Storage Options High to Low
To discover a storage bonanza around the house, look around from high to low. Spaces on top of cabinets, beneath furniture, or on empty walls or doors offer unexplored options for household storage.
Untapped storage space lives all around you, hiding beneath the furniture. While under-bed storage is a commonly used solution, it’s also possible to take advantage of free space beneath sofas, end tables, and bookcases to house your stuff.
Under the bed, sweep the dust bunnies aside to make room for long, shallow storage bins or self-contained storage drawers. Use bed risers and an extra-deep bed skirt to increase space available beneath the bed. Keep under-bed items contained in organizer bins to keep dust out and make stored items easy to retrieve.
Good candidates for under-bed storage include gift wrap, craft supplies and bed linens. Space-saving vacuum storage bags make it possible to slide extra pillows and puffy comforters into under-bed space. More unusual uses of this space include storage for folding banquet tables, table leaves, and the ironing board.
Tap shallower spaces, such as those beneath end tables or sofas, to store extra picture frames or seasonal wall art. Clear acrylic picture frames come in sizes to fit any space and slide neatly beneath an office desk or bookcase. Use them to hold office supplies, computer cables, or oversize printer paper. Add a label to make it easy to spot the contents under the desk.
 |
SPEEDY SOLUTION |
Luggage does double duty as storage for out-of-season clothing. Slide it beneath the bed or stack filled suitcases in an attic corner. Clothing stays clean and dust free in the off season, and is easy to swap out when the weather changes.
Look Up High
Kitchen cabinets often stop short of the ceiling, creating a natural storage space for seldom-used small appliances and oversize serving dishes. One caveat: be prepared to cope with the airborne greasy film generated by cooking. Restrict cabinet-top storage to items that can be easily washed to remove it.
Try the bowl trick to maximize storage in high spaces. Fill a decorative bowl with small items like table games or decks of playing cards. Placed on a shelf above eye level, the bowl’s contents are hidden yet accessible.
In the computer area or entertainment center, set up electronic devices such as network routers and digital antennas on the top shelves of high bookcases. The bookcase screens the devices (and their clutter of cords) from view, while the high-up location enhances signal reception and Wi-Fi coverage. In children’s bedrooms, mount a high shelf on one, some, or all of the walls around the room. Doll collections, stuffed animals, and board games can live there happily and free up play space in the center of the room.
On the Walls
The empty space on walls offers potential storage. In the garage, screw simple U- or L-brackets into adjoining studs to hold window screens, replacement furnace filters, or scrap lumber flat against the wall. Near the workbench, pegboards and tool racks provide easy hanging options for tools and garden equipment.
Inside the house, wall-mounted file holders put mail sorting on the fast track or hold action files for household paperwork. Modular storage systems allow you to mix and match bulletin boards, whiteboards, bins, and hooks to create a family launch pad or home office communications center. Shallow cupboards, set into walls between framing studs, make good homes for prescription drugs, spices, or small tools.
|
SPEEDY SOLUTION |
Freestanding floor-to-ceiling solutions tap usable vertical space in unusual areas. Specialty bike racks allow apartment dwellers to safeguard and stack their wheels without marring the walls. In the shower, tension pole caddies make use of corners to keep soap and shampoo and conditioner bottles off the floor. A toilet topper shelf unit creates storage space over the commode.
Double-Duty Doors
The backs of closet and cabinet doors offer instant A-category storage when enhanced with hooks, racks, or over-the-door storage organizers.
Walking the dog will be a pleasure when the leash, harness, and cleanup kit hang ready to go on a rack mounted on the back door. An over-door ironing center keeps the ironing board, iron, and spray starch close at hand in the laundry area.
Another way to maximize a door storage area is to harness the hinges. Specialty products designed to attach to door hinges offer storage space for flat items like towels and folded trousers, allowing you to reclaim unused space behind the open door.
|
SPEEDY SOLUTION |
Adhesive hooks and hangers offer damage-free storage solutions to organize your space. Products such as 3M-brand Command hanging strips install quickly and can be removed cleanly, without nail holes or damage to paint. Use them to mount hooks, shelves, or bins where you need them.