home organization for short people

bigsis144

Thu, Sep 13 2012, 1:38 pm

I just moved into a new apartment, and it's taking forever to unpack because I want to be organized about it, rather than just throw things into drawers and cabinets and have it running inefficiently later.

One thing that's very different about our new place is that there's lots of vertical storage space. Our old apartment was a basement with super low ceilings, so many, if not most, of the cabinets were only a bit above eye level for me, and I used the higher shelves for less-frequently-used items.

Now we have lovely high ceilings (my 6'3" DH can finally wear his hat indoors!), I feel like I can't load any cabinets more than one item deep because I'd need a step stool to see behind the front item. Forget the second and third shelves up -- I can't reach, let alone SEE those without a step stool or chair!

I can't just leave a step stool around because my 2-year-old would not be able to resist using it to climb onto the counters and ch"vs stovetop.

Any suggestions from other short people for efficient home organization, short of remodeling?

mha3484

Thu, Sep 13 2012, 2:01 pm

As for the step stool we keep it wedged in between the fridge and the wall. Ds almost 2 can't get it out.

yksraya

Thu, Sep 13 2012, 2:14 pm

I find that a step stool is usually not enough. I need to pile some thick books on a chair to reach the top shelf.

happy mom1

Thu, Sep 13 2012, 2:14 pm

How about something like this?
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.co.....F4A4w
It's not that high though.

bigsis144

Thu, Sep 13 2012, 2:19 pm

I had a lazy susan for my corner cabinets in my old apartment, but it won't fit through the opening of the new corner cabinet. Sad

Would it be worth it to get a smaller lazy susan, even if there would be more empty space to its sides? Anybody ever try putting a lazy susan in a non-corner cabinet? Might that be helpful?

zaq

Thu, Sep 13 2012, 2:35 pm

Climb every mountain....

Welcome to the reality of life in the vertically challenged lane. The three-foot aluminum stepladder is your friend. I suggest buying one if you don't already have it and hanging it on the wall or inside a cabinet door. Hardware stores carry hooks for this purpose, but if you can't find one, a wire gizmo for hanging up an iron and ironing board might work.

There is no substitute for eternal vigilance when it comes to a kid. Keep him out of the kitchen if you can't keep an eye on him at the moment. He doesn't need a stepladder or stepstool--he can just as easily drag over a dining chair or stand on a box and climb up where he shouldn't be. More easily, really, because he'd have to open up the stepladder. So if you can't keep an eye on him, keep him out.

But back to life in the high lane. Accept that life is now different and you will have to become a champion ladder climber. There's really no other solution unless you plan to live a minimalist lifestyle with no "stuff". On the plus side, you can hide contraband (snacks, expensive baking ingredients like nuts and chocolate chips, baked goods) on high shelves. (Not useful if your dh is the Cookie Monster in your house, though.) Conventional wisdom decrees that you put seldom-used items on the higher shelves and often-used ones on lower shelves. Safety wisdom decrees that heavy items go on lower shelves and lighter ones go on high shelves. Generations of high-ceilinged apartment-dwellers' wisdom decrees that Pesach stuff goes on the most inaccessible shelves and chometz on lower shelves.

With your tall dh you have the luxury of making him your errand boy and having him fetch and return everything on high shelves. However, unless dh is home all the time, you will sooner or later need something from a high shelf when he's out. Do yourself a favor, and if you don't already have one, buy a six-foot stepladder now (to be stored in a closet or spare room when not in use) in addition to a three-foot one that you will use all the time.

Catalogs that market to the AARP-eligible population or the physically challenged carry long-"Grabber" devices that can be used to reach high shelves. They're usually not very strong and may work for a single can of pineapple but not that 5-quart glass bowl or canister of flour.

If there is a lot of space between the lower shelves, you can buy or make intermediate shelves or use undershelf hanging baskets to allow you to store more things without having tall precarious piles of things. Deep cabinets can be organized by installing narrow wire shelf units inside the doors. These will take up some space on the existing shelves when the doors are closed, so less will fit inside. This will alleviate the problem of having things stacked three rows deep on a shelf, but keep in mind that door-hung shelves can accommodate only light items.

Places like the Container Store and Hold Everything carry enough space organizing accessories to qualify as purveyors of housekeeping [filth].

yo'ma

Thu, Sep 13 2012, 2:41 pm

I have two stools, one is a small step stool and the other is a ladder type of stool. The step stool I keep upside down on the water thing, but when I lived other places, I made a designated spot for it. The ladder stool, I keep folded on the side somewhere. Right now I've been keeping it in my ds's room because it's right off the kitchen. They don't touch it and it's closed. As far as your two year old climbing on it, my kids don't need a stool to climb. If they want to climb, they'll shlep over a chair. If there's a will, there's a way!

amother

Thu, Sep 13 2012, 2:43 pm

yksraya wrote:

I find that a step stool is usually not enough. I need to pile some thick books on a chair to reach the top shelf.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't do that! It's an accident waiting to happen. I'm serious. PLEASE invest in a nice six-foot stepladder that you'll also use to change lightbulbs, hang curtains and windowshades, put up crepe paper streamers for parties, dust the tops of your bookcases, put up s'chach on your sukkah, etc. etc. It'll last forever and you'll bequeath it to your kids.

I'm a safety professional and I know what I'm talking about.

yksraya

Thu, Sep 13 2012, 2:47 pm

amother wrote:

yksraya wrote:

I find that a step stool is usually not enough. I need to pile some thick books on a chair to reach the top shelf.

don't worry, I wasn't being serious. I like to use humor sometimes. I'm very short and have a problem reaching high shelves therefore I barely use the top shelf and ask my dh to take stuff or put stuff back when I need to.

shabbatiscoming

Thu, Sep 13 2012, 2:51 pm

zaq wrote:

This. We used to keep this in our kitchen just for this reason. My husband and I are both short so we could never reach the 2nd and 3rd shelves.
Or those step ladders that can be closed. And properly put away somewhere that no small child can get it. That is the life of short people. Welcome Smile

Im not even 5 ft. Smile

Faigy86

Thu, Sep 13 2012, 2:52 pm

I don't know if you want (or if you are renting can) to invest like this, but in my dream house, I will have those stepstools that unfold from the bottom cabinet to reach things on the top cabinet. Is that an option? I saw it in someone's house and it was perfect. No more tripping over stepstools all over the place Smile

zaq

Thu, Sep 13 2012, 2:54 pm

Mazal tov on the move, btw. A lazy susan works fine in a regular cabinet. you can keep the one that's too big on the counter. or use it on the table to hold condiments you use all the time.