7 Remarkable Storage Approaches

For how many instances have you needed to turn your house upside down just to find your car keys? Or found something that has been missing for quite some time somewhere you least expect it? These things may all be associated to disarray—the one big enemy of any room, no matter how big or small. If you frequently find your odds and ends in various places, you could probably utilize some extra storage to help get rid of the mess.

When you think of storage, you probably think about humongous shelves, kids’ toy chests, and that clunky cabinet located at the end of your hallway. No wonder few people take the time to invest in good storage—it’s just not “stylish” enough. But with all the storage designs now available, there are so many unique ways to get organized without having to spend time worrying about these clashing with your home decorations. Here are seven different storing concepts you might want to try for yourself.

1. Baskets. Although more popular with country-style houses, woven baskets have a warm, homey look that goes great with any theme. Make use of them for storing magazines, pens, jewelry, as well as other small items. In large, highly-cluttered areas like your living room, you may put one large basket or several smaller ones on or near your table. If you’re going to choose the latter, use baskets in various sizes and weaves to add more interest. For saving space, put your baskets on an end table or a wall rack.

2. Dividers + shelves. Room dividers are good for breaking up large spaces, but they tend to fill lots of space—space that may be used for storing things. If your room will be better with a divider, think about making use of a small bookshelf or display rack rather than a divider. This way, they’ll be used both as a storage space and a dividing element. Look for an open-backed shelf so that it will look presentable on either side, or find two slimmer shelves and put them back to back.

3. Linear racks. Wall storage is great for small rooms, and the stylish way to do it is by making use of linear storage racks. These racks are made up of a vertical trunk that has a number of holders installed along it. It’s a wonderful way of organizing small items in your office, bedroom, or bathroom. And due to the fact that it’s mounted on the wall, it takes up no floor space and will work great on tight spaces. You may even make your own—simply polish an old wooden slab then nail on some L-shaped brackets on the front.

4. Niche displays. Don’t have enough space for displaying your collection of antiques? Try positioning it on top of a shelf or cabinet. These areas are almost always ignored and tend to be dusty and dark, but if used the right way, they may make great corner displays. The space is perfect for those special memorabilia that you’d otherwise put away in a box. Install slide lights or an up-light for adding emphasis and draw attention to the display. Limit yourself to three pieces per display to play up their value and form.

5. Nested trays. So you’ve got a large basket for all your cosmetics, but you still end up digging for your favorite perfume every morning? You can avoid this situation by keeping your storage small, or by dividing your containers into littler compartments. Organize your toiletries in various containers, with the items you usually use in the biggest tray and the less important items in the littler boxes. This would provide you quicker access to items you use everyday while keeping the rest just within reach.

6. Recessed shelves. Mounting shelves on walls saves much floor space, but due to the fact that the shelves stick out from the wall, they still add to that cramped ambiance which is common in small areas. A wonderful alternative is building your shelves inward, so that the rims are just on the same level as the remaining walls. This works specifically well with bathroom sinks in corners. The side walls have easy-to-reach storage for toiletries, towels, and other bathroom essentials. Be sure that you plan it well, though, as you can’t just simply uninstall these shelves as you would a conventional shelf.

7. Old kitchen items. Used pans, bowls, cups, and other kitchen items may be recycled to make stylish storage tools. Want to organize your jewelry? Grab an old muffin pan and put a different piece in each muffin holder. Use a mug or an old cup as a pen holder, or a large bowl for storing small toys and figurines. You may even use your old kitchen cabinets and rebuild them to make pull-out trays, creating a space-saving dresser drawer. Almost any old thing may be reused, so do not be afraid to do some experiments.
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Courtney James is a writer for various household organization and interior design articles with more than fifteen years industry experience. She also happens to be a Certified Interior Designer as well as a regular interior design columnist for redeco.org. Courtney spends much of her time making uncommon and personalized home organization and home décor solutions for her clients and readers.