Organizing & Storage

Cluttered closet with coats hanging on the door and various items stacked inside.
Before & After: DIY Coat Closet Makeover
Mallory from Classy Clutter had been itching to make over her coat closet since she the day she moved in. She found that no one in her house, including herself, wanted to hang up their coats when they had to untangle hangers and fiddle for a spot to hang their coat. She decided it was time to remove the hangers and closet bar, and replace them with hooks and bins.
Kate Legere
Jul 8, 2014
Before & After: A Sideboard Gets Diagonal Color for a Dining Room!
From Samantha: I chose to paint it grey. But when we put the sideboard inside, hubby looked at it and said “its too boring, too serious.” So I decided to do something different! We just love how you personalized this piece you found for free to fit into your home with your personality! Thank you Samantha!
Adrienne Breaux
Jul 5, 2014
Before & After: A Subtle and Sophisticated Storage Fix
Ama had found this piece of furniture at a garage sale but wasn’t quite sure what to do with it for a few years. It had great bones, but the finish was in pretty rough shape. Though not a drastic change, the finished product came out stylish and sophisticated and is now the perfect storage piece for her dining room! From Ama: The cabinet cost me $50, dyeing, varnish and handles about $35, plywood for shelves, new door and feet cost me $23 and paper for background about $12.
Adrienne Breaux
May 4, 2014
Living Without: An Attic, Basement, Garage, or Large Storage Area
Recently, for the first time in my life, I moved to a space with a basement. After spending so many years without one, I’ll admit that at first I was hard-pressed to figure out what should go there. Thanks to having more tools, holiday decorations, and some extra kitchen supplies, I now have that covered, but it definitely got me thinking about what I did before I had all the extra storage space.
Carolyn Purnell
May 1, 2014
Small Space Inspiration: 10 Closets Turned Workspaces & Home Offices
Thinking of turning a spare closet or nook into an office or craft room? Check out these 10 examples for inspiration. TOP ROW: 1. Studio Renovation from Cardboard Sea 2. Home Office from Natalme 3. Closet Turned Home Office from A Cup of Mai 4. Tiny Closet Office from Design Addict Mom 5. Jason’s Closet Office from Apartment Therapy BOTTOM ROW: 6. Melissa’s “Cloffice” on a Budget from Shoestring Magazine via Apartment Therapy 7.
Kate Legere
Apr 30, 2014
IKEA Hacks: DIY Ways to Make Cheap Wardrobes Look More Expensive
We often turn to IKEA for cheap storage options, which makes their basic wardrobes a popular item in a lot of homes. Clever DIY projects and hacks pop up as people discover ways to upgrade the units to look more expensive and custom-built in their spaces. Here are 8 great projects to think about yourself: Designer Tommy Smythe updated his PAX doors with molding and vintage knobs. Combined with the sleek black paint, this new storage looks high-end and beautiful.
Dabney Frake
Apr 16, 2014
My Small Home: Lauren’s Small Space Solutions
1000 square feet for a family of four sounds completely reasonable, but these days, it’s started to feel a bit cramped. As our family has grown we’ve simply had to get more creative with how we organize our space. While we’re very lucky to have three bedrooms, two of them lack a real closet space and are very oddly shaped. (The joys of living in an older home!).
Lauren Hufnagl
Apr 15, 2014
The 10 Commandments of Keeping a Small Space Organized
Living in a compact (read: tiny) one bedroom with my fiancé and our two dogs sometimes resembles a giant game of Tetris. When it comes to cramming our lives, complete with hobbies, home cooking and my photography business, into 450 square feet organization is key. Here are a few of the ways that we manage. 1. Build upwards.
Kim Lucian
Apr 15, 2014
How To Deal When Your Closet Isn’t in Your Room (or Maybe Isn’t Even a Closet)
Small space dwellers have a whole set of issues that folks who live in more spacious homes could never understand. Take this one, for instance: in a perfect world, your (incredibly spacious) closet is conveniently attached to the bedroom or even the bathroom. But what do you do when your closet is in a weird place? Or you have a tiny closet? Or no closet at all? Well, you start getting creative.
Taryn Williford
Apr 3, 2014
Stylish Storage: 10 Smart Ways to Organize Your Pantry
For years I’ve coveted pantries, and now that I have one… it’s kind of a mess. Keeping a well-stocked pantry user-friendly is definitely a challenge, but the wisest minds online are here to help… From across the web, here are some of the best ideas for keeping your pantry organized. You’ll never spend 15 minutes digging around for the sugar ever again. Open + Industrial Perhaps the best way to keep your pantry looking its best? Make it public.
Tess Wilson
Feb 7, 2014
Before & After: From Uninspiring Shelf to Ultra-Functional Floating Storage!
