Do you have problems with organization?
Is your house small, and you wonder where you will store it all?
Well, maybe this interview will help!
Kathryn Bechen, author of
Small Space Organizing:
A Room by room Guide to Maximizing your Space, was
gracious enough to answer a few questions.
So with out farther ado....
Q: Do you consider small space living a
"quality of life" choice and if so, why?
A: Indeed, I do. Whatever housing lifestyle choice you make
for your family I think is okay, but I think that you should make sure you're
consciously choosing, and not just going with a McMansion in the 'burbs or an
acreage in the country with a big house because you feel outside pressure from
anyone else to do so. I believe housing
size is a lifestyle choice too in that housing size and the number of
possessions in it take up time in your life, and time IS your life, so you want
to be sure you're spending your time in a way that feels right for you because
you can never get time back! If living in a large home with a large yard full
of flowers makes you happy because you like having big family and friend
gatherings there, and you are comfortable with all the time, maintenance, and
expense that all involves, then I think
a larger home is right for you. If, like
me and my husband, you would rather live in a (high-quality) small space that
does not require hours of cleaning and large outlays of money for home
maintenance, lawn care, and furnishings, plus gives you more time to spend
doing enjoyable things together, having small dinners with a few friends, and
traveling, then I think small space living is for you. And always, no matter what the size of your
home space, personalize the furnishings and decor to your taste so it feels
beautiful to you. That doesn't mean you
have to spend tons of money; it means choosing furnishings and accessories
within your budget that you feel are attractive.
Q: What does "rightsized" living mean?
A: I think
"rightsized" is a relative term, personalized to you and your
family. A home that seems small to one
family might seem big to another. A home
that seems small to you at one phase of your life might seem large at another
time in your life. When I personally
think of small space living, I think of about 400-1200 SF, but some people
might think my 1200 SF apartment is big.
I've heard people say they're downsizing to a "small 2700 SF
house." To me, 2700 SF is big! Again, I'd like to inspire people to make
very conscious choices as to the size of home space they live in, so they're
happy, because I believe when you're happy at home, it radiates out in a
positive way to others in the world.
Kind of like when you find the perfect jeans that fit just right! And likewise, I'll be bold enough to declare
here that when your home space doesn't feel appropriate and supportive to you,
you sadly radiate that crankiness out into the world too!
Q: What's the first step to downsizing?
A: Buy a 3 inch
three-ring notebook and clear sheet protectors and a pencil case that you can
put on the binder rings so you can take notes, keep biz cards etc. in the sheet protector, and put pens and
your keys in the pencil case. Begin by walking through every room in your home
and list out every large item and furnishing that you want to donate or sell so
you will be able to see what you're going to have to move. Do this with any outside storage sheds and
the garage as well. Don't forget the
attic or other out-of-the-way spaces.
It's not carved in stone; you may have to walk through your home
numerous times, and you may have to negotiate the items with your mate and
family as well.
Q: Can someone really be happy, and stay
organized, living in just one room?
A: Absolutely! Some people actually prefer it, especially if
they live in a studio apartment in someplace like New York City where the
excitement and culture of the city is their "backyard," or in San
Diego, where parks and beaches are the same.
In one room, everything has to have its place, and I believe every home
should have only the things in it that really bring you joy, but when living in
one room, that's even more important.
Make your home beautiful to you, even if it's one small room!
Q: What's your best tip for creating a foyer if
you don't have a "real" foyer?
A: If you enter right into your living room, create a
"foyer" near the front door using an attractive small bedroom
nightstand. Hang a mirror over it, and
place a basket under the legs of the nightstand. Put your keys in the nightstand, put your
shoes in the basket, and check your "do" every day in the mirror
before you leave the house.
Q: What are your two best small space organizing
tips?
A: 1. Keep your
gadgets and appliances simple by buying only what you'll truly use.
2. Use all-white
dishes and clear glassware to cut down on how many dish sets you buy. If a dish breaks, you can easily find a new
similar white piece and not have to get a whole new set.
