Over the last 6 months or so we’ve all been spending a lot more time in our homes. And you may be noticing more of the things you typically can ignore when you’re out and about– going from work, to soccer practice, to dance class, and back home just in time for dinner and homework.
Maybe you’ve noticed that the house feels a little cluttered? Or you’re starting to think you just need “more storage” or a bigger garage.
I haven’t seen your specific space, but I’m willing to bet… that isn’t the solution. Clients typically hire us when they’re feeling this way too. Like the house is packed to the brim and there is just no where else to put one more thing. And as with any project, we always start with the purging part first. And if you’d like some more guidance on just how to get started with that, check out our post on decluttering.
Once you’ve gone through and pared down to what you really want and need, you may find that you still need just a little bit more space! And that’s where I want to focus today.
Last year my husband and I chose to downsize from a 2700 sq. foot home to less than half, at about 1300 sq. feet!
There have absolutely been times where I felt like we just didn’t have enough space to keep all of our things. But as I’ve stayed focused on the end goal, I’ve always seemed to be able to purge just a little bit more and let go of that one thing I really had convinced myself to hold onto in the past.
As I’ve gone space by space and closet by closet, I’ve found that there are a lot of ways that those spaces weren’t always being utilized to their full potential! And with a little planning and elbow grease (thanks hubby), we’ve been able to squeeze every ounce of storage out of this home and have room to spare!
So if you’re feeling a little tight on space, check out these 4 projects that you can do in your home to double your space and store more. And the best part is, these don’t have to take a ton of time or resources. You could maximize your storage space this weekend!
Maximizing the height + depth of a space
I’ve seen this especially in older homes where each closet has one rod and one shelf. This is such a waste of precious space in any bedroom closet, but also in a front hall/coat closet too! Once you finalize what types of items you’ll need to store in any given space, reassess that vertical space and see if you might be able to add a couple more shelves or a double hang, to really maximize the space.
If you have a deeper closet or wall space, consider swapping in deeper shelves or drawers than the standard 12″ to really make the most of it. And if you go with deeper shelves, make sure to utilize the bins or baskets that fit well into the deeper space. We used 16″ deep shelves in our downstairs closet to help accommodate our bins with cold weather clothes and bulkier shoes.
Add shelves + drawers
I mentioned the single bar/shelf issue in rentals and older homes earlier. Those are really great places to review and see what you can reasonably add to the space. But don’t forget about under sinks and in cabinets too! Bathroom storage is premium space and may need some additional shelves/drawers to utilize the amount of vertical space you have. Hint: the less you have to dig to the bottom, the more likely you’ll be to actually use the stuff you have.
Swap furniture
This one has been major for me! If you find yourself short on space, take a look at some of your furniture and see what could be swapped out that doesn’t have a practical purpose (with shelves/drawers) like an entry table. Instead of using a single table top for your entry, get one with cabinet space/drawers underneath that can be used for storing things that you’ll need quick access to as you’re heading out the door.
Using uniform bins/containers
This concept can also have a major impact! And while I absolutely advocate for using what you already have and not spending hundreds of $$ on bins, if you don’t need to… Having storage containers that are similar shape and size can really help to maximize the amount of space you have. The more you can fit nicely stacked and side-by-side, the easier it is to fit more into the space.
Want some extra help on the “how-to” part of decluttering? Grab our free guide below to get some inside strategies and guiding questions to get you started!
Way to use every inch! Those are impressive closet improvements. I find I’m often recommending that clients add a shelf. That standard builder’s closet solution, with one bar and one shelf, never makes the best use of the space. Even when people have shelves, they are often too deep or too spread out . This is why I love professional closet solutions. You can customize them to accommodate whatever you own. For example, in the pantry, we often need a very small amount of vertical space to store ceramic serving trays. Add a shelf and avoid all that stacking! My mother-in-law hung an over the door rack on the door to her basement (which was just off the kitchen) and had a super convenient spot for cans and small boxes. You have to think creatively, but you can really come up with terrific solutions!