Five clever space-saving home hacksWhether it's the pied-a-terre, the family home, or the holiday pad, living spaces, big and small, can all benefit from better storage solutions. These clever hacks can be completed at low cost and with little skill, but can radically improve the storage capacity of your home.
Smart Suitcase Storage
If you have a collection of holiday suitcases, don’t let them sit there empty. This is the perfect place to store seasonal clothing. You can also use your suitcases to store children's clothes that are not needed just yet. During summer, suitcases are also the perfect place to store winter blankets, raincoats, winter coats, and hot water bottles. During the winter, as well storing your summer clothes, you can put away your summer hats and swimwear in your empty suitcases. Whatever you choose to put in the suitcase, pack it neatly. Provided they have been carefully packed, if and when you need the suitcase, you can simply remove the items and leave them on your bed while you’re away, ready to put straight back in on your return.
Create shelves in the nooks of your closets
Many built-in wardrobes and closest have nooks at each end. Although these are designed to provide extra storage, you can technically only use the floor area. Installing a simple set of shelves within this nook is an easy way to create storage. It’s the perfect place for accessories such as belts, hats, gloves, and shoes. You can take this 'bespoke' shelving idea further, by adding shelves into all sorts of nooks and crannies in the house. Whether you have space beside the fireplace, under the eaves, under the stairs, above a door, or between the windows, you can either contact a joiner for a quote or even give it a try yourself.
The space behind the door
Don’t waste the space behind your doors. On the back of the door, is the space for all kinds of hangers and knobs and even a mirror, using the most basic DIY products for around the home, such as super glue, a hammer, or a screwdriver. If space permits, it’s even possible to install a shallow shelving unit on the wall behind the door. This is particularly ideal in a pantry, utility room, or bathroom where space is at a premium, but where there’s no end of bottles and products looking for a home.
Double up the clothing rods
Most wardrobes and closets have just a single rod for hanging clothes. This is typically quite high up, and many clothing items only hang halfway down. Consider installing a second rod, one or two feet below the first. This simple, low cost and skill-free solution will effectively double the storage space you have for hanging your clothes. The lower rod is ideal for children's clothes, shorts, and tops.
Being more organised
Before you fill up these new storage spaces with stuff, have a decent declutter. There's no point creating a storage solution for items you no longer need or want. Try to leave some storage spaces empty, so you have somewhere to put new things when they come. However, when you buy new items, or just before Christmas, you should always try to get rid of some older items in order to keep some equilibrium. Once your home is perfectly organized, it’s time to organise everything else in your life.
We all want less clutter in our home spaces, and sometimes you just need a few ideas to help get you into the right mind frame. From nook shelves to suitcases, these low-cost, low-skill hacks are a simple way to add more storage space to your home, helping you to create a neat, minimal look in every room.
