Living life seems to require a lot of stuff. We need stuff to wear...stuff to cook and cook with...stuff to sit, sleep, eat, and work on...stuff to entertain us and stuff to help us entertain others...stuff to help us work more efficiently...stuff to read, write and communicate with...stuff to decorate and create with...stuff to keep us safe and healthy...stuff to make us more comfortable...stuff to keep us smelling, looking and feeling our best...stuff to help us relax...stuff to give each other and stuff to wrap it up in...stuff to keep us warm and stuff to keep us cool...stuff to fix and clean all our other stuff with...and stuff to keep all this stuff organized and accessible when we need it. And every single piece of stuff we own comes with a price tag...not just a financial price tag but also a time, space, effort, convenience and opportunity price tag. Reducing the amount of stuff you own also reduces your overhead costs. Minimalism is about getting by with less stuff so that you can focus more on all those other things that really matter in life. But you don't have to be a minimalist to benefit from making do with less.

July is Organizing for Dollars Month, so today I’m going to share a few strategies for shrinking your pile of stuff to save you money...plus a whole lot more.

One reason we get so overwhelmed by all of our stuff is that most of us own waaaaayyyyy more than we need or have room to accommodate. We go through phases where we get so fed up we decide to weed out our closets and donate our excess...and it feels pretty great for a while. But eventually, we end up right back where we started, because we never changed our thinking about what we really need versus what we just want. To change your mindset, you must begin challenging yourself to stop acquiring something new to fulfill every new need that arises. With a little resourcefulness and creativity, you can meet most of your needs by shopping in your own closet. If you don’t believe me, why not try imposing a moratorium on new purchases for one whole week and see for yourself how well some of these seven strategies can work:

1. Use up what you have first before replenishing
How many skincare samples, hotel shampoo bottles, and still-in-good-shape gift bags are you hoarding? For what? Start using them. Get them out of your way before you buy more of the same. Plan meals around the food that’s been in the back of your pantry or freezer and needs to get eaten. (Read this great article on the myths of food expiration labels before you pitch it.) Use items in your craft supply stash or some of those leftover DIY materials in the garage to create something you need rather than pulling out your wallet to buy it. You’ll be amazed how much money and space you’ll save just by using up the various odd bits and pieces that are currently filling up your cabinets and drawers.

2. Review your stashed decorative items
Are your closets and storage areas filled with framed photos or artwork you took down but may want to use again...someday? What about all those cute tchotchkes you’ve been saving in some bin somewhere because they have sentimental value but no good spot to call home? Review these with a critical eye and make some decisions. Perhaps some can be made into functional objects or to freshen up your current decor. Others may make wonderful gifts. If you’ve been meaning to hang it up, then do it now! You’ll free up valuable storage space and fulfill a need without spending a cent.

3. Gift/regift new items you know you’ll never use. 
Rather than spend valuable space on something you don’t need/want, give it to someone who would. You’ll save time and money on gift shopping, not to mention space!

4. Gift wrap creatively
Instead of buying special occasion-specific wrapping paper, you’ll get more mileage out of it if you use neutral gift wrap suitable for any occasion and embellish it with items from your garden or leftover craft supplies. Reuse gift bags that are still in good condition or re-purpose all manner of materials as creative wrapping. An old sweater you’ll never wear plus a needle and thread and some ribbon are all you need to make a one-of-a-kind gift bag for Christmas. 

5. Furnish your home with “double-duty” pieces
Look for opportunities to double up on the functionality of your high ticket items, like furniture. Some examples are using a storage trunk or ottoman for a coffee table; turning a narrow cubby-style bookshelf on its side and adding a seat cushion to the top to create seating with book or toy storage; mounting a small ironing board to the top of a rolling storage cart. Look for end tables with drawers, console tables with shelves underneath, and desks with built-in filing drawers. 

