Tiny. Small. Studio. When these adjectives are linked to houses or apartments, they signal big opportunities for designers, builders, and remodelers. That’s because the people who live within these spaces need your help to make their homes livable.

Take Millennials, for example. For the ones drowning in student debt, the best housing solution (outside of staying with Mom and Dad) may be renting a one-room studio apartment near public transportation. Retiring Baby Boomers are looking for smaller homes that don’t require as much upkeep, says Curbed.com—they would rather pursue travel and hobbies during their leisure time. And tiny houses are on an upward trend as people simplify their lives—and their debt loads—by living in dwellings that usually range from 100 to 400 square feet, according to a 2016 article in the LA Times.

But no matter how people end up in small spaces, they’ll benefit from smart space planning and clever storage solutions. At Hardware Resources, we leave the space planning to professionals like you. But since we do specialize in cabinet and closet organizers, we’re here to help with the inevitable storage conundrums associated with small space living.

Let’s start with the kitchen. The more efficiently your clients can store their staples, the more room is left for the activities that involve friends and family. Check out these ideas for storing smart.

Easy 360 Susan

Our 30″ Easy 360 Susan corner organizer offers an ergonomic alternative to bending, twisting, and turning to reach the back of the cabinet. That’s because it rotates 360 degrees left or right with two large center baskets that pull out like a drawer. Non-slip acrylic basket liners also help corral small items.

No-Wiggle Base Cabinet Pullout

Our newest base-cabinet pullouts feature a patent-pending top mounting bracket with a heavy-duty slide that eliminates sagging and excessive wiggle. These pullouts also boast premium soft-close concealed undermount slides on the bottom, and six-way adjustable door-mounting brackets that make it easy to mount doors that match the rest of the cabinetry. Installation is a breeze because each pullout ships fully assembled.

Tip-Out Tray Set

Is your client’s diminutive kitchen short on counter space? Then add our plastic tipout trays to a false front in the sink cabinet. With two trays to a set, you’ll be adding 22 linear inches of storage space in front of the sink—perfect for sponges, scrubbers, and scouring pads. And that keeps the countertop cleaner for food prep. (You may want to consider this feature for bathroom vanities, too.)

Smart Rail™ Wall Storage

If the floor plan limits the number of cabinets you can specify, put the walls to work. Our Smart Rail™ Wall Storage system (with optional battery-powered LED lighting) can hang above the range, beneath wall cabinets, or in place of wall cabinets. Add Smart Rail™ accessories to create a customized modular-storage solution. Accessories include a paper-towel holder, spice bottle shelf, single shelf, 5-hook shelf, and shelf with stainless steel canisters. (Shown: This Smart Rail™ system includes a Cutting Board and a Knife-Block Combo Shelf.)

Loft Kitchen Island

Not-so-big kitchens make it hard for multiple cooks to work at the same time. That’s where a diminutive kitchen island can make a difference. Our 22-inch-deep furniture-style island can be ordered with a hard-maple butcher block top that adds 36 inches of additional work space. The island also boasts adjustable shelves on both ends, two deep working drawers, and ample cabinet storage. (Shown: Loft, a French White furniture style kitchen island).

Under-Cabinet Stemware Rack

Ease the stress of entertaining by installing below-cabinet stemware racks that keep wine glasses clean and chip-free. They also free up cabinet space for other items. Choose from satin nickel (shown), polished chrome, and brushed oil-rubbed bronze finishes. Our under-Cabinet Wine Bottle Holders (which hold two bottles each) come in the same three finishes for a coordinated bar area.

And let’s not forget about small bathrooms.  Narrow vanities beat out pedestal sinks when it comes to providing discrete storage for personal items.

Small-Space Vanities

Among the preassembled options available through Hardware Resources: The Barcelona vanity (shown, 26 x 21 x 36 inches) from Jeffrey Alexander comes with three fully functional drawers; the top two are fitted around the plumbing. The black-finished vanity with reed detail can be ordered with a 2.5 cm black granite top and a 15 x 12-inch bowl. PS: Need more options? Check out our sleek 24-inch wide Cade Contempo vanity and our 24-inch wide Chatham Shaker vanity, both available in today’s most popular color options – white, grey, and either black or brown.

Thanks for taking a look at our favorite storage options for space-deprived dwellings. Now, it’s your turn! What’s your favorite solution for making small kitchens and baths more functional?