In modern times, improving life styles the flood of materials, the house needs a huge storage space! This has become a challenge as the houses are becoming smaller and smaller due to increase in real estate prices. Hence the challenge has become tougher. This is again a challenge, especially when you move often! If your current home has insufficient closet or storage space, there are many innovative ways to solve the clutter problem in your home. The first rule for an uncluttered home is to have a place for everything, and put everything in its place and if you lack the storage, then that task becomes even harder to accomplish!
We always need more storage spaces in our homes. You just need to try these smart home storage solutions!
Here we have highlighted 12 different ways that you can add more storage units without adding more square footage to your house:
01. Use Furniture that Multitasks:
You should use the pieces of furniture that look great and provide an extra storage facilities like ottomans, tables with drawers or shelves, small chests, chair storage units, freestanding cabinets, portable kitchen island etc which offers perfect places to store throws, magazines, games, extra linens, and many other items that you use often!
Courtesy - Thisoldhouse
Even though the e-readers are becoming increasingly popular and there’s less need for book storage area, bookcases are still great for displaying and storing other household items. Some modular units have compatible drawer inserts and doors, so you can customize your bookcase to keep parts open for display, and can create hidden storage solutions for other items.
02. Use Baskets & Boxes that are Pretty & Functional:
You can use the decorative boxes (fabric covered boxes make good display pieces), bowls (metal or plastic coloured), lidded jars and baskets to add style when placed on a table or shelf which are also ideal for storing keys, remote controls, notes and other small items which are hard to keep track of and need to be contained. This can be said as a cheap storage units, because of its flexibility!
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Plan to use the woven baskets for storage as part of a display on a shelf or bookcase.They always look great on top of dressers to hold jewelry and boudoir items, and if they fit into your décor, you can display them on open bookshelves.You will get the multiple choices of the same style and colour to create several separate storage areas and a smart look!
03. Find Dead Space:
You should find dead space from your house and utilize it for the smart home storage! You can most likely squeeze a narrow drawer into that space for your dry goods storage.
Odd spaces, like small recessed areas, or the space under a bank of windows, are great places to add shelves and cubbies. Shelving up by the ceiling hung around the perimeter of the room is a great way to squeeze in extra storage space while keeping items out of view!
04. Use Storage Space in Furniture:
We usually suggest you to use bed, which have full storage facilities capabilities. You can use space underneath your bed (4 legged open bed) for allowing small storage units or bins to stow away your gift wrapping, add seasonal clothes into the boxes, some suitcases that are taking up your precious space, etc. You can store such items and slide them out when in use!
You could even take it a step further and buy a bed frame with drawers built into it. In which you can add your bed-linens, seasonal linens, blankets, mattresses, mats, big bags or suitcases, hard plastic containers, etc into your bed storage which can be opened by lifting up the shutter below the mattress or by simple sliding through channels from either sides.Sofa cum beds is also best options for small houses, which have multiple use as sofa, bed when pulled out and storage unit under it!
For example in kids’ rooms, under the bed is a great place to store games like board games or other flat, bulky toys. There are a variety of racks, organizers, and hooks to add storage solutions behind the doors too!
You can also add cabinet below the seating near bay window, sofas, and designer storage chairs to your house!
05. Storage Under Stair:
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You can use the space below the stair which is mostly wasted in major houses as a storage space by adding vertical drawers/pullouts or simple having shutters for storing your necessary things. Stair riser’s (if it is made of wood or metal) can also be used for storing toys, books, linens, files etc. This also gives a unique look to your interior!
06. Divide & Conquer:
When you are dealing with the open storage spaces, everything often ends up in a big heap or stack, and the valuable space is wasted! In those areas, you can use the containers to help breaking-up and define the storage spaces to make them more user-friendly. They are cheap storage units, you can also add wire shelving to create specific sections in your closet to maximize the space you have, so you can store more!
Courtesy - Agoramedia
You can use stackable boxes to take advantage of tall, wide, or deep spaces in closets. Shelf dividers will allow you to securely stack soft items like sweaters, towels or blankets and efficiently use vertical space, and small baskets. Organizers create more room in drawers, and keep them neat!
07. Add more Shelves:
There are many ideas to shelf up the storage space for your home. For example, you can lose your bed’s headboard and create one out of a couple of shallow shelves that will easily hold books, magazines and your alarm clock.
Courtesy - Thisoldhouse
If you have no floor space for a bedside table, you can hang a single shelf next to your bed. You can also have shelves up to the ceiling that will give you more storage space!
08. Hang it up to your Ceiling:
You should always think vertical when looking for the additional storage solution in your home. Hanging pots and pans in your kitchen is very simple and organize all of your worthy kitchen gadgets.
Courtesy - Countryliving
You can also make your jewelry a work of art in your tiny bedroom by arranging your prettiest pieces in shadow boxes and hanging them on the wall or install some patterned in an old frame and use that as a drop station for your necklaces. Similarly, use special hangers to store ties, scarves, and belts to save closet or drawer space!
09. Install Portable Built-In Cabinets:
In addition to extra counter space, a kitchen island with shelves is a great place to store cookbooks, towels, and other frequently used items.These kitchen islands also called utility carts, will provide instant storage along with additional kitchen workspace. Wheel them into the kitchen when you need them, use them for preparing food or storing kitchenware, then put them away when you are done!
You can even use them on a deck or patio for parties or barbecues!
10. Add High Storage:
You should always take advantage of vertical space, which is more useful for home storage in small houses. In old houses we usually found loft, which are kept open for the storage space; you can cover it with shutter for decent appearance and hiding your valuable items!
Courtesy - Themonumentview
The only drawback for this storage space is you need ladder to climb and open it up! But if there is no other option for storage then you should really prefer this option!
Also Read: Are Your Kitchen Cabinets Installed at Correct Height!
11. Hang Upon the Hooks on your Walls/Doors:
Empty walls are valuable and they can be used for much more than a place to display framed art! You can creatively use your empty wall for hanging your accessories, coats, clothes etc.The hook is the savior for the storing all over your house like hallway, kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, playroom, bedroom, living areas to add plenty of handy storage solutions!
Courtesy - Alicdn
The back of a door is the best option where you can hang your apron, toys, cards holder, bags. For example, in children bedroom, toys can be tucked away in bags or baskets, ready to be unhooked at playtime. It is also a good place to keep ready-packed child’s travel bag to grab and go when you are in a hurry!You can also hang books on transparent compartments so as to make it easy to see the titles. They’re also great for storing shoes!
In bathroom, you can hook up basket, which can hold towels, cleaning gear and larger bath items.
12. Grow a Hanging Garden:
You can use fences baskets, hook-hangers or wooden frames to get your garden off the ground and double your growing area. You can hang Herbs and flowers at a perfect height for picking in your balcony if the area is full with required pot on floor!
Courtesy - Thisoldhouse
You can also hang your garden tools on your compound wall or wooden fence as shown in figure!
Hope these home storage solutions will really help you solve your storage problems!
Also Read:
Décor Ideas that Will Make a Small Living Room Look Cozy!
11 Ways to Achieve a Visually Streamlined Kitchen!
