Think You’ve Maxed Out Storage at Home? Not So Fast.

We’re always looking for ways to sneak more storage out of small spaces, and as I was sitting in my office the other day, staring off into space instead of writing, I happened to notice that there was a surprising amount of room behind the door. By my …

We’re always looking for ways to sneak more storage out of small spaces, and as I was sitting in my office the other day, staring off into space instead of writing, I happened to notice that there was a surprising amount of room behind the door. By my best guess, there’s at least eight inches of perfectly good space between the door and the wall, and it could definitely fit a few narrow shelves or a thin bookcase, which would be prime for stashing office supplies, phone chargers… that sort of thing. Had I unlocked something revolutionary here?

Turns out, I’m not the first person to think of using the space behind doors for storage. “Behind-the-door storage is a creative way to take advantage of every square inch possible,” says Louisa Roberts, professional organizer and owner of Neat Method NYC. “If you're lacking shelf, drawer, or closet space, an over-the-door organizer can be a clever way to instantly add storage. These storage solutions are also so easy to install and relatively affordable.”

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8 Kitchen Shelf Ideas to Maximize Every Inch of Space

It doesn’t matter whether your kitchen is especially expansive or incredibly tiny—every cooking space has room for shelving. In fact, the more cramped your kitchen, the more important it is that you’re able to access all of your key dining essentials a…

It doesn’t matter whether your kitchen is especially expansive or incredibly tiny—every cooking space has room for shelving. In fact, the more cramped your kitchen, the more important it is that you’re able to access all of your key dining essentials and ingredients without having to search high and low every time you’re about to prep a meal. But we also understand that determining where to install (and how to style) kitchen shelves can pose a bit of a conundrum, which is why we’ve rounded up nine delightful setups that are sure to inspire you. No matter your style or kitchen size, you can learn a thing or two from each of the below arrangements.


1. Next-to-Stove Shelves

The Most Underrated Piece of Furniture in My Home

Inspired by the questions/comments on/reactions to my recent piece about swapping outdoor shoes for indoor slippers, I’ve decided to use this space to clarify something: I have a shoe bench by the door so guests who are able to and want to take off the…

Inspired by the questions/comments on/reactions to my recent piece about swapping outdoor shoes for indoor slippers, I’ve decided to use this space to clarify something: I have a shoe bench by the door so guests who are able to and want to take off their shoes can do so more easily. For guests who can’t or don’t want to, a hardy mat is on standby to catch any debris and soak up any water or snow. Sorry to break it to ya, but I’m not some kind of monster who makes family and friends choose between wearing slippers, going barefoot, or leaving.

Now that we’ve cleared that up, back to the shoe bench. I’ve had one from SimpleHouseware (that also makes this genius organizer one of our contributors uses around her apartment) for almost three years now and it’s the most underrated piece of furniture in my house. While most shoe benches just look like regular benches with a hard seat and unused space underneath, this one has a cushion on top for comfort and a two-tiered shoe rack underneath for extra storage. I know it sounds simple and obvious, and you’d assume every shoe bench was designed with these features in mind, but surprise—they’re not. And for someone like me whose older parents and grandparents visit often, these features have become increasingly important.

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11 Small-Space Ideas I Stole From Organizing Pros

No Space Too Small is a brand new column by Laura Fenton that celebrates the idea that you can live well in a small home. Each month, Laura will share her practical findings from years of observing how people live in tight spaces, and her own everyday …

No Space Too Small is a brand new column by Laura Fenton that celebrates the idea that you can live well in a small home. Each month, Laura will share her practical findings from years of observing how people live in tight spaces, and her own everyday experiences of living small—from the hunt for the perfect tiny desk and managing everyday clutter to how to smooth the frustrations out of cooking in a galley kitchen.


I live in a small space by choice. My 690-square-foot apartment is not tiny, but it is relatively small for a family of three. (The median house size in America is about 1650 square feet, and the average size of new houses exceeds 2,000 square feet.) I chose to live small so we could stay in New York City and not go broke.

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An Expert Guide to Organizing Your Kitchen Cabinets

This post contains products independently chosen (and loved) by our editors and writers. Food52 earns an affiliate commission on qualifying purchases of the products we link to.

For many of us, our kitchens are like big (or small), warm blankets tha…

This post contains products independently chosen (and loved) by our editors and writers. Food52 earns an affiliate commission on qualifying purchases of the products we link to.


