Lifestyle

Room to Room Organization and Storage Ideas

organization and storageThe storage system you choose for your home should suit your lifestyle, your home improvement know-how, your budget, and your level of free time. Whatever storage methods and options you choose, the goal should be to open up the space in your home and better organize your life. Here are 10 brilliant DIY organization and storage ideas for you to go with

Kitchen

Maximize Existing  Space

Many of us also look for the least intrusive ways to store items on our kitchen counters. One option is to install a tambour door underneath a cabinet, which can be rolled down whenever necessary, to keep items out of sight and make the counter area look cleaner and more streamlined. To improve the overall aesthetic effect of counter storage, you might also consider arranging certain items on tea trays according to themes or similarity.

 Vertical Storage

When people search for storage space in the kitchen, their instinct is often to look below the counters. One of the most efficient ways to store certain items, however, is to house them above eye-level, on racks or rods above the stove and counters. A flat-bottomed wire rack above the range top is a great place to keep spices and cooking materials (but just make sure it is elevated enough to prevent any of the stored items from getting too hot). Hanging plate racks also offer a new place to store dishes, thus opening up cabinet or counter space for alternate items.

General Living Areas

Furniture as Storage Space

Consider investing in furniture that doubles as a storage space. For example, most furniture stores offer attractive ottomans with top cushions that also serve as covers for built-in storage boxes.

If you need even more storage space, large benches and window seats with built-in storage areas are also available. Benches can hold everything from seasonal items like scarves, hats, and gloves to items like photo albums or even children’s toys; and they also work great if you need to clean up in a pinch and don’t have time to put everything away – just remember to go back later and put things in their right places!

 Double Up on Existing Space

Depending on the layout of your living room, dining room, or den, you can add smaller storage units to larger storage areas. For instance, if you have an open space underneath a stairwell, you might install either a small closet or a piece of furniture that doubles as a storage box.

Bedrooms

 Cubbies and Crates

If the weather is currently warm, pull out all of your sweaters, sweatshirts, and other winter items. You can either place them into a storage container that slides underneath your bed or, if you’d prefer to leave these in your closet, you can put them in short cubbies or milk crates. Milk crates are easily stackable and quite affordable, and you can buy a number of these in a variety of colors from a store like Target or Wal-Mart and arrange them in your closet as you see fit.

 Hanging Racks

You may also want to find more efficient ways of storing your accessories, such as ties, scarves, and belts. Instead of stacking up scarves on a shelf or in a dresser, you can knot them around a hanger; this saves shelf and drawer space, and also makes them more visible and easily accessible.

Shoe Organization and Storage

If you keep your shoes in your bedroom closet, these can also be stored in a shoe organizer that hangs easily over the bedroom door or closet door. This will free up a lot of floor space, and will keep the shoes from getting mixed up and damaged inside the closet. (Step-by-step guide on how to sew a shoe organizer yourself)

Kids’ Rooms

Hidden Storage

There are a couple of advanced construction and creative DIY options for storage systems in the kids’ rooms as well. Building recessed dressers and cabinets is one possibility, but another more unique way to enhance storage space is to construct in-wall, fold-down tables that house little shelves inside. In essence, these would look like the shelving equivalent of a murphy bed. If you have an infant, these can work well as changing tables. As kids get older, the diapers and baby powder on the shelves can be replaced with clothes or other items.

Garage and Shed Organization and Storage

Additional Shelves

Installing a shelf on the wall of your garage or walk-in shed is a great way to add storage space to the room. The shelf should be at least a few feet long and a foot wide (or bigger, if you have the space), so that you have enough room to store a collection of items.

You can also attach multiple floating shelves to the wall, stacked on top of one another about two feet apart. These shelves will provide a good place to store boots and galoshes, watering cans, flower pots, and other rain gear or gardening paraphernalia that are prone to creating a mess of dirt and water. Affixing a hook to the wall nearby for wet umbrellas will help you keep everything in this category stored together in one place.

 Wall Racks

Wall racks are another great way to make use of the space you already have in the garage. Hanging a few pegs or hooks directly below wall shelves is one way to do this. You can also attach a pegboard to the wall, and hang tools, scissors, gloves, dust pans, measuring tape, and any other medium weight work items onto the board with pegs. Another option is to add a coat rack to a shed or garage to store work gear, winter coats, or other bulky items.

Devoting just a few weekends to some simple storage projects and light remodeling can greatly enhance the appearance of your home, and you’ll have greater peace of mind knowing that everything has a designated place. If your home is too crowded to organize it in a good way you can simply rent a storage unit (like the one that Kennards Self Storage offers in Melbourne).

Karla Urwitz
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