When Griffin found this old shelf just “collecting dust” at a local thrift store, she knew there was some place in their home for it, perhaps the garage or maybe the playroom. But it was some creative thinking (and not even that much work!) that transformed it into a surprisingly sophisticated storage piece for a dining room! From Griffin: With the help of my husband we started by removing the base which was made up of 2x4s.
Adrienne Breaux
Feb 2, 2014
Before & After: Laundry Nook Refresh
Potential can be a dangerous thing. Like when I sell myself on a fixer-upper accent chair from Goodwill, convinced I’ll watch a YouTube video one day and learn how to upholster it back to glory. “But it’s got so much potential,” I tell myself, while the chair collects dust in the basement. Bri of Emerson Grey designs saw similar potential in this laundry nook in a potential new home… Thankfully, her story ends better.
Taryn Williford
Jan 20, 2014
Fresh Start: 5 Things You Should Do Every January
I’m not usually one for New Year’s resolutions, but I am always interested in rejuvenating my space, work and life in the New Year. January is a great month for cleaning up problem areas, whether they are physical problem areas in your home, or work and financial issues. Here are a few of our top tips for simple tasks to help get your new year get off to a great start! 1. Declutter your desk or work area and go through important papers. Tax time is coming!
Andie Powers
Jan 16, 2014
12 (Okay 13) More Items You Probably Own Too Many Of
There’s something about the new year that puts me into declutter mode. So, it’s not surprising that Thursday morning, the New Year’s Eve hangover now thankfully a memory, there I was, donation box in hand, tossing, tossing, tossing, starting with my favorite gotta-goes, the multiple multiples.
Abby Stone
Jan 7, 2014
10 Clever Ways to Store Stuffed Animal Collections
Ready to organize those stuffed animal collections for the new year? Some parents recommend purging until you don’t need a storage solution, but some kids love their stuffies so much that they’d love to keep them all. If you agree to house a bunch of these toys, you might want an aesthetically pleasing way to store and display them. We’ve rounded up some simple and clever ideas for keeping plush toys corralled and displayed so that, hopefully, everyone is happy. 1.
Beth Callaghan
Jan 6, 2014
Before & After: From Beige to Bold!
Seeing potential in this heavy storage piece from an old bedroom set, Carmina set to work transforming the blah beige finish to a handful of shades of just one hue. Now beautiful and functional, it’s got a modern color palette that updates its style and creates one unique addition to a home! From Carmina: We rescued this piece from a house being cleared out after an estate sale down the alley from our home.
Adrienne Breaux
Jan 4, 2014
Before & After: TV Nook Upgraded Into a Home Entertainment Center
Renting almost guarantees you’ll be living and working around compromises, and perhaps nowhere more so than when it comes to planning a home entertainment setup. Awkward layouts can prove a challenge, especially when you can’t move or tear down walls like a home owner.
Gregory Han
Nov 5, 2013
Before & After: Natalme’s DIY $7 Nightstand Cable Organizer
Does the sight above look familiar? With the array of mobile devices found in the average household, it’s increasingly common to keep many or all of these portable devices within arm’s reach.
Gregory Han
Apr 16, 2013
Before & After: Ashley’s Pantry Makeover
My bi-fold pantry door is an eyesore. It has a fake woodgrain and blocks the left side of the shelves when it’s opened. But it’s an unusual size, so finding an off-the-shelf or salvage replacement has been impossible. I thought about converting it à la Jason’s closet-door hack, but then I stumbled upon Ashley’s attractive solution. While she didn’t have a bi-fold to begin with, her door replacement would work for just about any ugly door, including mine.
AnnaMaria Stephens
Apr 11, 2013
DIY Secret Hiding Spots
TOP ROW: 1. Stylish Wall Storage from Mamamekko 2. Doortop Stash from Make 3. Beck Marks the Spot for Secret Storage 4. Secret Storage Sofa from Ana White 5. Hidden Jewelry Box from Design Sponge BOTTOM ROW: 6. Hollow Stash Book from Vivid Please 7. Hidden Bookcase from Imgur 8. Floating Secret Drawer from Stashvault 9. DIY Hide-a-Key from Zakka Life And, if all else fails, just go buy this and stick it in your fridge: 10. Iceberg Lettuce Safe Do you have a secret hiding spot?
Dabney Frake
Mar 13, 2013
Before & After: Kimberly’s Overflow to Organized Pantry
Who hasn’t opened their pantry or cabinets to a mess and thought — there’s not even any “real food” for dinner? Kimberly’s pantry needed a clean out and some order. If this ‘before’ photo looks familiar to you, check out what some labels and dollar bins did for her: From Kimberly: I decided I’d just take one shelf at a time one night a week and organize everything. That idea lasted until I finished the first shelf.