6. Rely on multi-taskers when entertaining
Instead of overstocking your kitchen and dining room with specific serving pieces and party supplies, try some of these substitutions using what you already have on hand:

• Flat sheet for tablecloth
• Thin scarf for table runner
• Plate attached to candlestick holder with floral putty instead of cake stand
• Pitcher for vase
• Platter/large plate and small bowl or hollowed out bell pepper for chip and dip set
• Large picture frame or a baking sheet fitted with a decorative placemat for serving tray
• Baskets lined with tissue or large paper bag with top rolled down for chip or popcorn bowl
• Juice glass for serving sherbet/ice cream, dip, nuts, or condiments
• Mason jars as drinkware, silverware caddy or votive candle holder

​
7. Give your kids experiences as gifts
Let’s face it: raising kids is expensive, especially if you want them to experience life to its fullest. Instead of spending money on tangible gifts you’ll just need to find space for, use it to splurge on a fun trip or activity you may not otherwise be able to afford to celebrate a special occasion or holiday. One bonus is that these gifts are a lot easier to wrap too! 

Obviously, the more organized your home is, the easier it will be to fulfill a new need with an old purchase, because you’ll have a better handle on what you already own and know where to find it.  And the less you own, the easier it is to keep everything organized and accessible. If you’re drowning in belongings, the first step is to turn off the tap and stop acquiring! Once you get used to looking for a solution in your own closet instead of a store, it will become a habit. 

In case you missed it, this month’s EasyPeasy 1-Day Challenge is to substitute something you already own for something you were planning to buy. To enter the monthly gift card drawing all you have to do is visit my Facebook page by July 31 and comment on the July 1-Day Challenge post at the top of the page telling us 1) What you were planning to buy and 2) What you found in your own home to fulfill the need instead. You must include both parts to be entered into the prize drawing. I can’t wait to see how clever and resourceful you all are!

Last week, I shared my favorite tips on keeping your clothes organized, accessible and in tip top shape. But for many of  you, the real struggle is what to do with all your accessories so that you can both easily see what you have when putting together an outfit and effortlessly put them away when you are done wearing them. Nothing is worse than realizing as you’re rushing out the door that you’ve misplaced a shoe or an earring. Not only that, it’s likely that a lot of your bedroom surface clutter consists of stray jewelry, scarves and other accessories that are strewn around, collecting dust and creating lots of visual noise and chaos in the one room that’s supposed to feel the most peaceful and calming. Never fear! You’ve come to the right place for options on maintaining accessible accessories.

Shoes, purses, jewelry, scarves/ties, belts, hair accessories...with all that going on, it’s no wonder your bedroom can get out of control so quickly! There are as many different ways to organize all these accessories as there are styles. The good news is that you don’t need to own a huge walk-in closet or spend a fortune on customization to impose an adequate amount of order. The key is creating an organization structure for each accessory type that:
1) fits within your available space
2) is accessible enough to both see what you have and easily put things away
3) accommodates your collection (paring your collection down to fit within your chosen organization structure is a great strategy for keeping it in check over time).

I’m going to share multiple storage options for each accessory type, along with some of the pros and cons for each, so that you can easily choose the right fit for you.

Shoes
Shoe cubbies or shoe chest - whether you are lucky enough to have built-in shoe cubbies in your closet or a piece of furniture specifically designed for storing shoes, or you create one using boxes, cardboard tubes or crates turned on their sides, this option creates a spot for holding each individual pair in your collection so that they are all visible at a glance.

• Pros: keeps shoes in good condition and ensures each pair has a reserved spot; usually easy to see and access
• Cons: takes up a lot of room; dictates a specific number of shoes you can accommodate 

​Shoe shelf - this can be built-in shelves designed for shoes or purses, the type you purchase and assemble yourself (usually stored on the floor of the closet or in a mudroom), or a set of fabric shelves that hang from the rod.

• Pros: The non-built in type can be moved to any location and sometimes reconfigured; offers more flexibility in the number of shoes accommodated; often adaptable to a different purpose if you decide you no longer want to use it for shoes
• Cons: the ones on the floor can be difficult to see and access, especially if obscured by hanging clothes; the hanging type eats up valuable rod space

Shoe pockets - these usually hang on the back of a door and accommodate one shoe or pair of shoes per pocket.

