Useful Tips for Home Storage

We have some great tips for new features that will add style and functionality without breaking the bank.

Below you will find a list of our favorite storage ideas, as well as the ten essential principles for great home storage. Adding any of these ideas and principles into your home can really go a long way to making it extraordinary.

Getting organized is the purpose of good storage. Adequate storage space that is well designed is much more than just a great place to hide the piles of unorganized clothes and sports equipment, no matter what your teenager may tell you.

One great storage solution is rollaway storage with lockable wheels which can be tucked into an area built into an island, closet, cabinet, or sink. It can easily be moved from one place to another, so it is easy to move it to use near a desk, table, or countertop. There are so many great uses for rollaway storage: use it to make taking out the garbage or doing the laundry easier to accomplish; file cabinet; hold supplies like equipment, toys, or craft supplies so that they are easy to work with; use it to store tableware which will make it easy to move it from the dishwasher to the pantry and to the table; a stack of drawers; use it as moveable “junk drawer” which will allow you to move around the house putting things where they belong; a kitchen island; a stack of drawers; the possibilities are endless.
When remodeling or building be sure to include extra storage space, this way you have room for any new items you purchase down the road. As the needs of your family change it is more than likely that you will need extra storage to accommodate them.

You can easily access all your belongings by using pullout bins, baskets, racks and shelves in all your lower cabinets. You can even take advantage of the space under the sink if you include a cutout that will allow the pullout to fit around your plumbing. You can forget crawling into the cabinet to figure out what is inside. Pullouts really allow you to make full use of the storage space you have, as you store and easily reach things that are in the back of your cabinets.
When designing storage areas be sure that it is a good match for the contents that will be placed there. Your music collection, for example, requires a different storage solution than your collection of sports equipment.

You can keep your linens well pressed even when they are in storage by adding dowels bolted to the back walls or mounted to a frame in your pantry, cabinet, or closets. You will be able to easily access your favorite tablecloth, without rummaging through an entire drawer to find the one you need. Another great benefit of this storage solution is that your linens will not become wrinkled while they are stuffed in a drawer. You simply need to pull it out and use it as is. This is a great way to use narrow spaces that might otherwise be wasted.

Be sure that there are adequate storage areas throughout your home. The best idea is to be able to store items near where you are going to use them. You don’t want to run around the entire house just to have the items you need for one task.

Another great tip is to have lights that automatically come on as you open the doors to your closets, cabinets, and pantry, just like they do when you open your refrigerator. This way you don’t have to worry about flipping the right switch from among a group, especially when your hands are wet or full. This is also a very practical idea for families with kids or adults in wheelchairs that are unable to reach the light switches. While your refrigerator most likely uses a plunger switch, most cabinet and pantry doors can be installed using magnetic switches similar to those used by home alarm systems.

You should pay careful attention to how your space is planned, with those items that are used most being most easily accessible. You can then fill in the rest of your storage space with things that are used less frequently.

Another great tip is to install electrical outlets in countertop appliance barns and inside drawers and cabinets where you will store small appliances. This way they can be used without needing to plug and unplug them each time. This works best if the appliances are going to be used near where they are stored so that extension cords are not required. This is a great way to neatly store away your favorite appliances so they do not get dusty and are always ready to use. You will also avoid cluttering up your countertop and the hassle of frequent plugging and unplugging. Be careful to take accurate measurements of your appliances so that you are sure they will fit into the spaces you have designed for them.
Be sure to think about where to store your largest and heaviest items. It is best that they be someplace where they are easy to access, so avoid placing them in hard to reach places such as high shelves and corners. You can fill in around your heavy items with items that are lighter and easier to remove.

When designing your kitchen storage it is a good idea to plan separate activity areas for the various tasks you will perform there, including: baking and mixing, cooking, food preparation, entertaining, cleanup, beverage service, etc. Make sure to minimize wasted space with your storage plan.

A great storage solution for your hamper is to hang one that is detachable inside a lower cabinet, closet, or storage bench. While wire or plastic hampers will work, cloth hampers will make the task of taking your linens or clothes to the laundry room particularly simple. You won’t have to worry about loose items falling as you walk down the hall with a load of laundry. Whatever material you choose for your hamper, be sure that there is sufficient ventilation to allow moisture and odors to escape. This will prevent mold from growing on any damp items that are placed inside your hamper.  Be sure that all of your storage spaces are easy to reach. You don’t want the space to go to waste because it is inaccessible.

You can make sure to use all the available space, and easily see what is stored there, by installing full-extension drawers, file cabinets, and pullout shelves. It is best if you use easy gliding metal tracks for these.  Be aware of how traffic flows throughout your home. It is a good idea to store items that are used often along the major traffic paths in your home. This way you don’t have to go out of your way to get what you need. You can also stop bottlenecks in your home by placing certain popular items away from the natural flow of traffic in your home. This will force people to go around a different way and clear up space along the main pathways.

You can keep traffic flowing, as well as save steps, by ensuring that there is sufficient clearance around every door, cabinet, and hinged cabinet. Pay special attention to areas that need to be open at the same time, such as a cabinet door that would need to be open when you employ the dishwasher, or a drawer that it would be convenient to have open at the same time you put groceries away in the refrigerator. Last, be sure to incorporate as much storage into your home as possible to accommodate the changing needs of your family. This way your storage plan will remain effective for many years to come.

You can get instant access to your items by using open shelving or by removing some of your cabinet doors. This also makes it easier to identify what is in a particular location. Another benefit is that you will have more light to see what is stored because there won’t be any hindrance from cabinet doors. This can save a lot of time if you don’t remember where exactly something is stored.

 

 Home related information guides:
 Furniture | Beds | Home accessories |  Fixtures | Handyman construction

©, Use Storage Cabinets.com
All rights reserved worldwide.