Being the wife of a former U.S. Navy sailor, I think I can definitively say that I have a lot of experience moving my household from home to home. One of the most daunting parts of that task, in my estimation, is finding creative ways to make furniture fit into new places. Of that, I think the worst is finding the right table to fit into small spaces.  And it’s not just homes, people starting out a new business in a small storefront, teens moving into their first dorm room; there are all sorts of tricky situations in which we can struggle to find space for our stuff! Well, you can stop gnashing your teeth and yanking your hair out (it makes you look scary!) Instead, may I suggest a few tips for finding the right tables to help you make the most out of your small spaces.

You can do multiple things at once; why not let your furniture multitask too? A drop leaf table is the ultimate in transforming furniture. Its dropped sides hang flat down, so when it’s not operating as a dinner table, it can be a sofa table, a hallway table, a little shelf tucked against the wall holding knick-knacks. Then, when the door-bell rings and your in-laws are standing on your front step, you can just pull it out, set the table, and seat four to six people!

Nesting tables are also a fabulous way to save space while still having a table at hand when needed. End tables are a super convenient place to set your phone, a glass of wine, or even your TV remote. But when it’s just you at home, do you really need two or three tables hanging around, taking up space? With nesting tables, however, you can use the tallest one primarily, with the smaller one or two underneath. And when the guys are over to watch the game on tv, pull out the rest of the set and put your party trays out.

My favorite multitasking piece is the coffee table trunk. It’s just what it sounds like, coffee table with a hinged lid in which you can store all the stuff you want in your living room without having it all over your living room. Controllers, books, candles; keep these things inside the trunk for storage without cluttering up your home. Clutter is, after all, the enemy of the small space