Simple Ways to Add Storage to Your Home

Whether looking into buying a new home, or remodeling your current one, one thing that almost always comes up is storage space. No matter how cavernous and/or numerous the closets appeared before you moved in, chances are you find yourself wondering where you’re going to put all your stuff. While it never helps to pare down and toss out the things you don’t need (spring cleaning will be here before you know it) sometimes you simply need to reorganize. Sometimes it’s as simple as finding new ways of organizing the layout you currently have, but other times, you might need to add some new solutions into the mix. Before you start loading up the guest room with plastic stacking containers, try some of these simple and stylish ways of adding places to stick your junk – er, stuff.

Underneath it All

The area underneath a bed can be a great location for organizers, particularly for bulky items that eat up the most of your precious closet real estate. Seasonal clothing is a great example of this. In the winter months, pack your sundresses and sandals in containers under the bed to free up your closets for your sweaters, scarves, and coats. Then, when the weather warms up, pack up those bulky boots, jackets and jeans that eat up unnecessary hangar space. This is also a great way of purging those outfits that you truly will never wear. When it’s time to switch out your summer duds for autumn outfits, take a look at those pieces you never wore all season. If you didn’t wear it all, chances are good you can donate it and never give it a second thought.

Hidden in Plain Sight

Any furniture that can serve more than one purpose gets a gold star in our books. Some ottomans, for example, have built in storage. Flip the top and find a hidden drawer for magazine, remotes, and other living room oddities that never seem to find a place to call home. Benches can also serve double-duty, particularly those in mudroom or outside. Garden benches with hidden storage are perfect for storing landscaping tools when your yard doesn’t lend itself to a shed. Some children’s toy chests can also serve as benches.

Traditional bookcases may be great places for rows of your favorite novels or the occasional objet d’art, but cubby-style bookcases can easily store much of a room’s clutter. This is particularly true for children’s rooms. A single three-cubby bookcase can squirrel away toys, books, and even shoes all in one. Just make sure to mount any children’s bookcases to the wall to make sure they cannot topple over.

Hang it Up

A coatrack is another simple addition that can free up ample space in a home. While a traditional standing coatrack is a great way to free up coat closet space, the coatracks that hang on the wall are incredibly versatile. Use them to hang up bags, backpacks, dog leashes, house keys, pots and pans in the kitchen, hamper bags in the laundry room, towels in the bathroom, garden tools in the backyard, brooms and mops in the utility room, or even jewelry. Because they are flush against the wall, this style also frees up floor space in addition to closets, pantries and cabinets. Floating shelves are also a great way to free up floor space if you live in a smaller home and dressers or bookshelves just won’t fit. These can be used for smaller tchotchkes, books, or those grab and go items like sunglasses, keys, wallets, and watches.

At GCD, we understand how important sufficient storage is to making the most of your space. While all of the above solutions can easily be implemented in any of our homes, we went the extra mile to make sure you have ample space for all your precious belongings. Our Traditions homes come standard with drop-it cubbies in the mudroom and garage storage, too! Cabinet and closet space abound. Our Rustler and Park’s Edge homes also make the most of the space, with built-in bookcases and other storage solutions standard in each floorplan. No matter which of our communities you choose to call “home,” rest easy knowing there will be a place for everything and everything in its place.