Some storage ideas

 My apartment dates from the 1930s, when built-in furniture was quite a novelty so I have a very small built-in wardrobe in the bedroom and another in the bathroom that also needs to double up as a broom cupboard. Back in the 1700s, many Cape Dutch houses had a built-in wall-cupboard as a central feature of the main reception room, glazed to show off the household's best chinaware, but this practice fell away with the British influence on house design. Built-in wardrobes were very popular in the second half of the 20th century, as the Modern Movement in architecture became mainstream. 

The question for today is what to do if you live in a home with minimal or insufficient built-in storage? One idea is to look at the past for inspiration. Back in the day, it was very common for a household to have a kist - a large wooden box, sometimes of hardwood and very beautifully detailed, but often very functional and basic with rope or metal handles. Sailors and people emigrating would often have a kist with all their possessions in lieu of suitcases. I was given mine as a wedding present and I use it in its traditional role to store extra bed linen, towels and tableware. As you can see, it is also a very convenient height for the TV.

My kist is a perfect height for the TV

Another traditional storage solution is an ottoman - this is a bench, usually padded with no back or arms, that often has storage under the seat. I have mine at the end of my bed and use it as a seat for watching TV. The storage area is used for my needlecraft projects, so it is always filled to the brim with fabrics and knitting yarns. As with the kist, it is best to be quite systematic in how you pack it, as you need to take out everything if the item you need is near the bottom! Definitely keep those things used most often or soonest near the top. The ottoman is packed in the order that I anticipate I will be using the fabrics and yarns, with almost a year's worth of projects lined up!

My ottoman - much loved by my cats as a scratching post

For my sewing patterns, I have a very simple hardwood box that was passed down to me many years ago. It also has the dual function of providing a stand for my CD rack to allow easier access and which helps to minimise dust. As you can see, I favour storage solutions that also have a secondary use, an important consideration in a smallish apartment.

My sewing pattern box serves as a stand for my CD case

The last of my enclosed box type storage solutions I picked up from a second-hand furniture shop and restored by varnishing it and painting the front panel as a stylised vegetable garden. I have this on my balcony to store all my gardening equipment and spare pots. It also provides a surface for some plants that raises them up to capture more daylight, as I have a solid brickwork balcony wall.

The box with my gardening equipment

The secret with any storage solution is to be systematic - in my bathroom cupboard I cut down the shelving to allow for a tall space on the side for my brooms and mops. For the remaining shelf space, I bought some simple pine boxes to store all the things that I use regularly. One is for everyday table linen, one for medicines and one for hair products. When I need anything, I simply slide out the relevant box - so much more convenient than rummaging in the shelves.

My bathroom cupboard with slide-out storage boxes

Everyday hygiene and face products tend to accumulate on one's basin, so in the absence of a vanity cupboard, I installed a small shelf and bought a fabric-covered box to store all of these items. These boxes are readily available at most home stores with a wide range of finishes and colours to fit in with the rest of your decor.

A fabric-covered box with my daily hygiene products

I have discovered that it is easier to keep one's house tidy if you have a convenient and logical system in place, with storage solutions that allow one to categorise and organise. This takes a bit of effort in the beginning, but pays dividends in the long-term.