I asked three pro organisers how they create order in small homes with limited storage – they all agreed that this one thing is a game-changer

As a small home dweller with very little built-in storage, I know firsthand just how difficult it can be to live in a cosier space with a lot of stuff. And no matter how hard I try to keep things tidy, it always looks cluttered. I know I’m not alone in this struggle, either, which is why I wanted to call on the professionals to help.

Over the years, I’ve started investing in clever clutter busters for a tidier home, but I still know I’m a long way from professional-level organisation. And when I asked three professional declutterers and organisers where other small home dwellers and I were going wrong, they all said the same thing: we’re not taking advantage of our vertical space.

As Shannon Murphy, Professional Organiser and Founder of Simpl Living Co, explains, ‘When storage is limited, the key is to make your home work harder for you while still keeping it visually calm and manageable.’ So, this is how to make the most of vertical space in smaller houses, so you can maintain a tidy, organised home.

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1. Add shelves to the walls

In small homes, walls are often the biggest (and clearest) areas of the house. So, making use of this vertical space is a no-brainer - and shelves can help you do that. Especially as they increase storage without encroaching on usable floor space.

The beauty of shelves is that they can also be used in any room of the house, no matter whether you want to maintain a tidy bedroom or a tidy bathroom. Hester Van Hien, a Home Decluttering and Organising Consultant from Tidylicious, says, ‘A shelf above the bathroom door could store toilet paper, cleaning products and other bathroom-related items.’

She adds, ‘Shelves installed about 30cm from the ceiling can be great for storing books, saving you the need for a bookcase, which takes up floor space. One of my neighbours stored all her books in this way in her hallway, and I very much liked how it became a feature, really adding character to her entrance.’

Of course, it’s always advisable to use the best decluttering methods to have a clear-out before you add anything to your shelves, so you don’t fill them with items that you no longer want or need. And if you don’t like seeing these items on your walls, you can use decorative storage baskets and boxes for a cleaner look.

2. Make the most of doors

Many people ignore their doors, but the pros say that doors are invaluable in small homes. In fact, Kate Dufton, Professional Organiser and Declutter at Ace Your Space, told me, ‘I’m always surprised at how many people don’t utilise the back of their doors; it is such an underrated space and one of my favourite quick wins.’

Again, you can utilise the door space in any room of a small house, making the most of handy (and affordable) additions such as hooks and over-the-door organisers to store towels, coats, shoes, accessories, and more. This will stop piles of clutter from taking up space on your floor, stairs, or chair of doom.

Kate says that doors are particularly handy if you want a tidy hallway, as you can ‘use hooks on the wall for coats and bags to free up floor space. Alternatively, hanging shoe storage on the back of a door also works well.’ But if you don’t want to use the actual door, Hester suggests you still use the space behind it.

She says, ‘Could you fit a narrow bookcase behind your door? I’ve attached a towel rail with moving arms behind my bedroom door. On this, I hang up the clothes that I’ve worn but can get another wear out of (worn clothes, too clean to wash).’

3. Don’t forget the inside of cupboards

Creating and maintaining order in a small home with limited storage is all about utilising that vertical space that you wouldn’t normally use, and the insides of your cupboards can work just as well as your doors. There are many ways to do this, too.

If you want to be like people with consistently tidy kitchen cupboards, it’s well worth buying additions that turn your previously unused cupboard doors into extra storage space. Hester explains, ‘On the inside of kitchen cabinets, you can attach containers to the inside of the door to store pan lids, rolls of bin bags, and cling film.’

But the cupboard itself can also be utilised further, with Kate suggesting, ‘An easy win for your kitchen is to add extra shelves in your cupboards if you only have one shelf per cupboard. This simple, low-cost solution can give you up to 30% more storage space.’

These are also low-maintenance and non-permanent additions, as you can chop and change your cupboard layouts depending on what you’re storing at the time. But if you’re able to store more in your cupboards - whether that be in your kitchen, living room or even your bedroom - there’s less visible clutter on show. So, it’ll make your entire home feel tidier.

Who said small homes with limited storage had to be cluttered?! Not us!