Some household problems are not big enough to justify a renovation. They are still annoying enough to notice every day.

Maybe there is nowhere sensible to put a desk without giving up part of the room. Bath towels stay damp because they cannot spread out properly. The kitchen needs more working space, but there is no room for a permanent island. Shoes collect by the door because there is nowhere convenient to put them. Or a dog keeps slipping on a smooth floor.

Fix That Spot focuses on specific problems like these and practical ways to solve them.

Sometimes the answer is to use space that is already there. An empty wall can hold something that used to take up floor space. A narrow gap may have room for storage that a standard cabinet cannot provide. A corner, the back of a door, or the space under furniture can become useful instead of awkward.

Other problems need a different setup. A drying rack that works in a large laundry room may be a nuisance in a small one. A desk can be useful while you are working and completely in the way when you are not. The right fix depends on what is actually causing the problem.

And sometimes a product designed for a particular job makes more sense than another improvised workaround. When that is the case, we look at whether it addresses the problem in a useful way, rather than adding another thing to the house that does not quite work.

Fix That Spot covers problems throughout the home, including kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, living rooms, entryways, laundry rooms, home offices and garages. There are also sections devoted to small spaces and the everyday household problems that come with pets.

The problems may be different, but the starting point is the same: something around the house keeps getting in the way, taking up the wrong space, making a mess, or failing to work the way you need it to.

That is the spot worth fixing.