Let's face it, many of us -- whether we own a home or rent -- struggle with lack of space. As our daily routines thrust us into combat mode, one battle that many of us seem to lose is using the proper storage space to make our home a neat and structured abode. Whether it's the constant demand of work or the sky-high mountain of children's toys, the question remains the same: Where are you supposed to put all your stuff?

With fall approaching, BV Home called upon IKEA U.S. Design Expert Janice Simonsen to recommend some of the store's trendy storage products and to provide tips to make any home more functional. From the living room to the bedroom, technology and bedding, IKEA's got you covered. And the good news is it's all under $50.

Do you have any suggestions for organizing a small living space?

There are a couple of really good ways to go with organizing, especially if the space is small. One way is to find things that have built-in storage, like an end table that lifts up and has a storage space inside of it. We have a coffee table like that called the Liatorp. Some of our ottomans have storage compartments built in to tuck things away when you don't need them. Another way is to make it easy for the family to clean up after themselves. We recommend some of our systems, such as Pax, which have built-in compartments.

Many parents have a difficult time keeping their child's room organized. What items would you suggest?

For children, it is handy to have organization products that can adapt easily. We have one called Trofast, a series that has a frame of different color buckets so you can mix and match and then configure it as you need. Then, as the child grows older, you can convert it into clothes storage. I would also recommend an under-the-bed storage box, such as the Beddinge, which could fit under the couch if your children play in the living room a lot. You could use a product like the Beddinge to store Leggos and small bits to keep the general areas of the house a little neater.

How durable is the furniture?

We always say that we build things with the right quality, and that has a lot to do with keeping our prices down. It's built to last, and it's built for families. We know how people live. Durability is key to us. We feel that although the design and the prices are great, our furniture also has to have the quality element.

Has IKEA been effective in staying true to consumers by offering home products that combine style without the compromise of production?

This is something that we've been doing throughout our history. When we find ways to reduce prices, either by economy of scale or by getting materials at a lower price, it is something that we pass along. So what we wanted to do was really talk about that a little bit when we were expressing our new catalog. As always, it's about looking at how people live at home, what products they need to make their lives easier and what's fun and easy to live with. Great look, great design. It is kind of our on-going focus and, of course, making things that are really fun and interesting.

What would you recommend for the storage of technology-related items?

At IKEA, we are known for our store and organizing products. One thing we see a need for is keeping technology under control. There are a lot of different things we have that will organize cords. We have little storage containers, such as the Signum Cable Bag and the Kassett CD Box, for things like music players and palm pilots. We are always trying to take into account items that need to be stored, what seems to be a hurdle for people to keep their homes neat and organized, and what we can we design that will really resolve that for them.

Photo gallery: IKEA's 6 Top Storage Picks under $50.
Children's room, living room, kitchen, technology (jpg image products)

Link: www.ikea.com