First, get rid of things that don’t enhance the space. Many things that we own turn out not to be as useful as we planned or take up to much space to be worth the “convenience” they were supposed to offer. Limiting your belongings so that you only own practical things will lighten the load in your apartment and your life.

Of course, you don’t want to just throw away everything and live with one plate and one cup. You should also surround yourself with things that inspire you. If you explore and search for items that are useful and also beautiful, you can really make your apartment or small home a personal retreat. Now, you’re probably saying to yourself that that is easier said than done, and you’re right.

Making your life more simplistic is a lifelong endeavor for some. It takes making a mental adjustment on the way that you see the world. It can be hard to resist things that you think you need. But, you’ve probably lived without it up until now. Before you buy something, ask yourself if there is any other way to get the use that the item offers without actually buying the item.

For example, you see a wine rack that would be beautiful in your kitchen, but deep down you know that it would take up some valuable counter space. But, society has conditioned you to constantly be a good consumer and fill your home with things. You’re fighting back, but you still want that wine rack. You go home and suddenly you’re not content with the wine sitting up beside the refrigerator any more. The product has accomplished its goal. It made you feel like you couldn’t live without it.

You really need to rebel against advertisements and figure out a way to be creative instead of spending a lot of money. If you really want to get the wine bottles off of the countertop, find another way. For example, you can easily install a wood shelf with slat dividers that hang down from your upper cabinets. Voila! Wine rack that didn’t cost but a couple of bucks and you’ve made more space on your counter than you had before.

Use your creativity to make space in other ways around your house. Get rid of things that aren’t necessary and consolidate items around your house. Do you really need to keep every book that you’ve ever read? Do you need all of those sheets that don’t fit the bed that you’re using now? Does your closet have clothes in it that you haven’t worn in forever? You can make space not only by getting rid of things, but by using sneaky ways of forcing it to happen. For example, those slim velvet hangers are the latest in space saving hangers, tripling space in your closet without getting rid of anything. If you really try, you can make a lot of use out of small spaces, without spending a lot of money.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.

Many people who rid themselves of excess possessions find that their life is less cluttered, less complicated, more predictable, and more comforting. Minimalists report that it is much easier to organize and the simple life has many rewards.

Simplifying your life can even have financial rewards. As your priorities shift from buying things that you like to only buying things that you need, you’ll notice yourself getting pickier about what you buy. You will not want to clutter up your limited or organized space, so you will only buy things that fit, are of a high enough quality to last, and that you know you’ll love. Buying only quality products may seem more expensive, but the money you save on frivolous spending and replacing junk will more than cover the few investments that you make.

Once you’ve decided to go minimal, it is time to get rid of the excess. Trim the fat, so to speak. Go through different areas of your house and concentrate on one area at a time. Ask yourself as you go how much you use certain items. Is it enough to warrant keeping it forever? Is it worthy of your limited storage space? Can you donate it to charity, friends or family? There are usually problem areas in the home that are actually unnecessary. Declutter your counter spaces, shelves, kitchen drawers, bedside table, and cabinets.

When you’re done, assess how much space you actually have. You may want to set goals for yourself. For example, you may decide to implement the two week rule with your wardrobe. Force yourself to choose your favorite two week wardrobe for each season and toss the rest. Choose two weeks of casual clothes, two weeks of work clothes, and two weeks of dress clothes. Keep fourteen pairs of socks and underwear, a brown belt and a black belt, and so on. If you add new clothing to your wardrobe, you have to get rid of something older that you don’t wear as much.

This may seem like a small amount of clothes, but you may be surprised how much space those two week wardrobes can take up. You can minimalize the space that your clothes take up by using space saving hangers, like slim velvet hangers. These specialty hangers allow you to hang a lot of clothing in a small space, without sacrificing quality like you would with wire or plastic hangers. By saving space with your space saving hangers, you can make room for more storage in your closet. You may decide to get rid of bulky dressers and keep all of your clothes in a closet system that effectively manages the space that you have.

Save space, save time, save money, and reduce stress by minimalizing your home this year.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.

The first thing to do is to identify your problem areas. Tackle one thing at a time. If you end up using a chair, counter top, end table, or a desk as the holding area for your keys, wallet, mail, jackets and lap top, then you probably need to start there.

This little area of clutter can make you feel weighed down. That is because you have to dig through it every time you are leaving the house. Starting off your morning by having to deal with a disorganized situation is not going to contribute to a sunny disposition! This problem is relatively easy to fix. You may only need to install a couple of hooks, a shelf, or a shelf with coat hooks beneath. If you have a small desk, it will work great for keeping your phone, MP3 and camera chargers handy. Just make sure that you designate a special area for these things. Don’t let it invade your computer desk or kitchen.

A coat closet is extremely useful for saving space. If you are in a tiny apartment, you probably have a tiny coat closet or no coat closet at all! If you don’t have one, invest a little in a shelf with a hanging rod. These are relatively inexpensive and can hold a lot of weight. You can hang it wherever you have a little wall space.

Whether you use a wall mounted hanging rod or a coat closet, you need to make the most of the space. Use space saving hangers that are sturdy enough to hold your heavy winter coats. Slim, velvet hangers are a good choice. They come in an array of colors that you can match up with your décor. The non-slip surface helps keep your coats and jackets neatly hung without having to zip them up or fasten the buttons.

The next biggest place that usually needs organization is the bedroom. The bedroom is where we tend to hide junk that we want out of sight. Of course, you should get rid of as much as possible out of your bedroom. Next, create some space for bulky items. The easiest way to do this is to buy a bed with big drawers underneath, or place your bed on risers.

Store your blankets, out of season clothes, luggage, and bulky sweaters, underneath the bed. This should free up some space in your closet. Utilize door space for hanging shoes or other small items that need somewhere to go. Build small shelves up the front corners of the closet if you can. Hang hooks where ever you can to keep items out of the way.

Make extra space in the closet by using more space saving hangers. Velvet hangers are great in bedroom closets, too, because they come in many different styles. Some velvet hangers have a few sections so that you can hang many pairs of pants on one hanger. You can buy hanger accessories, such as, cascading hooks and finger clips, so that your space saving hangers can be used for anything that you own.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.