A streamlined, simplified home is the holy grail but how do we get there? With these 5 easy tricks of course...
As we are all well aware not everyone’s home is massive, spacious and full of bespoke storage for all of our needs. But getting a streamlined home is always the goal whatever the size and when you are space poor then finding extra hidden storage is key. Living in a Victorian house with wonky walls and narrow hallways I live that challenge daily. Now I know it’s not the most world changing dream but an organised home free of clutter can feel pretty revolutionary.
There is no need to live with a home splitting at the seams. Use these small space storage idea to help you find your way to calm and collected. The mantra is to declutter first and then store the rest but remember if something has a designated place to go it's more likely to end up back there than left on the kitchen table. Then you can glide around your home blissfully (if that’s your bag) or just have the headspace to get on with all the other hundreds of things on your to do lists.
So the best way to maximize storage in a small space is to try to keep what you store room specific but don’t get too hung up on that. And aim to look for ways you can incorporate items into the room without taking up extra floor space as that keeps your eyelines clear (and I'm pretty sure that keeps my head clear too). The following 5 hidden storage ideas can help you streamline your home completely.
1: Stowaway Storage
My favourite! Out of sight and out of mind as they say. In reality you have to declutter a little first so you can actually shut the drawers but look for ways to incorporate hidden storage in bench seating, ottomans, coffee tables and more. Furniture that also includes built in storage keeps the space visually clear and works hard for you at the same time. This is a great one to incorporate into room refreshes as you can also build bespoke storage to suit the alcoves, cupboards up to your ceilings, bay windows with storage seating or any other awkward spaces in your room.
Another almost hidden option is additional shelving or hooks on insides of closet or kitchen unit doors. This can be a great way to organise the smaller stuff in life. And talking of shelves you can always mask them by using fabric or adding a beautiful set of painted doors behind which you can keep the clutter stuffed away (or neatly placed if you're more organised than me) .
2: Go High Not Wide
Look up! There’s a wealth of storage ideas above your head, especially if you have high ceilings. By storing vertically you are automatically using dead space and not stealing from the floor space. So think shelving up high, in eaves, around corners, over doorways, in alcoves - it can be styled with plants, prints and ornaments too to break up the space too.
Or look to add storage with ¾ height wall panelling with a shelf on top. Try adding crates or baskets on top of kitchen cabinets can be another neat trick. Just try to keep them the same for a visual unity.
The same with your washing. Go for a pulley clothes airer in a utility room. And whilst on hanging things think about opportunities to add hooks or pegboard with hooks - that way you can hang items up and out of the way. Perfect for hallways and utility rooms - hooks can be a simple but effective way of storing items.
3: Under Your Feet
A magnificent disappearing trick. Think low storage from clever kitchen hacks like kickboard storage nooks for trays and server ware to storage beds for linens and more. There’s a wealth of ways to stash things out of eyesight. My ultimate dream is to repurpose my stairs to 26 steps of storage heaven… maybe one day!
4: Convertible Storage
Think multi purpose here and you can hide items in plain sight. Extra stools for entertaining can be pot plant holders by day and moved out for seating at night. Look at fold out desks and slide out counter tops - all ways of making more of your space and highly practical too.
There’s loads of great off the shelf options out there now as well with desk ladders or foldaway office desks to room dividers with shelving to choose from and clever idea appearing all the time. So you don't need to be a DIY enthusiast to update your storage. But if you are can you pop round to mine please as I have lots of bespoke ideas!
5: Storage on Storage
So what is the best thing about storage - neatly stored items within the storage surely?! And actually the most annoying clutter is the small bits of clutter that get left lying around. It goes back to that old mantra of everything has a place. So use baskets, trunks and pots to make your space look gorgeous as well as hiding the clutter! Or make a show of your items and put them on display as part of your room design. This can work especially well for kids areas as they have easy access to their toys.
Try to make sure you have drop zones where clutter goes as you move through the house. Key hooks on entry with a shoe bench, hidden under stairs storage for coats etc. Or add a radiator shelf with some artfully placed bowls for keys and baskets underneath.
And finally don’t forget the functional displays: storage can be part of the interior design scheme and by displaying and styling our objects, we can merge function with decoration. From personal mementos to your collection of ceramic serving dishes it can all go on show and be grouped together to look stunning. And we should be trying to buy sustainably so owning items that have multiple uses or fill us with joy and we want to have on show has got to be the way forward surely?
And as always if you need any help working out where to stash your life's essentials then give me a shout.
Photo credits: Apartment Therapy, A Place for Everything, Architecture Designs, Atelier Aitken, Backsplash, Bored Art, By Sophia Lee, Camilia Living, CCJH, Clore Leroy, Cote Maison, Deholic, Decorated Life, Decopad, DEN LIFE interiors, Domino, Georgia Moore Home, Hambledon Staircases, Homesnaway, House Beautiful, Ideal Home, Katrina Lee Chambers, My Domaine, One Kind Design, Organised Pretty Home, Paper Snitch Blog, Semi Handmade, Setting for Four, Simply J&K, Style Curator, The Brain and the Brawn, The English Panelling Company, The Tiny Life, Thomasville Cabinetry and Thrifty Decor.
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