Kitchen Storage Solutions

I could use suggestions on creative and inexpensive storage ideas for living in a very small apartment. By storage I mean places or ways to store the basics of clothing, kitchen items, and bathrooms items so they are organized and easy to get to. 
-Alice

Hi again, Alice. This post is in response to your inquiry on kitchen storage. I'm not sure what you're trying to store, how many cabinets and drawers you have, or how much wall space there is, so I'll offer generalized solutions that I hope you'll find applicable and helpful.

1) Pegboards or gridwall panels

image source

image source

The first inexpensive remedy that came to mind is a pegboard, a la Julia Child. It's an industrial/utilitarian look, but when painted it can look playful and add a dramatic accent to your space. You can hang almost anything from it: pans, measuring cups, utensils, even a rolling pin in Julia's case! In the bottom left picture, Grace Bonney of DesignSponge painted the pegboard to match her favorite pot and bring color into her kitchen. On the right, she brings even more color into her kitchen by painting both the pegboard and wall a bright coral. 

Home Depot sells metal pegboards in different colors. Here's a tutorial on how to install one safely. 

image source

Gridwall panels are often used in retail displays, but they're also an economical way to store kitchen supplies. Here's a retailer that sells panels in many sizes and finishes and wall-mounting brackets. The Container Store also offers panels. 

More ideas after the jump.

Inexpensive Clothing Storage Solutions

I could use suggestions on creative and inexpensive storage ideas for living in a very small apartment. By storage I mean places or ways to store the basics of clothing, kitchen items, and bathrooms items so they are organized and easy to get to. 
-Alice

Hi Alice! Storage space was a pertinent need for my past clients, and I'm also suffering from too few closets and pantry space. I'm going to break my response up into 3 posts, since I have a lot of information to offer. This post is in response to clothing storage.

1) Off-site storage and editing your wardrobe

My partner and I downsized from a 2 bed/2 bath to a tiny 12' x 15' studio, and it was cheaper to rent a storage unit for $40/month than to upgrade our square footage. This is a good option if you seriously lack the space to accommodate your items, you have some extra cash, and you have your own vehicle or access to one. You could store your off-season clothing which would free up a lot of space. If you've also been hanging onto clothes you don't wear often, but you can't bear parting with them, store them for a couple of months. After that period, go through the clothes and separate the ones you will definitely wear into a "keep" pile and take those home. Then put the ones you're still not sure of keeping into a "maybe" pile, re-box and store them, and donate the rest. Repeat this process until you can confidently divide clothes into "keep" and "donate" piles. You might find that you won't need a storage unit anymore, too!

I used to keep around lots of "if I just lose 5 lbs" clothing, but I found that I never lost the weight, and they were a glum reminder of that. They also took up too much space, so I didn't have room for the clothes I actually felt and looked good in. After donating these items, I haven't really thought of them since. Purging them was great for my mental health.

As far as in-house storage options go for clothing, you have a lot. There are more ideas after the jump.