Q: How in the world can you create a
"spa-like" experience in a teeny-tiny bathroom, especially if the
kids' rubber duckies have taken up residence?
A: In a small home, especially
if there is only one bathroom, the bathroom should ideally be totally free of
clutter and toys. You can achieve that
by giving each family member a plastic basket or tote to hold their toiletries
and toys. Instead of being stored in the
bathroom, each family member keeps their basket in their bedroom and carries it
to and from the bathroom. They also keep
their own towel and washcloth in their bedroom--hang it on a hook in the
closet. Many of us used this M.O. in
college. Assign time slots for each
family member to bathe for 30=45 minutes daily each so there is no squabbling
about sis taking too long in the bathroom.
Set a timer if need be. Make it a
family rule that each member will respect others' time in the bathroom and not
interrupt so each family member feels they can have their private bathroom
"spa time." And last but not
least, each family member cleans up after themselves immediately after their
bathroom time so it's clean for the next person. No whiskers in the sink and no pantyhose
dripping on the bathroom rod!
Q: What's your best tip if a couple has to share
a small home office?
A: (Laughs.) Pray!
Seriously, unless you work on projects together often and need to
collaborate, each person should have their own side, corner, or at least a desk
that's uniquely theirs, and the other person should not invade their turf
without permission. Do your best to keep
order on both sides; don't let it get totally out of control with clutter as
that's disrespectful to your mate if you are sharing a space. That being said, Nancy Neatfreak is going to
have to lighten up a bit if she's married to Max Messy. My husband and I share a home office, and he
has one side of the room and I have the other.
I systematically put everything away at the end of the day, and he's a
little bit looser with his paperwork, but not a messy. He uses a big black chair and office armoire
that closes up so I can't see his paperwork, and I have an Old World feminine
style desk that I love, and a pretty slipcovered chair. Put your personal decorative stamp on your
side of the room, and don't worry about your styles matching. When people walk
into our home office they laugh and immediately comment on whose side is whose
because it's very obvious!
Q: What's your best organizing tip for kids
sharing a bedroom?
A: Just like a home
office shared by mates, kids should each have their own side that's personalized
to them. Or at least their own bed if
using bunk beds, for instance. I think
each child should have their own desk for school studies as well, and their own
dresser and side of the closet.
Q: How is it possible to create an organized
"library" in a small home?
A: Buy tall white
bookshelves and line your longest living room wall as a focal point. Arrange the books on the shelf in an artful
way, mixing in collected knickknacks for an interesting look. Or, today your e-reader, in lieu of
bookshelves, can be your library in a small space if you don't want to dust
bookshelves. Also, if you have a dining
nook, you can put floor to ceiling bookcases to create a charming little
library.
Q: In your book you talk about the binder
notebook method. What is that exactly?
A: It's the three-ring
binder notebook I mentioned in the downsizing question above. It helps you have a portable place to jot
down your thoughts, plus store biz cards and fliers from housing developments
you're touring etc.
Q: What free download do you have today for our
readers/listeners so they can get started right away in organizing their small
space home?
A: Go to www.SmallSpaceOrganizing.com and sign up to get the free article I wrote, Small Space Savvy in a Big Stuff World. There's also another free home organizing
and decorating article there as a bonus.
Bio for
Author Kathryn Bechen
Kathryn Bechen is an award-winning professional writer whose
articles have appeared in popular national and regional magazines and
newspapers. She specializes in lifestyle feature articles and has also
published several organizing and decorating e-books. The lifestyle companies
she founded, Organized with Ease and Kathryn Bechen Designs, have served
clients worldwide. Kathryn has organized and decorated 13 personal small space
residences together with her husband Steve, and they currently live in their
favorite small space ever: a 1,200-square-foot high-rise apartment in beautiful
San Diego, California. She blogs about timely lifestyle topics at
www.KathrynBechenINK.com.