For many of us, our kitchens are like big (or small), warm blankets that wrap their stainless-steel/cast-iron/wooden arms around us and give us a safe space to fail at making sourdough starters and other cooking experiments. We're constantly adding new gadgets and tools like air fryers, loaf pans, and pizza stones, and of course, there's the excitement of an overhaul when you move and have an empty kitchens to start anew.

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12 Inventive Ideas for Your Most Organized Laundry Room Yet

This post contains products independently chosen (and loved) by our editors and writers. Food52 earns an affiliate commission on qualifying purchases of the products we link to.

I wouldn’t count my laundry room as one of my favorite spaces. It’s sma…

This post contains products independently chosen (and loved) by our editors and writers. Food52 earns an affiliate commission on qualifying purchases of the products we link to.


I wouldn’t count my laundry room as one of my favorite spaces. It’s small, cluttered, and—more often than not—a mess. In general, I tend to just close the door and pretend it’s not there until I have to do laundry, so I’m always surprised to see people who love their laundry rooms enough to not only leave the door open, but actually post photos of the space on social media.

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Want to Be a Minimalist? Here’s What No One Tells You.

Simply Living is a new column by Christine Platt, aka the Afrominimalist. Each month, Christine shares her refreshing approach to living with less, with clever tips for decluttering, making eco-friendly swaps, and creating a more mindful living space t…

Simply Living is a new column by Christine Platt, aka the Afrominimalist. Each month, Christine shares her refreshing approach to living with less, with clever tips for decluttering, making eco-friendly swaps, and creating a more mindful living space that's all you.


I remember the day I began my journey towards minimalism. I had considered the lifestyle for quite a while—each time I had the nagging feeling that I owned too much stuff. To prepare myself, I’d look for inspiration online, and although I was mesmerized by the beautiful, serene spaces I was seeing, I had real concerns about how I’d whittle down my belongings to a hundred items or less. Still, one day in June 2016, I decided the time had come for me to do more than just acknowledge my overconsumption, and actually do something about it.

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10 Smart-Home Products to Improve Your Life—Not Complicate It

Let’s face it: technology malfunctions. Isn’t always when you’ve got to snap a photo that your phone simply doesn’t to work? Or when you’re really jamming out to a song and your car’s Bluetooth connection loses the will to live?

Yep, it’s frustrating,…

Let’s face it: technology malfunctions. Isn’t always when you’ve got to snap a photo that your phone simply doesn't to work? Or when you’re really jamming out to a song and your car’s Bluetooth connection loses the will to live?

Yep, it’s frustrating, and I’m the first to admit that adding more tech in your life means adding more troubleshooting. However (and this is a big however), there are some products that truly do ease certain parts of your life, instead of bringing more stress to them. Here are some of our most tried-and-true smart home devices that have never failed us.

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The Chrissy Teigen-Approved Method to Organize Your Fridge

There are countless ways to organize your fridge. On this site alone, we’ve suggested bins and baskets and plastic tubs for storing greens. I’ve spent many a moment lamenting the calamity that is my cluttered icebox, wondering if there was some method …

There are countless ways to organize your fridge. On this site alone, we’ve suggested bins and baskets and plastic tubs for storing greens. I’ve spent many a moment lamenting the calamity that is my cluttered icebox, wondering if there was some method to escape all the madness. A clean and tidy fridge is close to godliness… isn’t that how the saying goes?

Well, perhaps this Chrissy Teigen video can offer some advice. A few weeks ago, she partnered with organizing expert Krystal Guinn (who she met on Instagram) to make an informational video about fridge organization. The video, uploaded to Teigen’s YouTube channel, clocks in at just over four minutes and offers a foolproof, easy-to-follow method to fill your fridge in a way that makes sense.

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Single Use Plastic-Free Alternatives for the Home

Easy ways to reduce single use plastic in the home and go plastic free. These are quick, affordable ideas that can even save you money! And while these simple changes may seem small, they make a big impact when we all participate together to keep our p…

Easy ways to reduce single use plastic in the home and go plastic free. These are quick, affordable ideas that can even save you money! And while these simple changes may seem small, they make a big impact when we all participate together to keep our planet clean. The challenge to stop using plastic can […]

The post Single Use Plastic-Free Alternatives for the Home appeared first on Sugar and Charm.