• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Entrees
    • Lunch
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
    • Dog-Friendly
  • Life
    • Travels
    • Gift Guides
  • About
    • About Sues
    • Work With Me
    • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Newsletter

We are not Martha logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Life
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Recipes
    • Life
    • About
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • Γ—

    Home Β» Life Β» Home Organization How-to: The Importance of Vertical Space

    Aug 19, 2010 Β· Modified: Sep 15, 2020 by Chels Β· This post may contain affiliate links, uses cookies, and generates income via ads Β· View privacy policy + disclosure statement linked in footer Β· 17 Comments

    Home Organization How-to: The Importance of Vertical Space

    My city apartment is 721 square feet. Total. And I have a roommate. And we both have an obscene amount of "stuff". When it comes to decorating and organizing, the only way I survive in a small apartment is by remembering the importance of vertical space. When the living gets tight, it's crucial to build up, so to speak. Instead of using all of your floor area for shallow and long storage pieces, purchase units that are narrow and tall, giving you greater room for foot traffic.

    My most recent home decor project was in my bathroom. It's not a huge space and the only storage is the medicine cabinet. There's a small area, about 17" wide, between the sink and the toilet where I used to store my bathroom necessities in a small storage unit (that was overflowing). With the addition of a new roommate I decided to reevaluate the space and give the room a little facelift.

    I'm quite stubborn when it comes to finding furniture. I always envision something a certain way and I refuse to settle until I find exactly what I want. Please note: This stubbornness and not "giving in" also translates to almost every other area of my life. I twitch if things aren't how I think they should be. I've got issuuuuues!

    Here's what was on my "must have" list for the potential unit:

    • white, to seamlessly match the rest of the bathroom.
    • contained a few shelves but also a cabinet to conceal items that guests shouldn't have to see such as hair dryers, nail polish remover, extra soap, lady products etc. Hiding all of that stuff can make a space appear cleaner and not as busy.
    • something that was tall and narrow enough to fit in the space.
    • reasonably priced
    • sturdy

    In terms of looks, I ended up coming across exactly what I was looking for at several stores but couldn't bring myself to pay upwards of $170+ on units that weren't well made. A lot of stores had floor models out and the cabinets and shelving were quite rickety and didn't look very structurally sound. I ended up going with the Sloan White 18" Leaning Bookcase from Crate and Barrel for two reasons: 1) Crate and Barrel is a brand and quality that I trust and 2) I already own the 25.5" Sloane Leaning Desk so I know they're easy to assemble and very sturdy structures. I also figured if I ever get a bigger place I can put the two Sloan pieces together. Just me thinking ahead, kids πŸ˜‰ Since I was compromising on having a cabinet, I purchased two baskets with lids on them for the bottom shelves, one for me and one for my roommate, so our personal items could still be concealed. Then I had a leftover basket that I used to store a few rolls of toilet paper in so guests can easily find it if we run out. I'm a self-proclaimed basket-whore. OBSESSED with the baskets. I'm planning to buy a couple more Ball jars for essentials like Q-tips and makeup pads, too.

    Final product:

    DSCN4266.JPGDSCN4267.JPG

    My Sloan leaning desk in my bedroom:

    DSC03164

    When you're looking for storage units that aren't vertically challenged, look for words like "tower", hinting a tall, narrow structure. Also, don't get attached to the name of a structure. The one I purchased for my bathroom is technically, or in Crate and Barrel's eyes, a bookcase, but I put it in my bathroom. Don't be afraid to get creative and do your own thing. A couple of my favorites are below:

    Picture 2

    Patterson White Bath Tower, Crate and Barrel

    Picture 3

    Slat Rack, CB2

    When decorating small spaces, don't forget about your walls. Wall-mounted storage and shelving units can be a lifesaver if you don't want to take up floor-space:

    Picture 5

    Cable Brackets with White Melamine Shelf, Container Store

    Picture 6

    Single and Double Acrylic Shelves, Container Store

    What are your go-to storage solutions for small spaces? Any creative ideas or tricks?

    [Chels]

    Tweet
    Share2
    Pin3K
    Yum
    Share
    3K Shares
    « Lamb Meatballs with Spelt Risotto and Pesto
    Spinach, Sausage, and Cheese Strata »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kristen says

      August 19, 2010 at 10:10 pm

      LOVE that shelving unit. I have wanted that in a dark wood forever, just don't have the right place for it. Someday!

    2. Victoria says

      August 19, 2010 at 10:39 pm

      I have no tips. I loved this post because I need help in this area. We recently moved from 2200 sq. ft. to less than 900. I know it still seems like a lot, but with 2 people, 2 big dogs and a whole lot of "house-sized" furniture, I feel cramped!

    3. Pooja says

      August 19, 2010 at 10:44 pm

      Crate and Barrel is genius with the vertical units! Or maybe it is just you Chels, that finds all the awesome stuff like this there! Also I think I am in love with the Container store!!

