If we can’t move into our house for the amount of ‘stuff’ we have lying around, then we instinctively think that we really must declutter.
However, sometimes having too much of our belongings lying around where they shouldn’t be isn’t always a clutter problem; it can also be a storage problem.
You might think, ‘well, I have lots of cupboards, shelves and wardrobes, how could I have a storage problem.’ Simply having somewhere to put things doesn’t mean we are getting the most out of our storage space.
Here are a few tips to help maximise storage space in our homes:
Hanging storage organisers
Hanging rails in your wardrobe are probably just being used for shirts and trousers. You can pick up a hanging storage organiser for just a few pounds, but it can save you a tonne of space.
Hanging storage organisers can be used to tidying away shoes and t-shirts and any other small items that are clogging up the floor of your wardrobe. These can free up more space at the bottom of your wardrobe.
Hooks for hanging pans
Kitchen cupboards can get very quickly out of hand. Trying to shove more and more pots and pans can lead to a disorganised mess. Then the real frustration comes when you have to dig into the back of the cupboard to find the one-pot you actually need.
Installing a rail below a shelf in the kitchen can allow you to hang hooks from it, which can be used for some of your pots and pans, which are taking up space in the cupboard. This also has the advantage of putting them in easy reach when you need them.
Extra shelving
It’s no great revelation that shelves are a great storage solution, but are there some places where they could be more useful than you think? Many wardrobes, for example, follow the familiar top-to-bottom design. Can you do away with half of the rail and pop a few shelves down one side of your wardrobe? This can really help with the storage of smaller items that accumulate in other parts of the room.
Similarly, are you get the most of your kitchen cupboards? Some deep cupboards may not hold that much. A few extra shelves may allow you to stack more onto them. Shelves can be installed so that it is easy to remove them in the future if you need to.
Take folding masterclass
We probably all have one or two drawers that are bursting with clothes. That’s because we tend to just stuff more items on top of others and then wonder why we did have enough space. One of the reasons may not be the number of clothes we have but how we are folding them.
There are several online guides to folding, such as Marie Kondo or The Folding Lady on TikTok, who will give you useful tips on folding your clothes to maximise storage space.