When you live in a small Japanese apartment with kids, clutter can quickly take over the living room.
For a long time, our TV stand became the place where everything landed — children’s books, papers, charging cables, medicine, skincare, and random everyday items we used all the time.
As a moving family in Japan, we also try to avoid buying furniture that only works for one purpose. Since we may move again in the future, I wanted a storage system that could adapt to different homes and different stages of family life.
That’s why we chose a MUJI stacking shelf as our TV stand.
Instead of using a traditional TV board, we wanted something flexible enough to work later as a bookshelf, kids’ storage unit, or bedroom organizer.
But the biggest challenge wasn’t finding storage furniture.
It was creating a system our family could actually maintain.
Before we changed this area, the shelves constantly collected papers, toys, cords, wipes, and all the small things that usually pile up in family living rooms.
And honestly, I’m not naturally organized.
Complicated storage systems never lasted in our home.
Bins with lids stayed open.
Hidden boxes became clutter piles.
Anything that required multiple steps simply didn’t get put away.
So instead of creating a “perfect” organization system, I focused on making everything easier to return.
No lids.
No complicated categories.
No storage that feels annoying to use.
Just simple, low-effort organization that everyone in the family can maintain.
Surprisingly, this system has stayed clutter-free because everything can be put away in just one action.
At first, I thought medicine, skincare, and hair items should be stored in the bathroom.
But in our small apartment, the living room actually works much better for our daily routines.
Our bathroom is small and gets crowded easily, especially during busy mornings and bath time.
By keeping frequently used items near the TV area, everything is easier to grab, use, and put back.
My kids can also find things independently because every drawer and box is clearly labeled with a label maker.
Instead of creating “hidden storage,” I tried to create storage that feels effortless to use.
Once we decided to keep everyday essentials in the living room, the next step was making sure everything had a clear place.
Instead of creating complicated categories, we simply assigned each drawer a purpose based on how often we use the items and how quickly we need to access them.
Everything is labeled, so even my kids know exactly where things go back.
Medicine Drawer Organization
In our home, everyday medicine is stored in the center drawer of the TV stand so the whole family can access it easily.
In a small apartment with kids, I quickly realized that the “best” storage location is not the most logical one—it’s the one that actually works in daily life.
Our bathroom felt too small and inconvenient, especially during busy mornings and chaotic bath times. We were constantly running back and forth looking for basic items like medicine, bandages, or a thermometer.
By moving everything to the living room, right in the center of our daily routine, things became much easier. We can now grab what we need immediately and put it back just as quickly.
I also label each drawer with a label maker so everyone in the family can find what they need without asking.
And just like the rest of our home, I try to keep the system as low-effort as possible.
No lids.
No complicated categories.
No extra steps.
If a storage system feels even slightly annoying to maintain, I know it won’t last in our family.
Inside the drawer, I use simple storage cups to separate small items and prevent clutter from building up again.
The MUJI Stacking Shelf varies in size depending on the country. On Amazon in overseas markets, I often see only the 2-tier version available, but in our home we use the 3-tier version.
The 3-tier version is also available on the official online store of MIJI.
- MUJI Stacking Shelf 3 Tiers→MUJI Online Store
- MUJI Stacking Shelf 2 Tiers→View on Amazon
- MUJI Small Storage Case with Recycled Polypropylene→View on Amazon
- Mini Label Maker Machine→View on Amazon
I shared the full inside organization of this medicine drawer in a separate post here:
Messy Medicine Drawer? Easy Organization Idea Using Simple Storage Cups
Skincare & Hair Care Station (Easy “Drop-In” System)
For skincare and hair care items, we don’t use drawers. Instead, we use a removable divider box from NITORI.
This is a Nitori storage caddy commonly used in Japan.
It is not widely sold on Amazon outside Japan, but similar “portable organizer caddies” can be found internationally.
👉 A simple drop-in storage solution for daily essentials like skincare, medicine, and small items.
👉 View similar portable organizer caddies on Amazon
We place it in the living room as a simple “drop-in” storage station.
Inside, we keep everyday essentials like thermometers, combs, and creams—items we reach for constantly throughout the day.
At first, I thought these items should be stored in the bathroom. But in a small apartment, it quickly became clear that the bathroom wasn’t the most practical place for our daily routines.
Now everything is gathered in one open box, making it incredibly easy to grab what we need and just put it back without thinking.
No drawers to open.
No lids to remove.
No complicated sorting.
Just one simple action: take it out, use it, and drop it back in.
This “no-effort” system works especially well for kids, because they can independently find and return items without help.
It keeps our daily routine smooth and prevents clutter from building up again.
We also keep a small wood trash bin next to the shelf to make cleanup easier.
Keeping the trash bin in the same spot helps us throw things away immediately instead of leaving wrappers and papers around the living room.
👉 Similar minimalist trash can: Minimal waste bin for small living rooms
By fixing the location of the trash bin in the same spot, it makes it much easier to throw things away immediately instead of leaving things on the table or elsewhere.
This simple setup helps us maintain a clean space without extra effort.
Just use it, and throw it away right away—everything has its place, and the routine stays effortless.
Together, this small station has completely changed how we manage everyday essentials in our home.
Instead of storing things in hidden places or overcomplicating the system, we focus on visibility, accessibility, and simplicity.
Everything has a place, and everything can be returned in one easy step.
That’s what makes this system sustainable—even in a small apartment with kids.
Hair Accessories Station (Easy One-Action System)
One part of our TV stand storage system that gets used every single day is this small hair care section inside the MUJI shelf.
The wooden drawers are MUJI storage drawers designed to fit perfectly inside the stacking shelf system, which helps maximize the space while keeping the entire area looking clean and organized.
Above the drawers, we use simple white storage bins from DAISO to hold our hair dryer and other everyday hair care items.
Above the drawers, we currently use simple white storage bins from DAISO to hold our hair dryer and everyday hair care items.
They’re lightweight, affordable, and easy to pull out quickly when we need them.
If you want a more durable and premium-looking option, MUJI’s soft polyethylene storage cases also fit the shelf perfectly and create a cleaner built-in look.
→ Shop MUJI soft storage cases
We intentionally keep the hair dryer in the living room instead of the bathroom.
In our small apartment, it’s much easier to sit on the floor and dry our hair while watching TV, especially during busy evenings with kids.
The lower drawers are used for children’s hair ties and small hair accessories.
Inside each drawer, we added small divided organizer boxes so everything stays easy to see and easy to grab.
→See similar drawer organizer boxes
Instead of creating a perfectly arranged system, we focused on making cleanup as effortless as possible.
After using a hair tie, we can simply open the drawer and toss it back inside.
That one-action system has made a huge difference in keeping this area from getting messy again.
Because everything is visible and easy to access, my kids can also choose their own hair ties independently and put them back by themselves.
Nothing is hidden.
Nothing feels complicated.
And that’s exactly why this system continues to work for our family.
Why This Simple System Actually Works
Overall, this setup has taught us something important about organizing a small home with kids:
The best storage system is not the prettiest one.
It’s the one your family can actually maintain every day.
For us, that meant creating simple “one-action” storage instead of aiming for perfection.
No complicated systems.
No hidden clutter.
No storage that feels stressful to use.
Just easy spaces where everything can be quickly returned after use.
By using flexible furniture like the MUJI stacking shelf and keeping everyday items close to where we actually use them, our living room has become much easier to manage — even in a small Japanese apartment.
And because the system is simple enough for kids to follow too, it stays organized with much less effort.
If you’re struggling with clutter in a small home, simplifying the “put-away process” may make a bigger difference than buying more storage.
Sometimes the easiest systems are the ones that last the longest.
