Home Storage Hacks

No matter the size of your home, there’s always a clever way to optimise your storage solutions. Here are some simple hacks and tricks to inspire your home storage makeover.

BEDROOM

One of the most effective ways to increase storage in your bedroom is to utilise the space underneath your bed. When shopping for a bed, opt for a frame with built-in drawers or an elevated frame with space to put items underneath and out of sight. When it comes to bedside tables, choose pieces with drawers, shelves or a combination of both to really amplify the storage available in your bedroom. If you’re in need of extra shelf space to store smaller items and decorative pieces, consider installing floating shelves on your walls. This idea also works with floating, wall-mounted clothing rails. Utilising the space behind your bedroom door is another great way to save floor space – you can store dirty clothes in a hanging hamper or install a rack, pegs or hooks to hang shoes, belts or bags.

Photography by Tu Tu

BATHROOM

Bathroom wall space is precious so install hooks and rails wherever practical, including behind the door to hang bathrobes or towels. Likewise, the space above the top of the door frame is often overlooked but is actually a perfect spot to install a floating shelf to hold clean towels. Also consider floating shelves in your bathroom – they can be a stylish touch while providing additional space for folded towels and toiletries. If you have space under your vanity – i.e. the space between the floor and the unit itself –then you could add some decorative baskets to create more storage and prevent clutter. When it comes to storage on the vanity, consider a glass shelf under your mirror to hold your soap and toiletries. Alternatively, try suction bathroom storage containers – they work just as well, don’t take up any vanity space and don’t leave any damage, which can be handy if you’re renting.

KITCHEN

Boost storage in your kitchen by using dividers in your drawers and cupboards –dividers are not just handy for separating cutlery, but also utensils, lunch containers and cookware. What’s more, you can buy adjustable dividers to fit your space and adjust the sizes as you need, which will not only keep things tidy and organised, but help you fit more in too. Next, turn one cupboard shelf into two with portable shelves, which help to give you twice as much space for your crockery, lunch containers, as well as your pots and pans. If you can, hang a rack from your pantry door to organise herbs and spices. Racks are also helpful to hang on the inside of any cupboard door, whether it’s under the sink for cleaning materials, or near the stove to hang pots, pans and utensils. To give your kitchen more space, install some floating shelves around the walls to bring utensils, canisters, herbs, spices and oils off the bench and out of the way.

Photography by Jason Leung

“Install some floating shelves around the walls to bring utensils, canisters, herbs, spices and oils off the bench and out of the way.”

LAUNDRY

Fill unused wall space in your laundry by installing wall racks to air-dry clothes or hold freshly laundered items before they go into the wardrobe. You could also install two rows of racks, one closer to the ceiling and another underneath, around waist high, to double your hanging space.

Continue to maximise wall space in your laundry and install a pegboard against an empty wall or behind a door and hang cleaning items like brushes, dusters, or even the dog’s leash. Another way to put empty wall space to good use and create more storage is with floating shelves. Depending on your laundry’s layout, give yourself a functional workspace by adding a countertop above your washing machine and dryer if it’s not already under the bench – as it’s a great way to give you more room to sort and fold. Finally, make use of the space behind doors to hang items such as ironing boards, brooms, mops and longer items. All you need is some racks, hooks or pegs.

GARDEN SHED

Start your shed storage overhaul by sorting tools and garden items into categories based on their purpose or size, then everything will be easier to find and store when you need it. Empty walls should be put to good use, getting items off the floor and making the space cleaner and less hazardous. You could also add floating shelves or a pegboard to hang up all of your garden tools. A small pegboard next to or behind the shed door can be particularly useful to give you quick access to frequently used tools. Alternatively, put a pegboard over an entire wall and hang absolutely everything on it. Likewise, tool racks are a great way to store all of your long tools together and can be particularly helpful with a magnet attached to keep metal tools and paint brushes in place. Next, buy some clear storage boxes for loose items – they can be stacked and labelled so everything is easy to store and find when you need it. Finally, if you need a flat surface to work on or to store items temporarily, then consider a fold-down bench. They’re easy to install and you can bring it up and down in seconds.