Typically, living in the city means adjusting to a new way of “nesting”…a reality I learned very quickly in my first house in DC. When describing my room to friends, I tend to liken it to Harry Potter’s cupboard under the stairs (only mine is above the stairs.) The room is about the size of my parents’ walk-in closet - slightly larger, if counting the square footage of the adjacent private bathroom. It has a tiny private staircase, my clothes hang openly on a rack above my staircase, and the only bed that fits is a little twin.

When I met my landlord at the house to see the room, I asked her the rent, and when I could move in. “Tomorrow, if you want,” she said to the latter. “I’ll take it,” I said without hesitating.

You can imagine the work it took to downsize from my two-bedroom apartment in North Carolina to this dink-dink of a space on Capitol Hill. But to be honest, I love my little room! I felt proud of myself for making it possible to live with so little, for shifting my definition of “enough”.

Considering living small? I’ve done it for several years and I have some tips to make it work. For some inspiration on how you can make the most of limited space and storage, read on!

What can you part with? I try to be more a purger, less of a hoarder. I do it periodically and it feels great to offload items I really don’t use or find joy with anymore (thank you much, Marie Kondo). Right now I’m consigning clothes I’ve had for years that no longer suit my style anymore, as it’s always gradually changing. I take my clothes to my favorite consignment shop here in the DMV, Current Boutique. Whatever they don’t accept, they’ll donate. When I offload, either I make a profit or walk away less burdened while knowing someone else will get to enjoy my clothes. Win-win!

I’ll drop off clothes at consignment and in the same trip, take unused household objects to Goodwill (for tax purposes, if you donate larger items remember to ask for a receipt!)

Small tip: little things can add up to a big pile. Consider items like these that you honestly can shrink down or part with:

• Shoes

  • Are they uncomfortable? Have you worn them in the last 8 months?

• Il-fitted clothes

  • If it’s been two years, are you actually going to take it to the tailor? (or have you been telling yourself you would for months now…)

• Jewelry

  • Are you not wearing it any more? Have you ever worn it? (Halloween doesn’t count.)

• Unused tech toys

  • What can you salvage and sell online?

• Purses

• Cosmetics & toiletries

  • Anything you haven’t used? Did you open it and realize you didn’t like it (the smell texture, etc.)?

  • Consider donating products you don’t intend to use to a domestic shelter, or toss ‘em if they’ve expired.

• Craft supplies

  • Consolidating your loves-only items is a great weekend project!

• Books (I love collecting them, but I still have to assess what’s really worth lugging around in my next house move.)

  • Consider Kindle, Libby, Audible, or ebooks from your local library.

Maximize under-bed storage. A great perk of living in the city is all kinds of treasures our neighbors are left on the street. I’ve come home with all kinds of freebies, including a set of plastic risers that added an extra six inches of height to my bed. This is a huge game changer for storage. I keep seasonal items I use infrequently pushed to the back against the wall, and other belongings I reach for more often toward the front where I can easily grab them. Find some bed raisers to enhance your space. (I found mine on the sidewalk! Perks of living in the city - never-ending access to free stuff.)

Minimize to the essentials. Everyone has their own perception of minimalism; for me, I’m not a fan of the “organized cluttered” look. Instead, I aim to pare down to pieces I really love. If I don’t love it and there’s no sentimental value, I’ve gotten better with allowing them to move onto a new life. Sometimes, if I do love it but don’t have room for it, I hang onto only a few spare items to swap when it’s time for a decorative “refresh.”

Have a home for everything. The thing about a small room is it’s very easy to make messy. Five things go out of place and suddenly it looks like my closet’s exploded. Items I reach for the most need to be close by and easily accessible.

Storage bins and containers. Huge help! These are great to have for storage, and convertibility when moving. I have a small wall of shelves in my bathroom that keeps everything tidy and in their proper place - storage bins and baskets make pulling items out simple and prevents mess. Sweaters, workout clothes, t-shirts, socks, underwear, etc. I keep varying-sized boxes for items of all sizes, from tiny office supplies to chunky sweaters. Target and the Container Store for cute options in matching sets.

• Hanging shoe racks

• Coordinating cloth storage bins

• Plastic toiletry baskets

• Stackable boxes

• Plastic drawers (large for office supplies, tech)

• Plastic drawers (small, for cosmetics)

• Labeled items (bless. up.)

Dedicate “closet” space. I don’t have a formal closet, but something that’s worked out quite well is a clothes rack my landlord had installed above my staircase. If you don’t have a closet, ask your landlord to have a rack like this one installed, or look into one of those rolling racks if you have the floor space. This also helps you see most of your wardrobe in one place, maximizing use of all my pieces (because nothing is shoved out of sight!)

What items do you use most? Keep that most readily visible, and accessible. It’s generally helpful to keep most of your items as accessible as possible, and a periodic sweep through your closet to examine what’s doesn’t get worn is worth a quarterly repeat.

Multifunctional items. Do your research - a multitude of products exist that double their function. A hanging shoe rack (pictured on the left in the picture above) has been a convenient home for socks and underwear that I can reach for easily when I’m getting dressed. Shower curtains with pockets to hold toiletries? Yuuuuge win. And empty suitcases no longer take up space - they’re the best storage units for off-season clothes and shoes. Amazon and The Container Store have plenty of options.