How to Make Home Storage Space

Appropriate storage space is essential for any home.

If you feel that you are running out of space for all your storage needs, there are many ways to make more home storage space. Be creative and rearrange the storage spaces so you can make room for all your stuff and achieve an organized, uncluttered home where everything has its place.

Things You'll Need

• Hanger rods
• Shelves
• Plastic totes
• Storage containers
• Spice racks
• Canned-goods storing units
• Stackable closet drawers
• DVD and CD storage units
• Under-the-bed containers
• Wall hangers

Instructions

1. Make more storage space in the closet by adding more rods for hanging clothes. Take the existing clothes rod and reinstall it at the height where dresses, pants, housecoats and other long items can hang just so they are off the ground. Install an additional rod above the first one for shirts, skirts, suit jackets and shorter items. Organize the clothes on each rod by color, season, etc.

2. More shelves make more storage space. Instead of piling items on top of each other on one shelf, add more shelves. Look in the closet, pantry, kitchen and bathroom to see if there is space for additional shelves. Move existing shelves up or down a notch to provide the space necessary for the shelf to hold items properly and also provide room for additional shelves. Take all items off the shelves and organize according to height or how much the item is used. Start with the lowest position and put the most used items on that shelf. Place the second shelf 1 or 2 inches above the items on the lowest shelf and place the next set of items.

   This creates more storage space for linens, clothes, food, cleaning items, etc.

3. Use storage containers. Storage containers can be plastic totes that stack on top of each other or premade units for closets or pantries. Look around the home to see where you can stack items and determine what needs to be stored appropriately to make more space. Look at a local hardware or retail stores to find suitable storage containers. Spice racks, canned good units, stackable closet drawers, DVD and CD storage units, under-the-bed containers for off-season clothes are items that create more space.

4. Walls make good storage spaces. In the kitchen, pots and pans can hang on the wall making room in the kitchen cabinets for other items. Hang a peg board on a wall to organize small items in the kitchen, work room or garage. Install decorative shelves on walls to display pictures, knickknacks, trophies or other items. Install shelves made specifically for corners to use that area for storage. Install shelves on the garage walls to organize items and get things off the garage floor.

Tips & Warnings

• Be creative and rearrange the storage possibilities in the home to make more storage space for all your stuff.

References

• University of Illinois Extension: Storage That Works