Set Your Home Free By Hiding Your Stuff
Traditional storage spots aren't the only space-saving options your home has to offer
Lack of storage space is a major problem in most homes. Some people cope by renting storage space, putting a shed out in the back yard, remodeling or even moving to a larger home. These are costly solutions that you can avoid if you regularly purge your home of unwanted things, and if you find creative ways to stash your stuff. Cleverly hiding some of your possessions will not only give your home more personality but also make it more visually peaceful.
You’ve probably already maxed out your home’s traditional storage spaces, but you may have overlooked some less-than-obvious ones. Since my house has shrunk over the years, I have become an expert at ferreting out spaces to store my treasures. Try some of these spots in your home:
The Living and Family Rooms
The leaf from your dining table, several pairs of skis or rolls of gift-wrapping can fit easily under your couch. If your sofa is placed against the wall you can lean framed artwork or poster boards behind it. Do you have a nonfunctioning or seldom-used fireplace? Consider placing a decorative folding screen in front of it so you can stack boxes (tax records, Christmas ornaments, out-of-season clothes) inside it.
Use double-duty furniture: A chest instead of a coffee table, dressers instead of end tables or an armoire to house the TV and DVDs. If you can’t afford new furniture, maximize the space under end tables and coffee tables by filling it with storage baskets or decorative boxes. Have too many books and not enough shelf space? Place books of approximately the same size on each shelf and adjust the shelving so there is no wasted vertical space. Layer rows of paperbacks two deep. Don’t forget the top of your bookcases or entertainment center – use it to display a basket collection, books, plants or sculpture pieces. Fill the space under an accent chair or console table with a stack of hatboxes, a stack of picture books or an antique wooden box.
In the Kitchen
Use windowsills to display vases, family photos and small works of art. Maximize drawer space by using inserts or cardboard boxes to corral loose objects. Store seldom-used table linens or silverware inside
large cooking pots. Even though it’s hard to reach the cabinets above your refrigerator, use them to house cookbooks or appliances you rarely use. Can you fit a corner cabinet in your eating area? How about a wall rack for plates? If you have loads of kitchenware ware but not enough cabinet space, look in another room. A hall closet, the closet in the guest bedroom or in the vanity in the guest bath might have just enough space to handle the overflow.
The Bedroom
Dress your bed with a dust ruffle so you can stash storage boxes underneath it. Conceal large framed pictures behind your headboard.
Use a chest of drawers as a nightstand. Place hooks on the back of the door or hang a shoe or jewelry organizer there. Mount wall shelves above your dresser instead of a mirror so you can keep books, a jewelry box and photos there. In a child’s room, install a single shelf a foot or so below the ceiling encircling the room so he/she can display his/her stuffed animals, trophies or hat collection. A pegboard behind the door can handle backpacks, bathrobes and hats. If there’s a desk in the room, fit a pair of bookcases of the same height on either end of it, instead of just one flat against the wall.
The Bathroom
You can’t have too many towel racks in the bathroom. Even if you only need one towel, use your towel racks to hold several layers of clean towels to free up space in your linen closet. Roll up hand towels and washcloths and display them in a basket on the countertop. Buy a decorative basket to store additional rolls of tissues and place it next to or on the tank. If you have a pedestal sink and need cabinet space, consider skirting it and stashing stuff underneath or purchasing an over-the-toilet wall unit. If you are willing to spend a bit more money and are handy, install an in-wall mini closet. These recessed cabinets fit between the wall studs and have adjustable shelves and optional doors. Make more use of your vanity by installing a pullout shelf under the sink and use plastic tubs or cardboard boxes as dividers in every drawer.
Kit Davey, an interior designer based in Redwood City, Calif., helps clients redecorate their homes through the creative use of their existing furnishings. E-mail Kit your questions: kit@ctwfeatures.com
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