated.)
A rolling cart can be a convenient alternative to traditional shelves.
Here’s an out-of-the-box option: I once bought a rolling printer cart from the free section of Craigslist, and although it was kind of ugly, it turned out to be extremely handy in the bathroom of my old apartment because it had three shelves that I could use for makeup and hair. . shower products and accessories , as well as an extension cord . In small spaces, there may be few outlets, so a mobile shelving unit that you can plug things into can be a real lifesaver. Bonus: Amazon sells much nicer things than what I had before.
Wire cubes are a bad idea
There is one shelf that I hate and that is the wire block . While it looked a little better than some of the other options I was considering at the time of purchase, it barely lasted a year. The whole thing is held together by small plastic disks, and the cube’s individual floors sag under too much weight, making it useless for real organization. I’ve actually had something sag, which eventually led to it collapsing and making a big mess (not to mention the horrendous noise when it fell apart). I once tried to strengthen it with twine; it did nothing but make him uglier. Avoid.
Other cool shelves to check out
While searching Amazon for units I already own and recommend, I found the following interesting options to add to my home—maybe they’ll suit your needs, too.
First, it’s a tower that places books (or records, or games) at different angles, giving it an edgy look and making the most of vertical space.
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This stylish five-tier unit features horizontal shelves ($75.99).
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This five-tier beauty features 20 side hooks for hanging items and folds completely flat for easy portability ($117.98).
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This large, structured unit features multiple shelves that overlap to create varying sizes of space within the frame ($149).