• Pros: utilizes vertical space, freeing up shelf, rod and floor space for other things; easy to see and access; ensures each pair has a spot reserved in your closet.
• Cons: dictates a specific number of shoes you can accommodate; larger shoes and boots will not fit; requires vertical space

Shoe rail - thin strips of wood or bars that is attached to the wall from which you hang shoes by the heels

• Pros: easy to see and access; often allows you to utilize vertical “dead” space; accommodates a lot of shoes 
• Cons: cannot be used for shoes without heels; requires vertical space

Shoe boxes - these can be either boxes you purchase or the boxes your shoes came in (tip: if using this method, label each box with a description and/or photo of the shoes to make it easier to find the pair you need)

• Pros: keeps shoes well preserved; can be stacked anywhere
• Cons: takes up a lot of room; not as easily accessible because you have to open the lids (for this reason, this method is best used for shoes you wear only rarely).

Shoe basket - place a large bin or basket either in your coat closet/entryway/mudroom or in your bedroom closet or both

• Pros: can accommodate many shoes; easy to toss them in; takes up very little room
• Cons: does not preserve shoes well; can be difficult to see what you have without digging through the basket; requires floor space

Tip for boots: Inserting pool noodles or cardboard tubes to keep them standing upright will preserve their shape longer and save space in your closet.

Purses
Shelves (tip: stuff purses to maintain their shape and help them stand up...great use for those air pillows that come with your Amazon purchases)

• Pros: easy to see and access; preserves shape and handles
• Cons: takes up a lot of shelf space

Hooks - Use “S” hooks on your closet rod, or install hooks on the wall or back of the door

• Pros: makes use of vertical space, saving shelf space for other uses
• Cons: may damage handles over time; cannot be used for clutches; requires vertical space​

Belts and scarves/ties
Drawers - fold scarves, coil belts or ties and insert in dividers; or lay ties flat

• Pros: saves closet space for other uses; easy to see and access 
• Cons: requires drawer space; folding or coiling may create unwanted creases or misshaping; takes time to neatly fold or coil when putting away

Special hangers

• Pros: saves drawer space; easy to see
• Cons: requires rod space; can be more difficult to access; often requires care in balancing items correctly on the hanger​

​Hooks

• Pros: saves drawer space; easy to see and access; utilizes vertical space
• Cons: may create unwanted creases in ties and scarves; requires vertical space

Jewelry and hair accessories
Jewelry box, chest or trays (including drawer inserts or dividers)

• Pros: requires minimal space; flexibility in where it can be stored; can be used for all types of jewelry
• Cons: limited capacity; items can get easily tangled; can be difficult to see and access; requires surface or drawer space

Special jewelry stands

• Pros: easy to see; flexibility in where it can be stored
• Cons: limited capacity, not always easy to access; requires surface space

Wall/door hooks

• Pros: easy to see and access; enables you to use vertical “dead” space; accommodates larger collections
• Cons: requires vertical space; cannot be used for all types of pieces (stud earrings, for example)

Pocket organizer

• Pros: utilizes vertical space; keeps items separate from each other for less tangling
• Cons: not as easy to see and access; limited capacity; requires vertical space

Dish

• Pros: flexible and easily adaptable; any dish can be used (tips: this is a great use for sentimental objects); easy access
• Cons: items get easily tangled; not easy to see what you have; requires surface space​

Think outside the box
There’s lots of room for creativity when it comes to storing your accessories. You’ll find a wealth of ideas on my “Organizing Outside the Box” board on Pinterest. Some of my favorite ideas include:

• Silverware holder mounted on a wall to create jewelry shelves or inserted in a drawer as a divider
• Ice cube trays or muffin tins to hold rings, earrings and brooches
• Box grater or small shutters repurposed as an earring stand
• Picture frames fitted with screen, chicken wire or bulletin board and used as jewelry organizers
• Shower curtain rings taped together on a hanger to create a scarf holder
• Wooden mug stand, paper towel holder, or wall-mounted toilet paper holder repurposed to hold bracelets
• Toilet paper tube as an elastic hair tie holder
• Magazine holders for storing flip flops
• Tic tac container or prescription pill bottle for bobby pin storage
• Lid rack for storing clutches, wallets and small purses

    and so much more! Share your creative solutions in the comments below!

Stay tuned next week for tips on keeping your bedroom and bathroom linens organized, easy to access, and under control!

