Most homeowners feel like they don’t have enough storage space in their home’s floor plan. A lack of proper storage can lead to a cluttered home, making the space feel even smaller. Clutter can also contribute to stress and dissatisfaction. You don’t need to purchase a massive cabinet for storage; some of the best solutions are simple, affordable, and quite creative. If your home is frequently cluttered due to a lack of space or storage, you’ll want to learn some innovative ways to store your belongings neatly.
Get Rid of Unused Items
When you’re trying to reduce clutter and organize your home, you’ll want to start with a blank slate as much as possible. Go through your space and recycle, donate, or throw out what you don’t need. It’s much easier to organize items you currently want and need without miscellaneous junk involved. You’ll have less to manage, and you’ll be able to consolidate it in a more organized way. You may need to tackle that over a few days, or go through it as you go. Either way, fewer unnecessary items mean more room in your home.
Take Advantage of Over-the-Door Storage
Many people don’t realize that their homes’ doors can hold a lot of valuable storage space. Over-the-door cabinets, hooks, racks, and shelves can add vertical storage space beyond the walls. They aren’t incredibly load-bearing, but you can increase a ton of floor and wall space by using over-the-door storage. Cabinets can also be included as doors in this case. In your kitchen, over-the-door storage on cabinets can hold kitchen utensils or additional pots and pans. This storage can help you store cleaning items for cabinets under your sinks, too. Coats, shoes, mirrors, towels, and clothes are common items that are used for over-the-door storage. It’s renter-friendly as a bonus.
Use More Vertical Space
Vertical space is important for storage. Shelving is the most common type, but you don’t have to rely solely on shelves, especially as a renter. Pegboards, corkboards, and magnetic refrigerator shelves all add storage solutions without taking up additional floor space. Vertical space is excellent for smaller or crowded floor plans. Pegboards and corkboards allow you to customize them according to your storage needs, as you can attach shelving, holders, and organizers as you see fit.
Increase Cabinet Shelving
If you have particularly deep or tall cabinets, you can use more of that vertical space inside without stacking items dangerously. Add some shelves! You can build or buy shelves that fit inside cabinets to increase the amount of item stacking you can do. You can stack the items directly, or simply stack bins or drawers to hold more items. With this approach, you’re using vertical space inside your cabinets and shelves!
Build or Design a Custom Shed
Sheds are simple storage solutions that you can place anywhere on your property. Many people store lawn care equipment or gardening tools in a shed, but you can store pretty much anything you want. You can even install air conditioning for climate-controlled storage if desired. A custom shed presents more style and size options for a wider variety of storage needs. You don’t have to choose the stereotypical, prefabricated shed—it can match your home’s color palette or architectural style. Wood is usually the preferred material for sheds for style alone, but home office sheds are typically wood, as it can be further designed, colored, and customized. Custom wooden shed doors can help keep your items more secure, too. Add shelving and storage furniture to your shed, and you’ve got a brand new room to help reduce clutter in your home!
Expand Your Windowsill
A windowsill is an underrated storage area. Consider adding a small shelf under your windows to store decorations, plants, or other items. A storage basket or attractive bin can look charming on the windowsill without blocking the view of the outside world. Just make sure your windowsill shelving doesn’t obstruct your ability to control the window.
Find “Hidden” Storage Opportunities
You don’t always need an obvious storage solution like a cabinet or shelving. There are many subtle storage options. If you have space under the bed, a rolling drawer or bin can make excellent storage for out-of-season clothes or items you don’t need often. Some furniture, like ottomans or couches, has “secret” storage compartments underneath the cushion for anything you’d like. Coffee tables or desks can unfold or expand their tabletops to reveal storage underneath. These subtle solutions are both practical and stylish, especially if you prefer a minimalist feeling.
Conclusion
When you get creative about your home’s storage solutions, you can minimize clutter and keep your home stylish. Solutions can be upfront, like a stylish basket you can transport anywhere, to a more subtle option like storage ottomans. When you combine both, you’ll have a home that is free of messes without sacrificing that personal touch. When you feel like you don’t have enough storage space, it’s time to take a broader look at your home and get innovative.