9 of the Best Storage Ideas for Your Home

Most of us have too much stuff and not enough space to put it in. So we end up with lots of clutter. And we have lots of company – 54 percent of Americans feel overwhelmed by clutter! Now we might be willing to part with some stuff, but the reality is we probably won’t.

But don’t lose heart! Even the smallest home has tons of unused spaces perfect for storing and organizing your things. So let’s take a look at nine simple home storage ideas that you can use to turn your cluttered house into a paragon of neatness!

1. Hide Those Gloves and Hats

Are you tired of not being able to find your mittens, gloves, and hats, to say nothing of drying them? Just run some aluminum wire horizontally between screw eyes on the back of a closet door. Use clothespins to hang your gloves, hats, etc. Voila! Instant, out-of-site drying, and organizing.

Need to hang more? You can double or triple the capacity by adding a second wire or even a third. The same idea works out in the garage for gardening and work gloves.

2. Spray Bottle Control

Are bottles of spray cleaners and polishes running amok under your sink? Get a hanging fabric shoe organizer and attach it behind the door. The pockets are a perfect size for most of the containers. And you’ll be freeing up a lot of free space on your shelf to boot!

3. Overhead and Out of Sight

All of that lovely space between the overhead joists down in the basement or out in the garage is waiting for you to put it to good use. And taking advantage of it is simple. Head to your big box store, get a couple of heavy-duty wire shelves, screw them to the bottom of the joists, and get instant storage.

The shelves are see-through, so it’s always easy to see what’s up there. It’s the perfect place for small stuff you don’t use every day but still need easily accessible.

4. Double Up Closet

If your closet’s clothes rod is at least 66″ off the floor, you’ve got room for a second clothes rod. And that means twice the capacity. As long as your lower rod is 35″ from the floor, there’s plenty of room to hang two rows of shirts and slacks.

You need two of the metal closet brackets and the right size length of clothes rod. Make sure the brackets are screwed into wall studs and don’t space them more than 32″ apart. What’s better than twice the clothes in the same space?

5. Belts and More Belts

Sticking with the closet theme, you keep your belts curled up in a drawer – where they try and uncurl, right? Here’s a simple solution. Take a nice wooden clothes hanger and screw cup hooks into it. Space them out so you can hang your belts by the buckles. Neat, organized, and out of sight.

This is also an excellent way to get some of your smaller handbags under control!

6. Closet Nook Shelves

While we’re still maximizing our closet space, here’s another tip. If you’ve got unused space at the recessed ends of your closet, put it to use. Buy some wire shelving – enough for one or two shelves at each end. The shelves come in a wide variety of widths, so you can pick whichever works best for your space.

Cut it to length and attach it with the same brand’s end mounts and a pair of clips for each shelf. It’s a perfect spot for footwear or out-of-season items.

7. Loftier Storage Ideas

Still need more storage space? Many houses have unfinished attics, and all that’s up there are studs, rafters, and insulation between the floor joists. If you need space, it’s a shame not to utilize loft storage.

Easy access might be an issue – that’s where folding attic stairs come into play. And you’ll likely need to put in some flooring to move around easily. One thing you don’t want to do is compress the insulation – that seriously degrades its effectiveness.

Luckily, specially designed ‘loft legs’ let you safely raise the floor level above the insulation. You can find more information here.

Once you’ve got a floor in place, it’s a simple matter to add shelves between the rafters. First, do a little homework and figure out what size plastic containers you can use between the rafters, and then build your shelves to accommodate them.

The result is tons of new, out-of-sight loft storage space for seasonal or little-used items.

8. The Kitchen Sink

You know what a mess the space under your kitchen sink can be – bottles tipping over and leaking. Try using tension rods that run from side to side in the cabinet.

They are a great place to hang spray bottles, keeping them upright and organized. You can also slide a paper towel roll on the tension rod and even use it as a place to dry dish clothes or hang kitchen gloves.

9. Shelves on Shelves

Most closets have a shelf that runs from side to side above the clothes rod. If yours doesn’t, you want to add one. The shelf can be painted wood – 12″ wide shelving is available at your lumber store along with the appropriate brackets.

Coated metal shelving works just as well if you don’t want to bother with wood. Again, 12″ shelves are best. Be sure to get enough of the correct shelf brackets and clips.

Once you’ve got the first shelf, add a second above it. That space above the first shelf is begging for you to fill it up – and there’s lots of room up there for less used clothing, accessories, and shoes.

Time to Get Organized

Now that you’ve got a few new storage ideas – and most of them are super easy to put to work – it’s time to start de-cluttering and get organized. You’ll be happier, and your house will look better. Best of all, you won’t be one of those folks who feels overwhelmed by clutter anymore! 

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