Tips on How to Organize a Small Apartment with Natalie Ron

Natalie Ron is the Chief Organizing Officer and Founder of Swoon Spaces. Her company works with clients to help minimize their clutter and make sustainable, organized systems throughout their homes to enable them to live more productive, efficient, and calm lives! In short, Natalie has a knack for uncovering the order behind our chaos. We met at a conference in Minneapolis and immediately connected over our passions for influencing beauty and how your home can impact your life.

Top things to know about organizing a small apartment:

• Small spaces are less forgiving, so it's important to learn organizational hacks like labeling things and finding a home for all your belongings.
• Schedule recurring decluttering sessions for yourself at home. You'd be surprised by how much you can always get rid of!
• Use vertical space for storage wherever possible. For example, installing shelves on a wall will help bring those off the ground.

Natalie Ron is the Chief Organizing Officer and Founder of Swoon Spaces. Her company works with clients to help minimize their clutter and make sustainable, organized systems throughout their homes to enable them to live more productive, efficient, and calm lives! In short, Natalie has a knack for uncovering the order behind our chaos. We met at a conference in Minneapolis and immediately connected over our passions for influencing beauty and how your home can impact your life.

Natalie, where do you even start to organize a small apartment?

Everything begins with the belief that a space can be transformed—no matter the size! As a native New Yorker, I have first-hand experience with small closets and spaces. It's in my bones! But I also know, as does my team, that any space can be strategized, organized, maximized, and ultimately enjoyed.

Decluttering can be a very personal experience, but we encourage our clients to hold onto only the essentials. This way, they allow more room for comfortable living and to grow into who they are meant to be, rather than holding onto the clutter that belonged to who they were. We fuse form and function, allowing our clients access to their own peaceful space that is also maintainable over time.

Why is it essential to organize when you live in a small space?

Small spaces are less forgiving. There's less room to hide your things, so you need to be smart about maximizing. Small spaces don't necessarily mean that you have to go all minimalistic. Not at all! If you do have lots of art or clothes, that's ok! It's simply a matter of balancing — you'll want to store your seasonal items, get rid of things you don't use/need, and set up your space to keep all your items efficiently organized. Make it as easy as possible to stay organized so you can easily snap it all back when life (and your space) gets out of hand.

Are there any resources you suggest that could be helpful if you're just starting to organize your space?

Our SWOON blog has lots of resources on getting started if you are moving, decluttering, or simply organizing your space! Otherwise, I'd suggest watching Youtube channels or following professional organizers on Instagram or TikTok! There's no right way to organize, but there is a right way for you. My advice would be to get started and get creative! Find solutions that work well for you based on how you live your life.

What are some common mistakes you see in small apartments?

The lack of systems and containment can be a massive misstep for those living in small apartments. Most people don't realize they have much more usable space than they think. It's just a matter of categorizing items and managing them sustainably and efficiently. Our solution at SWOON uses vertical space and containment products like containers, bins, drawer dividers, door storage systems, etc. If everything has a home (ideally labeled), it is more likely to end up in that spot, over and over again, rather than out in the open, creating clutter.

What are your top three suggestions for how to get organized if you live in a small apartment?

Have declutter sessions regularly (seasonally or even monthly). There is always room to get rid of stuff. You'd be surprised!

1. Contain items strategically. Categorize, organize, and then put them in a designated space. Only use organizing products that fit the space exactly. Using inefficient containers is the worst use of your space and your wallet.
2. Use your available vertical space. Use upper closet shelves or under-bed bins for out-of-season categories. Use the area behind your door to store your shoes or add baskets for cleaning supplies. Add floating shelves to an open wall for more storage.

Is there any bonus advice you'd like to share?

There's always more you can declutter, and donating whatever you decide to let go of is a great way to feel good about letting go of your belongings. If you know your stuff will have a better life if given away to someone who will use it and love it, what a wonderful gift a declutter session can be for yourself and your community.

Ultimately, living an organized and clutter-free life is a practice, not a one-and-done task. So keep the intention on your mind regularly, remind yourself to take those steps, and remember that being organized and minimizing clutter can release stress and anxiety and revamp your entire self-worth.

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^{Photo Credit: (Left) Room for Tuesday}