Can you believe it’s June already?!! This month is Bed and Bath Organizing month. We’ll make your bed and bathroom the restful sanctuary you deserve with tips on organizing your clothes, accessories, linens and toiletries so that getting ready for your busy day or a peaceful night’s sleep will be seamless and easy peasy. This week I’m sharing my favorite strategies for keeping your clothes easily accessible, tidy and organized.

Now that the world is opening back up and life is beginning to take on some semblance of “normal” again, it’s time to take stock of that wardrobe. Some of us have put on a few pounds since the beginning of the pandemic, while others have lost weight. Whether you’re in a new size now or not, taking stock of what you have, purging what no longer fits the way you'd like or works in your current lifestyle, and organizing your closet and drawers will ensure that you're ready to get back out there in the real world looking your best. An organized clothing system will also save you time and hassle in the morning, keep clothes in better condition longer, and -- my favorite -- reduce dry cleaning bills and ironing. Follow these ten tips to maximize space and functionality in your dresser and closet.

1. Organize by how you select your outfits. There is no "right" way to organize a closet....only a "right for you" way. Whether you choose components primarily by their size, color, fabric, style or season, keeping like items together will make it easier to find what you need quickly and easily.
2. Hang as much as you can. Unless you love to fold (and refold, and refold again), it is much easier to browse your wardrobe selection and keep it tidy when it's hanging. Hanging is also a much more efficient use of space than folding. (Watch my video tutorial that shows a nifty trick for hanging sweaters so that they won’t become misshapen.) 
3. Remove the hanger from the rod whenever you take out something to wear. Place it in your "hanger bank". An area of the rod that’s inconvenient for hanging clothes, or a basket on the floor are ideal places to store your extra hangers when not in use. You'll know just where to find an empty hanger when you need one and this will give you more sliding space on the rod. Nothing deters searching for/hanging up clothes like a tightly packed hanging rod.
4. Use the right hangers for the job. Chunky and padded hangers take up a lot of room, so use them sparingly and only when really necessary for things like suit jackets or the most delicate of items to help them hold their shape. Replace wire dry cleaner hangers as soon as possible, as they are not good for long-term storage and can damage clothes over time. (Tip: most dry cleaners will welcome their wire hangers back, so no need to take up valuable space storing them.) Thin, textured hangers are ideal for keeping slippery fabrics on the hanger while also saving lots of rod space. 
5. Reserve your drawer space for items that cannot be hung and/or can afford to be wrinkled. Pajamas, underwear, socks, workout clothes, swimsuits and tshirts are the best candidates for storing in your dresser drawers.
6. When storing clothes in drawers, fold them to a uniform size and “file” them vertically with the folded edge facing up. This will make it easier to see everything in the drawer at once and pull out only the one item you need without rumpling everything else.
7. Shelves offer a great alternative to drawers for folded clothing. They enable you to easily see what you have at a glance without having to rummage through them. Smaller items like socks, underwear and swim wear can also be stored in bins on the shelves.
8. Don't overlook your vertical storage opportunities on the backs of closet and bedroom doors. Those hanging pocket organizers are useful for more than just shoes! Roll up underwear, swimwear, socks, etc. and store inside the pockets when dresser/shelf space is at a premium. Door hooks can accommodate your bath robe or frequently-worn jackets. Next week, I'll offer you some great vertical storage tips for all kinds of accessories.
9. Purge regularly! The change of seasons is a great time to review your wardrobe and identify giveaways. If your closet is too full, you are more likely to keep wearing the same things over and over because it requires too much effort to find something different. Do not keep clothes in too many sizes or items that are out of style in your closet. This consumes valuable space that could be used for pieces you will wear and enjoy instead. Keeping a donation bag handy in your closet makes purging as you go more automatic and is especially helpful in kids' rooms. As soon as you realize something no longer fits, is defective, or you are unlikely to wear it again for any reason, toss it in your purge bag. Once something goes in, it stays in!
10. Keep up with clean and dirty laundry daily. Putting clean clothes away promptly will keep them clean, minimize wrinkling and enable you to find what you need. When you try clothes on, hang them back up right away so they stay ready to wear. Never let dirty clothes hit the ground! Put them straight in the dirty clothes hamper so that they are out of your way and don't get missed on laundry day. If you plan to re-wear items again before laundering, place them neatly in a designated spot or return them to where they are normally stored to avoid unnecessary clutter and confusion in your bedroom.

