Home storage solutions don’t have to be complicated, cumbersome, or expensive. Some of the best storage ideas are quite simple in concept and execution. If your home needs some new storage tools, try these ideas:
Clear plastic bins
Clear containers enable you to see the contents, which may minimize or eliminate the need for labeling. With fitted lids, clear bins come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes so you can store everything from blankets to sweaters to shoes and toys inside. Watch for container sales at your local home store or online, and check out garage and thrift sales, too, for second-hand bins.
Baskets
Decorative and practical at once, baskets look good while providing great storage opportunities. Add baskets to your living room to hold remotes, magazines, and throws, or to your bedroom to hold papers, extra pillows, or books. In your home office, baskets can hide device cords and office supplies while bathroom baskets can conceal extra toilet paper, tissue, and soap.
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Pegboard
Often used in garages to store tools, pegboard can also be useful in kitchens to store utensils within easy reach as well as in bathrooms for hairdryers, curling irons, magnifying mirrors, and makeup. You can also hang pegboard in kids’ bedrooms for school supplies, toys, and stuffed animals, as well as in-home offices to hold scissors, recharging equipment, and office supplies.
Hooks
No matter how many hooks you currently have in your home, you can always use more. Hang hooks on the back of bathroom doors to hold towels and on the back of bedroom doors to hold robes. Hooks by the back door can keep backpacks and jackets off the floor and, in kitchens, they can help organize pots, pans, and other cooking equipment. In the garage, hooks are handy for brooms, mops, shovels, and buckets.
Zippered bags
Instead of throwing away plastic zippered bags, reuse them. Zippered bags can be used to organize cosmetics, toiletries, school supplies, and cleaning supplies. They can keep scarves, socks, and smaller items from getting mixed up in dresser drawers. The bags are also handy for separating and storing batteries, letting you easily see which type needs replenishing.
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Under beds
Store rarely used items and out-of-season clothing in containers that fit underneath your beds. Some bins for this purpose have rollers for easy access.
Window seats
In addition to providing a decorative element and seating area, window seats can often accommodate drawers or cabinets underneath for additional storage. Look for places where window seats can be added to bedrooms, living rooms, breakfast rooms, and entryways.
If you’re running out of storage space in your home, look up. Vertical space can often be used creatively to stretch your storage capacity. In closets, add shelving that goes all the way to the ceiling for storing seldom-used clothing and other items. In garages, add shelving above windows and doors, or storage hooks that hang from the ceiling for items like bicycles and ladders.