I am an incurable packrat. I save really stupid things for pseudo-sentimental value. I keep CDs I hate in case someday another song reminds me of a song on then and I want to compare the two. I have books I've never read and never intend to. I own shoes that match exactly one item my entire wardrobe, which I typically don't wear just in case, someday, I want to.

Aside from alphabetizing my CDs by artist, grouping my DVDs by genre, and arranging my books by topic then by size, my idea of organization is pretty much stacking things until they fall down then splitting the stack in two.

So you can imagine the ordeal I'm now going through as, for the first time in more than 10 years, I will be moving from a two-bedroom apartment into a one-bedroom. Every bit of space has to count. And so, I'm pretty much required to get creative.

That's why my Rothman Recommends this time is dedicated entirely to downsizing, decluttering, and organizing. Even if you have all the room in the world, at the very least some of these things may help you make the most of that massive space.

Cleaning out the closet!
There's only so far you can get with ruthlessly identifying and donating clothes that could be described as "I never ever ever wear this, so why am I holding on to it?" That's simply a first step. The second and best step is to take everything off of those bulky plastic hangers and put them onto these sweet babies—super thin hangers. They're not kidding when they say you'll exponentially increase the space in your closet. They're like magic! Plus, they're purdy.
Ultra Slim Hangers

Double duty storage (with style!)
Getting rid of my coffee table was a no-brainer once I saw this awesome little bugger—a hollow ottoman with a tray under the lid and a little ottoman inside. There's a full-size version of this as well, also with two ottomans inside. But I opted for two of the smaller ones so I can mix and match how I arrange them.
Storage Ottomans

Organizing media
I bought a bunch of these storage binders to try to win back the space I was losing to rows and rows and stacks and stacks of DVD cases. It's a little emotionally traumatic tossing those liner notes, but the sleek look of these books on the shelf is so worth it!
DVD book

Setting a temporary table
Here's something I haven't picked up yet but totally intend to as soon as I move. I don't really need a full table and chairs because I don't regularly eat in a "formal" way; I sit on my couch and shovel food into my mouth, more often than not. But sometimes, I want to sit down to for a peaceful meal. This drop-leaf, wall-mounted table seems ideal in that it won't take up space when I'm not using it, but it's there if I need it.
Temporary Table

Downsizing to adorable
I've always had an affinity for small stuff like my compact car, travel size toiletries, kid-sized shoes, whatever. Part of it's that I'm super-short, at only five feet and a quarter inch, but it's also about the convenience of it. So it's only natural that a site like tinyliving.com should appeal to me. There's a little bit of everything for living large in a small space.
Tiny Living