    4. Fun and Fearless in Beantown says

      August 20, 2010 at 9:46 am

      I have three of those shelving units myself. Two are the straight shelves and one is the desk. We have these lined up on one wall for my office and the other side of the room has the bar - because you know, you need a drink after a day in the office πŸ˜‰

    5. Elina (Healthy and Sane) says

      August 20, 2010 at 10:04 am

      The new shelving unit looks gorgeous! I love that you just got baskets for stuff you want to hide and didn't limit yourself to only units with cabinets. Awesomeness. PS - I LOVE the tile in your bathroom. I may have to copy that when we redo ours. πŸ˜€

    6. Sassy Molassy says

      August 20, 2010 at 12:56 pm

      Ooh, I love it! Such a cute and effective little bathroom organization piece.

    7. Dustin says

      August 20, 2010 at 1:23 pm

      Chelsee, you've seen my posh space out in the ghetto of JP. One of my favorite tricks, is how to hide unseemly cords from technology. I use those paper boxes from Ikea or otherwise and I cut a big hole out of the back to insert all the cables and even my modem and wireless router (if they don't give off much heat). Then I pop the lid on and no one would guess it wasn't hiding some books or extra sweaters.

      I also use all my available wall space, such as hanging wine shelves under shelves in my dining room and having a similar storage shelf like yours in my living room to hold my surplus of throw pillows and blankets that are too pretty to hide.

      I also just turned a little vestibule in my bedroom between doorways into a functional space by losing access to that door (wasn't needed anyway) and stuck a giant armoire that fit perfectly in it. So it looks like I have built in cabinets. I even hid an ugly storage unit behind it and out of the way for my out of season clothes. So I just have to move the armoire twice a year and voila! Free storage.

      I love your tips, Chels.

    8. Sharlene says

      August 20, 2010 at 3:06 pm

      I love all the decorating tips. They're so helpful! You did a wonderful job with your bathroom. It definitely looks spacious and not cluttered!

    9. Emily @ The Happy Home says

      August 20, 2010 at 3:15 pm

      i hear you on the shelving-- our house is a little less than a thousand square feet for two people and two 50lb+ dogs. i feel you on the need to move upwards. we're currently on the scout for a lingerie chest, to act as a dresser in our teeny tiny bedroom!

    10. Susan says

      August 20, 2010 at 6:50 pm

      That shelving is amazing.

    11. Jess says

      August 21, 2010 at 11:00 am

      When I redid the tiny tiny bathroom in our house this year, I bought a cabinet to go above the toilet. That is usually wasted space and it's where I store everything! I also got a cabinet unit with a large sink to store stuff there as well.

    12. Bridget says

      August 22, 2010 at 11:18 am

      Love what you did in the bathroom! We only have 1 small bathroom in our house and unfortunatel I dont even think that shelving unit would fit! I am trying to find a small cabinet with no luck! But I love all the items you brought up here!!

    13. thatShortChick says

      August 22, 2010 at 1:01 pm

      LOOOOVE the look of that vertical shelf in your bathroom. I'm sending this post to my best friend who lives (by herself) in a 600-something square foot apartment in Philly. I bet she'd pick up some great tips.

    14. sarah k. @ the pajama chef says

      August 22, 2010 at 10:12 pm

      love that bathroom. in my apt the bathrooms are HUGE, but i know when we're in a house one day they prob won't be as big so i need ideas. πŸ™‚ thanks!

    15. Jaime says

      August 25, 2010 at 11:14 am

      i love that bathroom - gorgeous. looks like it is straight out of a magazine! great job πŸ™‚

    16. Self Storage Unit says

      September 20, 2010 at 11:13 am

      Your site was great with interesting resources. Those thoughts about self storage is a huge help to anyone! keep sharing your ideas!
      JK

    17. marji says

      October 28, 2018 at 7:38 am

      My apartment's bathroom is a HOLE! Not much space to work with at all ! I agree with you about going vertical. The rent is still the same going upwards, and giving more room for foot space. My other BIG issue.... I have NO closet space. So when I go to put things "away".....there is NO "away place" to put my things! Seriously! Every sets out. HELP!!!!!

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Meet Sues

    Hi and thanks for visiting! I started We are not Martha to show you how to make recipes that impress without stress, including easy weeknight dinners, delightful desserts, + lots of cocktails.

    Learn More...

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • Popular Now

    • Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce
    • Momofuku Milk Bar's Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookies
    • Blueberry Vodka Lemonade
    • Chicken Dog Treats

    Footer

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • About Sues
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosures
    • Web Stories

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with Me

    BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY AMAZON SHOP TO DISCOVER SOME OF MY FAVORITE COOKING AND BAKING ITEMS THAT I USE IN MY OWN KITCHEN. WE ARE NOT MARTHA IS A PARTICIPANT IN THE AMAZON SERVICES LLC ASSOCIATES PROGRAM, AN AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR SITES TO EARN ADVERTISING FEES BY ADVERTISING AND LINKING TO AMAZON.COM. ORDERING ANY PRODUCTS MENTIONED HERE ARE AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

    Copyright Β© 2022 WE ARE NOT MARTHA