10 Ways to Maximize Storage Space In Your Home

Tuesday, October 21, 2014







If there's one thing living back at my parent's home has taught me it's how to maximize storage in a small space.  I'm pretty much limited to my bedroom so I have to make the most of what I can. 


But even if you just have a small house, there are many ways to maximize storage space.  Here are 10 ways that you may find helpful.

1. Choose furniture that doubles as storage.
Whether it's a vanity chair, an ottomon, or a nightstand, always make sure there's a hidden storage area so you can keep your belongings out of sight but still handy for when you need them.  I even store my shapewear in an ottomon next to my bed!

2. Use clear plastic bins in large storage areas.  
Large plastic bins are great for your main storage areas like the attic or the basement.   You can combine like items and label the bin.  Everything can be stacked away in a uniform fashion.   Sometimes I see people line an entire wall with clear plastic bins. 


3. Add shelves in your closet.
Shelves are great at the top of your closet where you can never reach to hang things, so it's great for shoe storage, sweaters, and handbags.   You can always add a shelf (or another bar)  in the bottom of your closet for pants and jeans.


4. PURGE!
Seriously...you do NOT need 4 cheese graters in your kitchen drawer.  Get rid of the 2 oldest grungiest ones.  Learn to let go of things you don't use, wear, or that you have multiples of.  This is especially helpful when you need to purge a closet to make more room.






5. Decorate vertically.
Too often, people line an entire room with furniture and storage items.   That makes a home look even more cluttered and cramped. Just because there's an open space where you can see the wall, doesn't mean you should use it. Look for tall furniture and storage items. Instead of having 2 end tables, get a tall ladder storage shelf.  Your storage capabity doubles VERTICALLY.
6. Hang papers and reference items.
Instead of shoving things into a drawer that you end up referring to a lot, get a cork board or a magnetic board and use that to hang things that normally sit in a pile like a book of stamps, take-out menus, bills that need to be paid, etc.  You can buy hanging letter organizers as well.


7. Keep surfaces clear.
Too often we keep and collect knickknacks by decorating mantels, and tables with them.  This makes a room look too busy and very cluttered and it also tells our brain that it's okay to add more.  That's why in a lot of homes with knickknacks, you'll also see random items like a nail file, magazine, and a few CDs in a pile on the same surface.  Clear open surfaces make it easier to dust and clean, and they help keep you motivated to NOT pile things up.

Even adding a wire shelf under the kitchen sink helped double storage space.
8. Take advantage of awkward tiny areas.
The empty wall space between the top of the doorway and ceiling in your bedroom can function as a storage space if you just add a shelf.  Or you can use the stairwell leading down to your unfinished basement to hang cleaning supplies rather than keep them in a pile on the floor in a closet. 

I bet you can't even tell there are small clutches in these handbags!

9. Store belongings inside of other belongings.
I store small purses in larger ones and when it comes to luggage I literally have 10 smaller bags inside one large suitcase.  The same can be done for things like storing umbrellas inside of rubber boots in the closet. 

10. Use plastic storage drawers in cabinets.
Whether it's in your closet, or under your bathromo sink, plastic storage bins not only keep everything neat and uniform rather than piled in front of each other, and they also add to your vertical storage space.
Tell me - how do you maximize storage space in YOUR home?












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2 comments:

  1. I use the stackable skirt hangers to get some more closet space

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