Have more fun selecting outfits to wear and simplify your morning routine with a tidy and orderly clothing storage system!

We are nearing the end of Purging Month, but just like doing laundry, mowing the grass and grocery shopping, purging your excess stuff never really ends. The good news is that it doesn’t require a lot of time or effort to keep up with it once you’ve completed your initial purge. This week, I’m gonna share a few easy peasy habits that will make divesting yourself of your overage an automatic routine. The more of these habits you embrace, the easier it will become to maintain your equilibrium of "stuff".

First, set yourself up for success with a solid plan for what you will do with each item you decide to let go. (For more ideas on this, go back and read last week’s blog post.) Establish a holding spot/s for items to donate and items to sell (if you decide that’s really worth your time). Make it an easily accessible and consistent location or locations in your home.

Next, create a regular schedule for getting your castoffs out of your home. Whether it is scheduling regular donation pickups (or just getting in the habit of always saying YES! whenever you receive a notification that a truck will be in your area), or finding a consistent time each month to drop things off at a local charity, put it on your calendar and set up a reminder to follow through. Likewise, if you are selling items, set deadlines on your to-do list for pricing, posting, or otherwise preparing your items for upcoming sales events or dropping them off at a consignment shop. Schedule one weekend out of every month (more if needed) for dropping off any recyclables or trash that can’t be included in your regular household pickup, or create reminders to take them whenever you are out running errands nearby.

Then simply collect as you go. Opportunities abound to identify items you no longer need/want/use. As they come up, decide right away if they are 1) Sell; 2) Donate; 3) Recycle; or 4) Trash and place them into the proper receptacle immediately. Don’t procrastinate! Take action at moments like the ones below:

• Whenever you replace an old item
• Whenever you discover you already had something after buying the same thing
• Whenever you realize you have more than you need of something
• Whenever you receive a gift you can’t/won’t use
• Whenever you bought something you don’t need/can’t use and cannot return
• Whenever you (or your spouse/kids) outgrow something
• Whenever your situation changes and renders it obsolete (you change your decor, you get a new job, you lose interest in your hobby, you obtain a newer version)
• Whenever you move/downsize to something smaller and no longer have room for it
• Whenever you realize you just really don’t use it enough to warrant taking up the space
• Whenever you need the space it occupies for something else
• Whenever you discover it is broken or too difficult to use
• Whenever you decide you just don’t like it that much
• Whenever you learn that someone else needs it more than you do
• Whenever you are moving things from one area of your home to another
• Whenever you take everything out to clean

Eliminating belongings you don’t need is just like discarding your food wrappers and containers when you’re done with them. You already know you can’t/won’t use them, so it’s just a matter of putting them in the correct receptacle and following through with your predetermined plan for getting them out of the house. Decisions will become quicker and easier each time you make them. Before you know it, it will become as second nature as throwing away your candy bar wrapper or recycling your empty soda bottle. If there’s an item you’re on the fence about, treat it just like something from your freezer you aren’t sure if you’ll eat or not and add an expiration date to it. If you don’t use it by then, let it go. 

Finally, just like you occasionally still have to deep clean the rooms you clean regularly, make a point of “deep cleaning” your cabinets, shelves and drawers at least once per year to catch any expired or excess stuff you may have overlooked. You don’t have to set aside days or hours of time to do this unless that’s your preference to get it all done at once. Instead, just work on one room in your home each month and spend five to ten minutes per day performing the three Rs (remove, review, replace) on a single drawer, shelf, or cabinet at a time until the entire house is done. Then start again. The less stuff you have, the easier and quicker this ongoing process will be.

If you took my advice and joined an online give-away group like Freecycle or Buy Nothing, you’ll find that there are often people requesting one of your "someday/maybe" items. Knowing that someone else is looking for that exact thing may be enough to convince you to part with items you aren't sure you'll ever need again. These groups also offer assurance that you’ll be able to easily get whatever you need when you need it...for FREE, eliminating your need to hold onto things “just in case”. For this reason alone, I strongly urge you to consider joining one of these groups if you haven’t already done so.

I’ll be taking a week off from the EPL Blog next week. Enjoy your Memorial Day! 

