Becks and the Cities

If you know me, you know that I was born with the organizing gene. While it can be a blessing (I love coming home to a clean apartment!) or a curse (with organizing, of course, comes re-organizing), either way, I got it from my momma. Honestly, I couldn’t imagine anything more satisfying than a trip to the Container Store after watching The Home Edit team tackle a disorganized pantry space. Really gets the blood pumping. 😂

When we moved from Winston-Salem to Baltimore last June, we downsized from a spacious two bedroom to a tiny 740 sq. ft. apartment. Seriously, you have no idea much stuff you’ve accumulated over the years until you have to load it onto a truck and cram it into an apartment half the size. I have found the best way to fix this tricky situation that I found myself in (and I know all of you who have moved can relate!) was to organize (hide) it all to maximize the space we do have. Although I love a decluttered space, I can be a bit of a hoarder (shocking, I know). So, before moving, I took a first pass at selling/donating/trashing items I no longer needed or had the space for (perhaps unsurprisingly, a lot of my stuff “sparked joy” – any Marie Kondo fans out there?). After we moved into our apartment, it was clear I needed to go through that process again.

When I was a student, I found the cheapest items I could find to organize, like mason jars, as I was ballin’ on a budget. Now, I’ve invested in better pieces that I’ll be able to take to future homes in the coming years. I’m looking at you, OXO organizing containers.

When I’m planning an area to organize, I always measure the space (like 3 times), jot down the dimensions, and take a tape-measure to the stores. Whenever Tristan sees me with a tape measure, he knows I mean business! I tend to buy more than I need because of course I need to have options when arranging a space. After I mix and match baskets and containers, I return the excess.

For consistency (and aesthetic) purposes, I tend to stick with the the same wicker basket shade, white or clear plastics, and clear glass throughout all of my spaces. I realize this is all completely unnecessary and you can simply use what you already have, but, this is my fun adult hobby and it brings me joy (IYKYK). Take a peek below at the items I have used to help organize my apartment:

Kitchen

Links: (Top Left) Storage Containers, Basket, Spice Rack, Rack (Mid Left) Small Shelf, Tea Box, Knife Organizer, Sponge Caddy (Bottom Left) Silverware Organizer, Multipurpose Stand, 3-Tier Spice Organizer,

Everyone who has lived in an apartment knows, kitchen space can be hard to come by, so I have utilized every drawer, cabinet and shelf available to store our plates, dishware, utensils and cooking tools. The only problem I encountered was the lack of shelves in the tall cabinets. However, I quickly solved this issue with a cheap, renter-friendly fix. I purchased two multipurpose stands that fit the width of the cabinets perfectly and allowed me to double up.

Bathroom

Links: (Top Left) Two-Drawer Organizer, Acrylic Bin, Shower Caddy (Bottom Left)Stackable Acrylic Bins, Drying Rack, White Containers

My next project was our bathroom. Between my shopping trips to Sephora and free samples, I have accumulated enough products to fill two bathrooms, but we only have one (and I really miss the second bathroom). Similar to the kitchen, there is a ton of height and depth to the cabinets, but not enough shelves! I took a trip to IKEA and found a few stackable bins that were great at holding items that I don’t use everyday. They blend into the background and are certainly more attractive to look at than a bunch of clutter.

I also LOVE the clear bins I found that fit LIKE A GLOVE in my drawers. They keep everything separated and help me quickly locate items I need to use.

The foldable drying-rack is a game-changer in our apartment. When folded down, we have an instant “laundry room” that holds several articles of clothing. When everything’s dry, we just collapse it back up and the space is back.

Office

Links: (Top Left) Google Wall Mount, Blue Storage 1, Blue Storage 2 (Bottom Left) File Storage, Cable Box, Drawer Organizers

I work all day every day so my desk space is extremely important to me. When I’m not working, I craft and paint, so I love a multi-functional desk that holds more than just pens and paper. The drawer organizers come in handy to organize the little office supplies I have floating around. My second favorite desk organization piece is the large white file. I use it to keep track of our lives with information related to everything from insurance information to car inspections details to Deacon’s vet bills. I even think our grad school diplomas ended up in there (lol).

One of the coolest organization tools I have are the Google Home Mini wall mounts, which hide the long cords that quickly become tangled. The mounts are only $12 and keep everything off the counters/ floors.

I use the blue bins (made of renewable materials) to hold cardstock and felt sheets for my crafts. The smaller square bins come with dividers that would be great at organizing recipe cards or photos.

If you’ve found anything that has helped you organize a space, let me know! I’m always searching for better ways to organize in our space and would love to see what you’ve come across. Hope you enjoyed reading this post!