Tara Bellucci
Mar 5, 2013
Before & After: Kim’s Closet to Craft Room
The closet in my guest bedroom never hosted much clothing, and I decided it’d be a perfect tucked away spot for sewing and crafting.My workspace in my last apartment was a craft cabinet, so a closet was a step up. I painted the bottom portion of the wall with leftover paint and built a desk with wood and metal braces from Home Depot. I hung acrylic shelves on the left wall and added a custom corkboard, task lamp, filing cabinet, and calendar.
Kim R. McCormick
Feb 28, 2013
Before & After: An Organized Mudroom
I love before and after projects that involve a good afternoon of organization — no paintbrush, no tools… just some motivation, a vision, and some hard work.I recently came across this mudroom makeover and thought it was a great example of how a before and after doesn’t have to be a super-expensive or super-involved affair. It’s encouraging to see how little changes can have a big impact!
Sarah Dobbins
Feb 26, 2013
Before & After: Michelle’s Industrial Jewelry Chest
When Michelle found these old tool chests at a fairground in Norman, Oklahoma, she immediately envisioned a way to restore them to their former glory and put them to good use. With a great deal of work and some serious elbow grease, they became what she calls her “keeper of treasures.”For some interiors the rustic industrial look might have worked, but the edges were sharp, the piece was covered in grime, and rust had overtaken the original finish.
Carolyn Purnell
Feb 26, 2013
Before & After: Closet Under the Stairs Gets a Dramatic Makeover
Harry Potter isn’t the only one with a cramped cupboard under the stairs. KariAnne Wood had a similarly awkward closet off the living room in her farmhouse. Previously it was just wasted, forgotten storage for random things, so she decided to make it a more useful and special spot in the house. See more of this project on KariAnne’s blog, Thistlewood Farms Thanks for sharing KariAnne!
Dabney Frake
Feb 25, 2013
Before & After: Drab Cardboard Boxes Turned Chic Organizational Bins
Emily of Namely Original is a crafty college student who’s never short on clever DIY’s and always excited to share them. This time she’s taken some boxes headed for the landfill and turned them into organizational bins cute enough to put on display.This is certainly one of those crafts that begs the question “Why didn’t I think of this?
Lauren Pavao
Feb 8, 2013
Pins Piling Up? 5 Ways to Keep Your Pinterest Boards Clean & Organized
I know what you’re thinking. Oh man, aren’t there enough things in this world to clean? Now we have to tidy up our Pinterest boards? I’ll leave it up to you to decide if it’s worth your time, but I spent an hour doing some work on mine the other day, and it felt kind of good. I use Pinterest A LOT these days, so the pins build up quickly. The more current and relevant the boards are, and easy to navigate, the more useful it is as a tool.
Dabney Frake
Jan 10, 2013
Before & After: Anna’s DIY Custom Closet
While Anna’s mid-century house has a fair share of closets, they weren’t exactly outfitted to store much stuff. Faced with the predicament of storing two young boys’ clothes and other belongings, Anna decided to build out the closet herself.A lot of us have faced a similar problem with our own closets — one measly shelf and a long hanging clothes bar do not exactly make the base for an organized closet.
Jason Loper
Jan 4, 2013
Advice From a Pro Organizer: Fall Closet Cleaning
People always think of the new year as the perfect time to clean out closets, but professional organizer and declutterer Nicole Anzia of Washington DC-based Neatnik prefers to do it after Labor Day. “I always think of fall as a new beginning. Summer is over, kids are back at school and everyone else resumes a “normal” schedule in September. Plus, the weather is about to turn crisp, so what better time to clean out your closets?
Catrin Morris
Sep 13, 2012
Before & After: Outdated Entry Gets a Hotel Inspired Makeover
Jill’s entry from the garage had been a thorn in her side for months. Though the checkerboard floor was a great feature, the paneled walls were dark and dated; certainly not the warm welcome home she craved. In addition to a brighter color, Jill knew she wanted to add what she calls a “landing pad” for shoes, coats, bags, etc — a spot other than her kitchen table!
Colleen Quinn
Jun 20, 2012
Tips For Storing Luggage at Home
For those of us who don’t have much closet space (let alone garages, attics, or basements!) where oh where are we supposed to store our luggage? Sure, there are some decent soft-sided suitcases out there, but many of the most durable suitcases are not exactly beautiful and they have hard sides and take up some serious space. One solution comes from the folks over at the blog In Decent Order who screwed in hooks high up on the wall of a large closet to hang their luggage from.
Catrin Morris
Apr 3, 2012
Before & After: Cabinet Goes from Sleepy to Uniquely Stylish
This snores-ville cabinet could definitely use a slap of paint to liven it up a bit. There is no question about that. But to give it even more personality, more pizzazz, what can you do?We’re reminded once again at the power of adding the right hardware; look at what a pair of mismatched, unexpected knobs does for this piece.Want to customize your cabinet in similar fashion? The brass finish Secret Key Handle from Anthropologie is available for just $4.95.And those lovely numbered knobs?
