By Amy Lynch
No storage? No problem. These tips can help you make the most of what you already have. Whether you’re living in tight quarters or a spacious home, you could likely use some extra storage to house the essential items you use every day. If adding new built-in shelving or building a new addition isn’t an option, these tricks can help you maximize and even double the space you have, and may even help you de-clutter your home in the process.
Up the Wall
No matter how small the kitchen, chances are it has empty wall just waiting to be transformed into the ultimate organizer. Make the most of vertical space by adding pegboard, which can serve as a catchall for kitchen supplies and requires no DIY experience to install.
Nooks and Crannies
Go beyond the closet by putting your corners to work. These small nooks are storage goldmines if you utilize them correctly. Try hanging a length of industrial pipe, or a corner shelf, which allows you to display the things you love while keeping them out of the way.
Hidden Away
Getting stuck with a small kitchen is no reason to downsize your spice collection. Free up considerable kitchen cabinet space by mounting a pull-out spice rack to the bottom of your cupboards. Not only will it make meal prep easier, but it will also wow your guests every time you invite company over for dinner.
Rock and Roll
Conventional wisdom dictates that folding t-shirts flat is the most efficient way to store clothing between wears. In fact, rolling your wardrobe saves a ton of space, without causing extra wrinkles. By employing this trick, you can fit as much as two times as many clothes in each drawer.
Stick ‘em Up
What do knives, cooking spices, and office supplies all have in common? Any of them can be easily stored using magnetic strips mounted to the wall. Rack up large items like metal knives, or transfer small items like like spices or paperclips into small magnetic containers, then pair them with a wall-mounted magnetized metal strip to make everything stick.
Turn the Page
A jumble of canned goods can be corralled by the help of a magazine holder like this. Dump out the old issues of your magazine subscriptions, then stack canned goods of similar kinds—soup, veggies, and more—inside for an orderly pantry.
Hook It Up
Foil, plastic wrap, and other disposable supplies are convenient, but they take up an inconvenient amount of pantry space. Save room by installing hooks—sideways—to the inside of a cabinet door. Not only will you keep these everyday items within easy reach, but you’ll free up space for other kitchen necessities.
Bound and Determined
If you have more frozen food than freezer space, it might be because of the way you’re storing it. If you have a wire freezer rack like this one, employ binder clips to hang bags of frozen fruits, veggies, and meat from the racks. By hanging them vertically, rather than stacking them, you can double your storage space and make it easier to spot what you have and, as a result, prevent overbuying groceries.
Beauty File
Tame loose curling irons and blow dryers by taking them out of the drawer and hanging them on the side of the vanity instead. A mounted file box like this should do the trick. This simple addition maximizes your under-cabinet space while giving you easy access to the grooming tools you use on a regular basis. (Just make sure not to stash anything while it’s still hot from use!)
Floating on Air
Floating shelves are a particularly modern way to add storage space without sacrificing style. Great for stashing bathroom towels, books or even decorative items, these minimalist solutions can clear up counter space in almost any room of your home.
Every Inch Counts
Tall cabinets look great on the outside, but if they’re not outfitted with adequate shelving inside, they’re a big waste of space. A wire shelf separator like this one can be added to any cabinet to allow you to stack dishes below and above, effectively doubling your cabinet storage. So even if you don’t have as many built-in shelves as you’d like, you can still have storage that works for you.
Crafty Compartments
What lies under your kitchen sink? If you’re embarrassed to show off the cluttered piles of cleaning supplies that have accumulated below, it may be time to try a little compartmentalization. Use plastic caddies to separate items into organized groups. For best results, place products you use often in a bucket or basket with a handle so you can easily pull it out and access what you need without rooting around for too long.
Sleep Tight
Here’s a simple solution for topsy-turvy piles of bedding in your linen closet. When folding freshly laundered bedding sets, tuck the flat and fitted sheets into pillow cases before storing them. This way, you can save space in the closet, and save time looking for matching pieces when you’re going to make the bed.
Just for Kicks
When it comes to easy-access storage, there’s nothing so simply genius as an over-the-door shoe organizer. Its versatility allows you to repurpose it for storing so much more than footwear. From art supplies to toiletries, your necessities can be separated for easy identification and kept out of sight when hung inside a closet or behind a seldom-used door.