Coming Soon: June is Bed and Bath Organizing month! I’ll be sharing tips all month on organizing your clothes, accessories, toiletries and makeup both here and on my Facebook page.
​Subscribe to this blog make sure you don’t miss anything!

Don't miss out! Sign up to have each new EPL Blog post delivered to your inbox each week. ​

Space truly is the final frontier! Everyone seems to be on an endless quest for it...for space in their homes...on their desks...in their busy lives! Yet it eludes most of us. Just as soon as we find some....poof! It’s gone and the search begins anew. But what if instead of spending all of our space, we kept some of it….empty?!! Today, I’m making a case for space!
​
First, how is empty space even useful?

• It increases easy accessibility. The things you use every day will be easier to access and put away if you have less stuff cluttering up your cabinets, closets and drawers. Think of it as room to breathe for the stuff you keep.
• It creates a sense of visual peace. Blank spaces cut down on visual noise, leaving you feeling calmer, more relaxed, and more in control of your environment.
• It makes life simpler. More space means less stuff, which in turn means less overhead. You have less to clean, less to declutter, less to tidy, less to decide what to do with, less to move around in order to make room...all leaving you with more time, more money and more energy. 

​
Preserving your empty space boils down to choosing space over stuff. You may be asking...if empty space is so valuable, then why do people tend to choose stuff over space? Good question! Clients usually call me when their lack of space begins causing a problem in their lives. They are aware that they need more space, yet still seem compelled to fill it back up again when given the opportunity. Why? Here are some of the most common reasons, along with my counterpoint for each one: Do any of these sound familiar?
​
Fear of being without something you may need (clothes, paper towels, shoes, serving dishes).
Counterpoint: If you run out of something, you can go shopping, do laundry, borrow from a neighbor, order online. If none of these are possible, you will likely find a way to make do in an emergency. Such emergencies will be very rare and far outweighed by the everyday benefits of having more space. Think up a back-up plan in advance if that makes you feel less afraid to part with something. (Personal aside: At the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis when toilet paper was difficult to find, I came up with multiple contingency plans for if/when we ran out. I never had to use any of them, but now that I have them, I don’t feel a need to use up my valuable space hoarding toilet paper.)

Avoiding a deep-seated (and usually misplaced) perception of poverty and/or a misperception of “wealth”. 
Counterpoint: Having more stuff doesn’t make you rich. It  actually costs you more in the long run. Would you rather be “rich” in stuff that gets in your way, or rich in time and energy that can be spent on having new and meaningful experiences, learning more about the world, and forging/maintaining important relationships? Which will matter more at the end of your life? Remember, that old adage “You can’t take it with you” refers to your material wealth, aka your "stuff".

Unwillingness to make choices (aka decision deferral).
Counterpoint: Making decisions gets easier and quicker with practice and takes less time when you do it on a daily basis. Developing a habit of making decisions in the moment takes effort but will pay huge dividends in the long run.

Need to fill up the other aspects of life that feel empty (relationships, self-esteem, productivity, sense of control).
Counterpoint: Space gives us freedom. We need space to live in, move in, fill up with the people and activities that bring us joy. When we do that, we will not feel emptiness; we will feel fulfilled.

So how do we create and maintain empty space?
Simple: Choose space over stuff. Now that you understand the value of empty space and why you may have chosen stuff instead in the past, it will be easier to  make more intentional decisions in the future. There are three key components to this:

1. Slow down acquisitions. Think about spending your space the same way you think about spending your money. Realize that you can only spend it on one thing so spend it wisely. Decide in advance where you will store it and what you will get rid of to maintain or increase your current amount of empty space. If you haven’t figured that out yet, let the store or warehouse continue to store it for you until you do. It’s not a “great deal” if it means you have to spend space you don’t want to spend in order to save money.
2. Make decluttering a regular routine. Just like cutting the grass, washing your hair, or doing laundry, getting rid of things you no longer need/use is an ongoing, necessary task. The more often you do it, the less time and effort it takes. Creating a regular routine will make it a habit you no longer have to think too much about, just like brushing your teeth every day. Just do it.
3. Become a decider. Develop a habit of making decisions immediately instead of putting them off. This is the single, most-effective change you can make to take and retain control over your environment and your life. Every purchase...Every piece of mail..Every coupon...Every “freebie”...It all comes with decisions attached. The longer you wait to make the decision, the greater your danger of losing control over your time, space, money and energy.