Jackie Boucher
Feb 7, 2012
How Long Should You Keep Electronics and Appliance Packaging?
All it took was two episodes of “Hoarders” and I knew that the next morning I was going to…had to…go downstairs to clean out our apartment basement storage area. Hidden downstairs was a slowly expanding Jenga pile of boxes, the majority of them empty, but all kept under the presumption I’d need them later for moving or resale. It was time to get serious and clean house for 2012…The biggest source of empty boxes were for electronics and appliances.
Gregory Han
Jan 10, 2012
Before & After: Danny Seo Gets Organized
The image above is of the Danny that the world knows. Calm, cool, organized…let’s just say, Martha-like in his homemaking skills. Well, here is proof that everybody has a spot in their home that could use a little attention.
Janel Laban
Nov 1, 2011
Before & After: Streamlining Scarf Storage
I may have a bit of a scarf addiction. With practically nonexistent closet space, they were taking over the hooks on my bedroom door. Not only was it an eyesore, it was impossible to grab a coat or scarf without creating an avalanche of accessories. This weekend, I found a solution that was quick, inexpensive, and visually interesting. Check out the after, after the jump!My bedroom is a square with this little nook large enough to accommodate the open door.
Tara Bellucci
Oct 20, 2011
Before & After: A Pretty, Organized Hallway Closet
This hallway closet needs some serious assistance! Being the only closet in our apartment other than our bedroom closet, I need to utilize every inch of space here. And, as you can see in this before photo, there is all sorts of wasted space that can be reclaimed with a little reorganization.When we moved into this apartment, the hallway closet was set up as seen in the “before” photo above — a few high shelves positioned over the clothes bar with wasted space underneath.
Jason Loper
Feb 21, 2011
Before & After: The Bedroom Desk Gets Organized
A small desk in the dormer window of my bedroom has never really been used properly. The desktop has always been a catch-all for books, clothes, and papers at the end of the day. And the drawer, well, the drawer was even worse. I finally set aside some time to give the area some attention, and it paid off:Now, instead of sitting on the floor at the coffee table, I have an inviting and functional nook to use for work.
Regina Yunghans
Feb 9, 2011
9 Ways to Organize Books: Which Is Your Style?
I’m not a particularly organized person … except when it comes to my bookshelves, which are arranged in a perfectly logical, consistent way (although it’s logical only to myself). If you have a sizable book collection, it’s worth taking the time to organize them so that you can find whatever you’re looking for. Let’s take a look at some of the best methods to choose from.
Anna Hoffman
Jan 14, 2011
The Best Closet Systems
A great solution to making the most out of any closet space is investing in a closet system that will carve out a spot for all your clothes and accessories.
Nicole Lund
Jan 3, 2011
Tips for Storing an Air Conditioner
During this post-Labor Day week, I can sense autumn creeping into the picture. While I’m sad to see summer come to a close, there is one advantage to the impending change of season. It will soon be time to remove the air conditioners and reclaim the windows! Here are a few tips for storing an air conditioner in the off season: After removing your air conditioner, take the time to clean it before you stick it in storage. Remove the filter and clean it in warm, soapy water.
Jason Loper
Sep 8, 2010
How Low Can You Go…With Your Art
Artwork hung too high may be the worst thing in the world my biggest design pet peeve. If you’re questioning the height of your artwork, sticking to the principle of “better too low than too high” will probably serve you well. But is there such a thing as too low?Well, that of course depends on who it’s with, where it’s placed, and how that place is used.Visually, I think low hung art can almost always work as long as it’s in a group.
Leah Moss
Jul 22, 2010
The Art of Layering
Somewhere in between random grouping and borderline clutter lies the art form of layering. It’s the decor equivalent to tousled hair: seemingly effortless. While the beauty of layering is in the unique combination of objects— making it impossible to come up with a one-size-fits-all formula— there are a few tips that may help you master the look:• Start big.
Leah Moss
Jun 1, 2010
Before & After: Marie’s Budget Bathroom Makeover
We recently came across this inexpensive bathroom makeover on our Apartment Therapy SF flickr Pool. Marie and her husband Aaron moved into their Menlo Park apartment about a year and a half ago. While their initial decorating tended toward neutral colors and traditional furnishings, Marie felt a need to brighten things up by making her bathroom a bit fresher and younger. See Marie’s less than $50 makeover after the jump.
Jess Watson
Feb 22, 2010
Look! DIY Platform Bed With Storage
David tells us his DIY platform bed project isn’t yet complete, but we think he’s done such a spectacular job with his bed/storage to this point, we wanted to go ahead and share what’s he’s completed thus far… The bed frame is a platform filled in with sheet-rock compound. “…there’s a few things left to do to the bed before it’s complete.
Gregory Han
May 8, 2008