If you’re a homeowner looking for more storage space inside your house, there are plenty of options to make the most of your living space. These unusual storage ideas will provide you with extra room for whatever items you might need to keep around. In other words, if you’ve got more than some extra cutlery or a couple of books to store, these 6 ideas are for you.
The storage solutions presented here will provide you with enough space for anything you might need to put away. Of course, you should keep in mind that you can also use self storage, as sometimes there just isn’t enough space for everything. Plus, you can always find affordable storage options that suit your specific needs.
1. Ceiling storage
Pull-down sturdy racks can offer you all the space you need for storing away outdoor gear, sports equipment and even seasonal clothing or other items. Make use of the ceiling of your garage, your basement or your pantry. Ceiling mounted storage racks can help clean up clutter and can hold quite a bit of weight. Overhead retractable storage in your garage, for instance, will allow you to have a high level of versatility when deciding on what you need to deposit. Finally, you can use nets, garage hooks, slings or pulleys if you don’t want to go for a good old-fashioned shelf.
2. No more cutting corners
Cutting corners is tempting, but you’ll be better off not doing it, both literally and figuratively. We often tend to ignore the four corners of a room when designing our home and thinking about storage, but placing wooden shelves, wall pockets and other innovative furnishing elements in these areas can help you maximize home storage space. Furthermore, this is true for any room in your house. Whether it’s a wine rack, bookshelves, kitchen utensils or bathroom essentials, make the most of the corners you have, in case you’re running low on space. Vertical countertop organizers, tall shower caddies and wall-mounted corner shelves can be both fashionable and useful.
3. Make the most of your stairs and staircase
With a little creativity, the space around your staircase can be used to the maximum. Think bigger than just pull-out drawers, coat closets and staircase pantries. Bookcases, playrooms for kids, doghouses and even small bathrooms or laundry rooms could fit in that awkwardly shaped space that you are not sure how to use. You can even make hidden drawers out of the stairs themselves and store all kinds of household items there, including shoes, books and tools. These ideas can come in handy if you have more things than you have space.
4. Vertical storage
Just like corner storage, this idea can also help you maximize space in every single room in your house. Double-rod closet organizers, rolling shelves, suspended crates and pegboards are just a few ideas to consider. All kinds of smaller items can fit in stacking drawers and containers, while clothes can be more efficiently stored using hooks rather than hangers. Additionally, wall-mounted hooks can save you precious space in any room, by hanging not just clothes, but also sports equipment, towels, or bags. High-hanging floating shelves can also add considerable storage space while still looking good.
5. (Convertible) furniture space
Seeing that our furniture is the element that occupies most of our living space, using it for your storage needs is a game-changer. Be it DIY or store-bought, most furniture can have the capacity for storing items in hidden spots – kitchen islands, footstools, sofas and armchairs are smart storage ideas for small spaces. Putting away your bed linen, children’s toys or any other household necessities in these furnishing elements will save you a lot of trouble. Convertible furniture is also something you should consider, as more and more multi-functional items help keep clutter at bay, maintain a clean room and increase your storage space significantly.
6. Floor storage
If you’re tired of too many items just lying around on the floor, how about storing them inside the floor? Yes, this might sound a bit too out-of-the-box, but under-floor storage projects can take a load off your shelves, walls, closets, and your mind. This smart storage idea includes having raised floors with hidden storage spaces, slide-out drawers, trap doors, raised platforms and hidden compartments where you can put away virtually anything you want. This might be useful especially for under-utilized spaces such as your attic. If you don’t feel like embarking on an overly ambitious DIY project in this sense, a good handyman should be able to help you out.