Comments on: Weekend Project: Clear clutter from under furniture

By: Hayden Tompkins

Hayden Tompkins — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 15:04:12 +0000

All the furniture I purchased has in-item storage. The sofa has storage under the cushions, same with the chair and loveseat, the ottoman, and end tables. I read (A LOT) and I like having all my semi-torn up sci-fi paperbacks in reach, out of guests view. It saves my bookshelves for my ‘pretty’ books.

homereserve.com

Besides, YOU are the one who got me thinking about how everything should have multiple uses!

By: Katie

Katie — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:14:42 +0000

We definitely store things under the bed. But they are for intentional long-term storage-holiday decorations, etc. And it has recently been decluttered and reorganized.

We also store our laptops on lapdesks under the sofa. It seems totally logical to me and I can’t think of a better place to store them. But it did take a bit to get used to, I felt like I was slacking but anyplace else just seemed to create clutter.

By: Erin Doland

Erin Doland — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:41:28 +0000

I agree that having a small space can affect your storage options. However, there is a big difference between storing out of season clothing in moth-proof boxes under your bed and shoving dirty clothes under your bed when guests come to visit. Obviously, the first option is an organized solution, while the second option is clutter.

With this post, I was suggesting getting rid of the clutter.

I will say, though, that I live in a tiny house by most American standards (1300 sq. feet), and I have found that owning fewer things is the easiest way to alleviate storage needs. I don’t have a garage or attic, and so there just isn’t room for keeping much of anything stored. In most cases, either we use an object on a regular basis, or we don’t have it in our home. There just isn’t room.

By: Craig

Craig — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:20:30 +0000

Where do you put your stuff if you live in a small townhouse with no basement, no garage, and very little closet space?

The answer: Under the bed and every nook and cranny, whether you like it or not.

By: H...

H... — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:44:34 +0000

i personally dont like to store things under or besides furniture. it makes hard to sweep the floor among them. i dont have big storage issues like some commenters have. i keep my magazines in my bathroom.

By: jeremy

jeremy — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:57:31 +0000

I agree that if you have items you never use, it doesnt make sense to hide them under the couch to be forgotten until you move.

However, we store our indoor clothes drying rack under the couch as well as our Logitech CD wallets which hold 200 cds each. Since these items arent used on a daily basis and they arent the most beautiful things to look at, under the couch is a great place for us to store these items.

By: Michele

Michele — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:01:13 +0000

I guess I would distinguish “regularly store things neatly under furniture” from “toss unsightly, disorganized things under furniture because you are choosing not to deal with them.”

I keep winter blankets under the bed in a flat roll-out bin. But I don’t cram magazines and children’s toys under the couch to fool guests about the state of my house.

By: SaveChange

SaveChange — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:15:17 +0000

Most of our furniture is only domain to dust bunnies and the little gremlins (a.k.a. giant fur balls) that pop off of my cat during spring shed until we sweep them up. That being said, I must say I’m still a huge advocate of utilizing underbed storage for the winter/summer clothing exchange. We have one bin for sweaters and our winter blanket and under the bed it goes… and stays. But any place else? Clean it indeed!

By: Lisa

Lisa — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 23:17:54 +0000

We have one closet, minimal kitchen storage, and no basement in our 1500 sq ft 3 bedroom apt. We’ve done a lot of purging, as you can imagine, and it’s an on-going process. But the area under the love seat will remain in use as intentional storage until/if we move into a larger home with more storage options.

By: Tameson O'Brien

Tameson O'Brien — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 12:24:55 +0000

this year we got both of our kids (still at home) storage beds that have drawers under the mattresses. this makes it physically impossible to have anything UNDER the bed, and anything that would have been (train sets – cloth diapers – sweaters etc.) is now neatly stored in the drawers in their beds.

By: Ellie

Ellie — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 09:28:02 +0000

I understand and respect that in some situations storage under furniture is a must but the thought of it in my home sends shivers down my spine! I love furniture on legs so you can see underneath it, and since I have dust allergies creating more places for dust to hide and making it harder to clean out would be a very Bad Thing. I didn’t realise that feng shui has something to say about it but it doesn’t surprise me and it confirms my own feelings about under-furniture storage.

By: anon

anon — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 08:54:42 +0000

One that I do (in addition to the under the bed thing – my closet is very small!) is keep my broadband modem, wireless router and VOIP box under a small table, along with my excess office supplies and the paper files which must be kept. This is more about hiding them from sight but keeping them accessible. All the electronics are attached to a single power bar which is easily accessible to flip them on and off.

By: Christine

Christine — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 02:48:54 +0000

Well, magazines are probably not a good idea, but when I had a sofa with a skirt and limited storage, it was a great place for my board games that were too big for anywhere else (i.e. my scrabble!). Also, i store a LOT of stuff (off season clothes, fabric) under my bed.

By: Guinnevere

Guinnevere — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 00:46:09 +0000

how did you know i store all my used water cups behind the headboard! lol… i knock them off while i’m asleep : /

By: N. & J.

N. & J. — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 00:34:11 +0000

I have a rather small apartment and since I am getting married in July I have aquired a lot of stuff that goes with that. Since my “dining room” has been turned into an office by pushing the dining room table against the wall I started stacking stuff up underneath it. Normally I have a table cloth and don’t see the growing pile but it took less then a day after the tablecloth went into the wash pile before I started sorting.

http://badhuman.wordpress.com

By: Anne

Anne — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 00:23:12 +0000

Great idea for the weekend…my kids loved it (4), they were under the bed (one bunk and 2 regulars) pulling out stray socks, and one son found his missing wallet with money! We have all wood floors, and keeping it clear helps me swift! I do have a rolling plastic storage of barbies under one girls bed! I rearrange my living room furniture so much storing under that would be a hassle!
Love the idea! Bet same amount of folks have “stuff” stored on top of bookcases, hutches etc….

By: georgie

georgie — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 23:12:34 +0000

There is no other place to store larger items except under the bed. However you reminded me to check under the china hutch-where trays had been stored/hidden. Euuwwww! They were filthy and lots of dust! No more storing in that area.

By: Dream Mom DBA www.dreamorganizers.com

Dream Mom DBA www.dreamorganizers.com — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 22:43:34 +0000

I’ve never thought that storing stuff under furniture was a great idea. Most of the time, it’s a sign a person has too much stuff and needs to pare down. I have also heard it’s bad Feng Shui.

That being said, I do have one exception. I keep a bin with cat toys stored under the chair in my living room. I like to play with him and don’t like them sitting out. Plus, he likes to grab them and play on his own.

By: Sandra

Sandra — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 22:38:49 +0000

I also agree that storing things under furniture senselessly is silly, and storing them purposefully is good. So I agree with everyone, poster and replies.

I live in a tiny dorm room (which I am currently cleaning because I had to go home for spring break and have also been too sick to clean for several weeks – agh!) and if I didn’t store things under my bed, I might die.

I don’t think my dorm will ever qualify for the Unclutterer workspace of the week, but I like to think I’m using my space wisely and I get a lot of value out of most of the things I choose to have with me!

By: Susan

Susan — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 22:11:30 +0000

Thanks Louise. You put it so well! I store two folding cots under the king sized bed in the guest room and the two mattress pads for the cots are under the king sized bed in the master bedroom. Today these cots and pads are in the office/third bedroom awaiting children of our guests who are arriving tomorrow. These items are soooo NOT clutter