Capturing space and keeping it requires some bold changes. Then again, so did sending a man to the moon. Are you ready to face the final frontier?
​
With a little conscious decision-making and a few good habits, even holding onto empty space can be easy peasy!

Don't miss out! Sign up to get each new EPL Blog post delivered straight to your email inbox each week.

Don't miss out! Subscribe to the EPL Blog and get each new post delivered right to your email inbox. 

Don't miss out! Sign up to get each EasyPeasy Living Blog post delivered straight to your email inbox each week.

When it comes to saving space - and money - nothing beats the power of multi-taskers. Getting in the habit of investing only in items that serve a double-duty function can yield some big dividends when it comes to creating more space in your home.

So what does this look like? Well, consider the many areas of your life where you can get double the usefulness objects:

Kitchen

• Limit the number of time- and effort- saving gadgets clogging up your drawers and cabinets that only perform one task. Garlic presses, avocado slicers, and egg-cookers, just to name a few, don't really earn their keep in the kitchen when you consider that a good knife or your trusty custard cups can perform the same task yet also be used in myriad other ways too.
• Buy plain glassware and dishes in neutral colors that can be used for any holiday or with any color scheme. Your table can always be dressed up or down and color added in keeping with the occasion simply by supplementing your table with a variety of versatile decorative items you probably already have around the house.

Clothes

• Focus your wardrobe around versatile pieces that are easy to mix and match, while adding some flair through smaller, less expensive accessories. Strive for being able to make a lot of combinations out of fewer items.

​Linens

• Resist the urge to buy sheets that match the specific decor of only one bedroom. Use comforters and pillow shams for that while purchasing sheets that could be used on any of the beds of that size. Bonus: if you change your decor, at least you won't have to buy all new sheets. 
• Ditto goes for bathroom towels.
• When considering colors for your table linens, strive for those that will match a variety of occasions. For example, red can be used at Christmas, Valentine's Day, 4th of July, and Autumn; green can be used for Christmas, St. Patrick's Day, Easter and Spring/Summer.

Entertaining

• ​Again, neutral shades work best for plates, cups and plasticware, while using a smaller number of inexpensive napkins and other decorations to zero in on the specific theme or color scheme. That way, you can buy in these paper products in bulk and use them up over time without having to devote space to storing as many theme-specific paper products you have left over and may never use again.
• You don't need to store a gazillion different types of fancy serving dishes. Don't overlook everyday objects you can borrow from around the house like baskets or boxes you can line or cover in fabric as chip bowls, or an empty large picture frame (with patterned paper behind the glass) to serve as a platter or serving tray.
• If your buffet table is short on space, why not let a decorative appetizer or dessert double as the centerpiece? Fruit or veggie "flowers", chocolate truffle "trees", or a large vase filled with colorful skewers of meat, cheese and antipasto will be sure to get more notice than a floral arrangement that merely takes up room.
• Use your imagination and get rid of some excess craft supplies you already have on hand to create the atmosphere you want rather than going out and spending a lot of money on decorations you will then have to store later. Don't overlook nature's beauty. A basket of pinecones or a vase of holly can provide just the right touch for your party before being tossed back in the yard after the guests have departed.

​
Furniture

• If you are tight on space, using furniture that can fulfill more than one function is vital. Every coffee table, ottoman, end table, and nightstand should provide additional storage. 
• Placing a desk, low bookshelf, or dresser next to the bed may eliminate the need for a nightstand.
• Line the side of a bookshelf or inside of office cabinet doors with cork and use as a bulletin board that doesn't require any additional wall space.
• Outfit the office or small den with a daybed or futon that provides seating during the day and a bed for guests at night.
• Create toy storage that doubles as seating in the playroom by turning a bookshelf on its side and placing cushions on top.

The key is to get into the habit of brainstorming how you can use your belongings in more ways than one. Before you buy something new, look around to see if you already have something else that will fulfill your need. You'll be surprised how much space (and money!) you'll save...and trips to the donation dropoff too.

With a little creativity and a few multi-taskers, even creating more space in your home will be easy peasy.