How about we save space by getting rid of all these CD and DVD boxes, already?

Your DVDs are just as secure, but much easier to store, in one of those organizer binders. You can burn your CDs to your hard drive -- and/or a portable backup drive -- and either sell or store them in the attic...in one of those organizer binders.

To create a massive, impractical drawer for all of your CDs just seems weird. Can't you see any drawer that big and heavy causing problems with the rails?

Dust!Small spaces seem to get dusty so much easier, I'd sure like some tips on how to deal with that.

Small stackable washer/dryer units!

I've just moved into an unfurnished studio apartment—my first unfurnished apartment out of college—and I'm about to begin furnishing it. Calling it an apartment is actually being far too kind; other than a small bathroom with a tiny shower stall and a fairly significant walk-in closet (which I plan to use partly for storage), it's essentially a 12'x13' room. One of the walls is actually a kitchenette complete with fridge, sink, counter space, and range, so the cooking space is essentially taken care of.

I'm currently planning to purchase a futon and a small corner computer desk (in the latter case, I'm beginning to feel I may need to build the one I want), but I'm curious to know what else people have done to make the best of truly tiny homes. Also, I'm aiming for a modern feel, but I don't have access to an Ikea and I live in a small town—does anyone have suggestions for online shopping?

How to deal with a spouse who doesn't like to purge anything ever!!!

@Snikkers I agree! Please tell us how to deal with the spouse! I find boxes of 'useful' things he is reluctant to get rid of/donate... but unless I open these tucked-away mystery boxes, he wouldn't even know we still had these things to begin with. Seriously. Who needs to keep a 1990's Discman?

Installing Dining Countertops......what are the correct measurements for eating comfortably with family and friends?

My girlfriend moved in with me into my 550 sqft condo and are closet is now a disaster! I need to find a new place to house all of her clothing. To much stuff!

We're thinking of converting our 4.5 ft x 11 ft closet (with a cute little window!) into a nesting spot for the baby we have coming in October. I would LOVE tips on making a ridiculously long and pretty narrow space more livable.

my conundrum right now is that my kitchen has huge drawers, big enough to put a kitchenaid mixer in, but I don't have a lot of stuff like that, I have lots of bulk food and spices. I cook a lot and everything is from scratch so I am having a real tough time organizing the kitchen where I can see everything. Also, the pantry is great in that I have it, but it is just a closet so you can see the first row of things.

We are a family of 5 living in alittle over 900sq ft. Our 3 girls ( ages 5,4 3) all share the same room. I need good ideas on storage, color, custom made bed ideas, anything to fit these girls and most of their stuff in that room.

I second ktoth04 - small stackable washer & dryer!

@lazysmurf -
You might be able to get away with stacking the bulk foods in jars with similar items in each stack (couscous on top of quinoa, self rising flour on top of bread flour, etc) This will only work if there are no more than 2 jars in each stack but I am sure you can find some containers big enough. This post has a lot of other useful suggestions:
http://unclutterer.com/2009/04/14/the-deep-drawer-problem/

For the spices... how about a few of those spinning countertop spice racks with the handle on top? You may have to pull out the whole rack every time, but I think it could work since the handle makes it easy to move.
http://www.amazon.com/Olde-Thompson-16-Jar-Carousel-Spice/dp/B00029R8U4/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1270580868&sr=8-12

@lazysmurf
Or... you could take out the deep drawers and replace them with slide-out shelves behind a regular cabinet door. If you can / are willing to make changes like that.

SHOES. EVERYWHERE.

PAPER. Mail paper. Tax paper. Event paper. Work paper.

Paperpaperpaper.

grglstr--

I think that picture was just an illustration. Not a cry for help. ;)

Small bathrooms! 1 medicine cabinet, 1 under sink cabinet, 2 people, and no counter space!
Extra challenge: It's a rental - no drilling holes into walls for shelves!!

Where is the best spot to put the kitty litter box?

Oh yeah, I agree on the shoe thing! We have a couple shoe bins which are a nightmare to dig through. I try to get rid of ones not being worn, but in MN you need twice the shoes because you have 2 dramatically different seasons.

Also, I'd really love to see features on furniture that does double duty; that transforms, folds up compactly, wheels away, can multi-function. My 1BR apartment is fortunate enough to have a separate (though small) dining room but we don't own a table because this room acts as my husbands office, my craftroom/home office, laundry folding room.... the list goes on. I would love to not eat every meal holding my plate in my lap. Any clever and compact (and I mean really compact!) dining solution out there?

Bags bags bags all over the place

My husband and I have a large assortment of bags (backpack for work for my husband, giant hiking backpack for doing the shopping, messenger bag for my daily use, my husbands sports bag, my camera backpack, two handbags etc.). We are quite desperate in finding a space where to store them. We can't put them under our bed, because it is too low built. We used to store these bags on the bottom of our wardrobe but due to restructuring the wardrobe in order to fit all our clothes, this space is now gone. Beause all of these bags are so bulky we cannot store them in the wardrobe that holds our shoes, otherwise we'd need to throw out our shoes. Our bedroom door is also too thick, so coventional hangers for these purposes don't fit and we cannot hang our bags there.

Please, help!
Thanks a lot!

Honey, where are all the bags? In the bag hutch!

@SuiteandSimple

I also have a small bathroom without an undersink cabinet even (because the sink is right there when you walk in and a cabinet would make it an even thighter fit) and our bathroom is under a sloping roof. I put the medicine in a box elsewhere (in summer our bathroom gets too warm anyway) and the toiletries in the medicine cabinet, a few stackable (but very nice) humidity proof baskets do the rest. towels are in a drawer in the bedroom.

@laurabellk -

I've always wondered about the entry / console tables that transformed into dining tables - never seen one in action but they look like they could be good:
http://www.improvementscatalog.com/home/improvements/792926793-3-1-expandable-wood-table-folding-chairs.html

The biggest challenge in my bathroom is dealing with my hair appliances (what do you call those, anyway?): blow dryer, flat iron, curling iron, hot rollers, etc. I have a small chest of drawers where I keep them when not in use (i.e., when company is coming) but it's more practical to have them out. Without a bathroom counter, however, and with just the small top of the chest, it gets really cluttered and I'm always knocking them on the floor.

Living in a small (700sq ft) simple space with school aged (6 & 9) children and the "stuff" that comes with that. (school papers and projects, toys, hairdo-ing stuff, coats, etc)
How do you simplify, how do you figure out what you need? How do you get a spouse/child on board to simplify? How do you make a small space that has to have stuff in it feel open and inviting?

Our living room has heaps of windows, making it difficult to place bookcases - however, they are a *necessity* as they make up about half of what I own. Are there creative ways to build custom bookcases that also look good?

I know this is supposed to be a list of questions to be addressed, but having lived in a very tiny house for the last two years, I have a few recommendations:

1) Kitty litter pan goes in the bathtub. Makes cleaning up escaped litter easier. Remove from bathtub and place on closed toilet seat to bathe. Sounds a little gross I guess, but if you have cats, it probably won't seem that weird.

2) I have found that installing wall hooks makes a huge difference in rooms with limited floor real estate. I have several on the wall right inside my front door for my bag, jacket etc and several more in my bedroom for my towel, pjs etc. Otherwise all of these items would end up on the floor.

kendrashaw - Not sure what materials you have to work with, but one possibility is to create a custom seat/bench to span the area beneath the windows, using the underside as shelving for books, and fit the top with cushions and pillows to become an inviting spot for reading. If you have more books than that would handle, maybe create an entire wall of shelving around the windows. Just pull furniture out from the wall a little ways to allow for traffic. I've seen this done many times, and it looks fantastic!