9 Storage Essentials That Make Living in a Studio With My S.O. a Breeze
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Whenever I tell people that my boyfriend and I live in a studio apartment in New York City, a look of fear washes over their face. “But we really love it!” I quickly tell them. Although, here’s the truth: We didn’t plan for this. When I moved out of my own studio in July and into his, we thought it would only be temporary—for a month or two—until we found a one-bedroom where we could picture ourselves for the next few years. But as we scoured StreetEasy and made the rounds at open houses, we struggled to find a place with a kitchen as nice as ours, windows as big as ours, or ceilings as high as ours. The idea of sparing ourselves a second move and saving on rent became more and more appealing. So we signed up for another seven months in a single room.
I’m happy to report that, so far, our only sticking point has been the espresso machine. (I joke that I don’t need to set an alarm clock—my S.O. grinding fresh beans in the morning while I’m still in bed gets me up.) But when it comes to staying tidy in 550 square feet, we’ve cracked the code with these handy organization products.
The Trunk That’s Become Our Linen “Closet”
Ved Heavy-Duty Water Hyacinth Wicker Storage Trunk, Wayfair
$144
$129
We’re blessed with two reach-in closets in this apartment, which feels like a big deal in NYC. Still, they’re packed with clothes, shoes, and suitcases, leaving no extra room for linens. Our sheets and towels have found a new home in this wicker storage trunk that we tuck underneath the entryway console table. Because of its convenient location near the front door, I also shove a few tote bags in here, too.
The Bonus Drawer I Never Knew Our Fridge Needed
Everything Organizer Egg Holder with Drawer, The Container Store ($23)
My obsession with organization has yet to reach the level of decanting baking soda and almonds into clear containers, but I do swear by this egg holder. We go through a lot of eggs each week, and being able to see how many we have left is helpful when we’re headed to the grocery store. Plus, somehow, not having to take the whole cardboard box out of the refrigerator feels like it saves us tons of time (even if it’s just a few seconds).
The Under-the-Radar Jewelry Box
Marie Kondo 2-Drawer Linen Jewelry Box, The Container Store ($140)
The reason my jewelry box looks totally at home sitting on top of our desk? The linen-swathed piece, designed by none other than Marie Kondo, comes from a collection of matching boxes that are meant for the office, including a document holder and desktop organizer.
The Magazine Catchall
African Bolga Ghana Navy Blue Diamond Woven Basket, Chairish ($45)
I bought a Bolga basket (similar to this one) at an antiques store in Healdsburg, California, knowing that it would fit snugly on our built-in bookshelves. It looks small at first, but my boyfriend has quite easily stacked 100-plus issues of The Economist inside it.
The Cleaning Station
The Home Edit Stackable Drawer Clear, The Container Store ($40)
In this space, I was determined to make searching for countertop spray a pleasant experience. Next to our mini trash can sits this clear drawer that holds extra sponges, rubber gloves, Goo Gone, silver polish, and more. On its flat top, I’ve stacked a second small bin that helps contain a roll of trash bags (taking them out of the cardboard packaging saves so much space!), a Swiffer duster, and dishwasher pods.
The Perfect Pant Hangers
Mighty Goods 10 Pack Kids Hangers, BuyBuyBaby ($8)
A genius tip I learned on TikTok: Use kids’ clothing hangers for pants. While I fold most of my jeans in a dresser, my boyfriend prefers to keep his pairs in the closet, so I tossed his flimsy metal hangers and replaced them with these tiny felt rods. The shorter width makes the weight distribution nice and even, so nothing gets knocked out of place.
The Medicine Cabinet Containers
iDesign Plastic Drawer Organizer, Michaels ($5)
After adjusting the shelves inside our medicine cabinet, I threw in these shallow containers. One serves as a catchall for our toothpaste; the other for nail clippers, tweezers, and other slightly sharp things you wouldn’t want to accidentally grab when you’re reaching for the Advil.
The Styling-Proof Shelves
1/4 in. x 2 ft. x 8 ft. PureBond Red Oak Plywood Project Panel, Home Depot ($44)
48 in. L – White Shelf Tracks Heavy-Duty Vertical Rail, Home Depot ($14)
Since I work in the interior design industry, I’ve got more candleholders, coffee-table books, and vases than I’d like to admit. Peppering my stuff throughout the apartment would easily make the space feel cluttered, but by keeping everything together, it looks thoughtfully curated. All my small treasures live on a series of four plywood shelves that we had custom-cut at our local hardware store and mounted on a basic track system.
The Clothes Bins
Cambridge Linen Storage Bin, The Container Store ($18)
By now, you’ve probably realized that my go-to organization tools are baskets in all shapes and sizes. And they’ve really been a game changer in our main closet, which was already outfitted with the Container Store’s Elfa shelving system. Stacks of shorts only stay neat for so long on their own, so we added extra containment by buying nine of these gray fabric bins. They not only maximize the depth and height of each shelf, they prevent my tanks from mingling with his tees.
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