Ways to Add Storage Space to a Small Home

If you live in a small home, you know the challenges that can come along with it. Small homes are often a bit short on storage space. When you lack enough space in your closets and other areas, it’s easy for the house to look cluttered and unkempt. There is no reason for you to think that your small living space should be anything other than neat and tidy, though. Finding enough storage for all of your items can help you to keep your place in good order. Read on for some great tips on adding storage space to a small living space.

Finding space for items in a small home often requires thinking outside the box a bit. While you might think that canned goods need to be stored in the kitchen and towels need to be stored in the bathroom, the truth is that you can store anything just about anywhere. Look around your home and see what type of furniture you might have that can do double duty. In addition, think about the usefulness of various furniture types when it comes time to upgrade the items that you have in your home.

For example, if you have a small guest room that doubles as an office , a Murphy bed (wall bed) can give you extra storage space while also opening up some floor space. A wall bed sits against the wall most of the time and usually includes shelves, drawers, and other storage space. When guests come, simply pull it down and make the bed. You might need to move your office chair or pack up some of your children’s toys to make room for the bed, but it’s only temporary.

You might look for a headboard that can hold books or a coffee table that opens up to hold board games or blankets. If you are in the market for a new bed, you might choose one with drawers underneath. Look for ways to include storage with your furnishings and you will enjoy the benefit of extra space.

When you think about the square footage of a home, you might only be thinking about floor space. Homes with modest square footage still have a lot of wall space, however. It makes sense to try to make the most of your wall space for storage.

Gridwall or slatwall systems allow you to hang items on the wall in utility closets or the garage. You can hang up your broom and mop, some tools, hardware, and so on. This is an excellent way to open up space in your drawers, which you can then use for something else.

Shelving, of course, is another way you can make good use of your wall space. Think beyond the basics: Could you add a shelf over your doors? Maybe you could fill an entire wall of one room with shelves for floor-to-ceiling storage. Filling in extra space in your closets with shelves gives you somewhere to store sweaters and jeans.

Don’t forget about the backs of your closet doors. Installing hooks in this space gives you options for storing scarves, purses, children’s items, or even baskets filled with toiletries or hair accessories. Look at any vertical surface with the same keen eye you would use to consider a horizontal surface and put these areas to work!

One problem that many people have is that deep shelving is hard to access. This might make you less likely to want to add shelves to, say, a narrow-but-deep closet or a kitchen pantry. Choosing pull-out shelving can allow you to store a lot while also being able to access whatever is in the depths of the space.

Pull-out shelving is the perfect hybrid of shelving and drawers. You can see what you have thanks to its openness and you can reach the back items because you can pull the whole thing out. These are perfect for spaces like linen closets , the kitchen pantry , and guest bedroom closets.

One other area of the home that many people forget about is the space overhead. Overhead storage racks in the garage offer great potential for additional storage. You can also have overhead racks installed in a closet. If you don’t want pull-down racks, you can simply install shelving nestled close to the ceiling.

Don’t limit yourself to the closets and the garage. Instead, think about the features you have or could add. Plant shelves can be used to store books that you aren’t using, for example. Or you could install a shelf along the perimeter of the den or playroom to hold wanted items that aren’t used regularly. You could use this space for framed pictures, too.

To reach these items, you will need a step stool or some way to grab them without having to climb on furniture. This is a consideration you should keep in mind, particularly if your ceilings are high. As long as you prioritize safety, you might find overhead storage to be a convenient way to add storage space to a small home.