So Sallie Says

We bought our house in May of 2020, only a few months into the pandemic but already feeling the pressure of a one bedroom apartment and a competitive housing market. We saw more than 40 houses, made several offers, and developed a weird obsession with our real estate agent because he was the only other person we were seeing regularly during lock-down. The last thing isn’t relevant but I needed to get it off my chest. 

By a stroke of luck (read: an offer well over asking price with no contingencies and a heartfelt letter reeking of desperation) we bought our house, moved in, and immediately got two cats. It’s a 1960s split-level that was meticulously and lovingly cared for by its previous owners, who bought the house new, spent their whole lives in it, and then died in their 90s – one from old age and the other just a week later from what I assume was a broken heart. (Right after we moved in, there was some weird light flickering and I was thrilled at the prospect of the house being haunted by their benevolent spirits, but unfortunately have had no further encounters.)  

My favorite things about the house are the natural light, the vibes, and the sunroom. My least favorite thing is that there’s no storage space. No garage, no attic, and no extra closets.

Now, five years in, we are already outgrowing the house but with this economy we’re destined to be here into our 90s when it’s our turn to die and roam these halls, ghost-ily murmuring about 2% interest rates.

Until then, I’ll be continuing to get really good at saving space. Here’s a few tips I’ve already picked up.

Get rid of everything, all the time

I am constantly inventorying how long it’s been since we used something or since something sparked joy. Marie Kondo is worried I’m taking it too far. If my husband leaves a pair of shoes in one place for too long they are out of here. 

Consider the cubic footage of any and all purchases

I haven’t read a physical book in years and it’s not because I prefer the Paperwhite technology. A Ninja Creami? Unless it doubles as a clothes washer and bathes my child, absolutely not. No single-purpose gadgets here! Come closer, and ask me if I have a hard suitcase. Go ahead, I don’t bite. NO, idiot! *Whacks you upside the head with my foldable duffle bag.*

Forget having any hobbies

Your hobby is looking at your phone now, because it can fit in the palm of your hand and you’re addicted to it anyway. I don’t care if you “like” playing guitar, or if “snowboarding” is fun for you. There’s not enough space for you to enjoy things. 

Except Tetris

You’re going to need to be very good at fitting a lot of Rubbermaid totes in small spaces, so start practicing.

In all seriousness (and believe me, there is nothing I take more seriously than manically organizing every square inch of my house), I’ve found a few space-saving techniques I like. These links are not commissionable but with your support maybe they can be.

• My number one tip is to utilize every square inch of hidden storage possible: under, over, and within. If you want to be in the big leagues you need sofas with built-in storage, soft-sided bags under every bed, and over-the-door hangers.
• A narrow laundry basket like this one. Yes, it might not hold as much as you’re used to but just grow up and do your laundry more frequently.
• This hanging rod that creates a second level to your closet. I do question the structural integrity of this but no power tools are required, so do your own risk calculus.
• I’ll be honest, I don’t love packing cubes for traveling but I do use them to store off-season clothes, sheets, coats, and other bulky items.
• If you’re not already in a Buy Nothing group, what are you doing? Most neighborhoods have one, and mine is legitimately the only reason I still have Facebook. Rather than doing big closet clean-outs and driving around with a Goodwill bag in my trunk for 5 months I regularly post items I’m no longer using and it’s out of here in a day. It makes decluttering a less daunting task and you know your items are going to someone who wants them.