room by room storage solutions

Clearing Up the Clutter    post 3

What makes smaller spaces so appealing is their warmth, coziness, and intimacy. But those virtues may be overlooked when you feel like clutter is all you see. Here's good news: A little room can go a long way when you have great solutions for stowing your stuff. With a few tips from our room-by-room guide, see what a big difference storage can make in your home.

Family Room Start with your most heavily trafficked space: the family room or living room. Furniture with built-in storage space is your best bet for living areas.

1. An armoire is the perfect place to store electronic equipment, CDs, puzzles, board games, and other recreational materials. Place photo albums, out-of-season décor, and other items you don't use daily inside decorative, fabric-covered boxes arranged on top of the armoire.

2. A coffee or side table with built-in drawers is the perfect place to keep coasters, playing cards, back issues of magazines, and more. Use small baskets or plastic bins to keep the contents sorted.

3. A front hallway bench or built-in window seat can provide storage for gloves, scarves, and hats. It's also a great catch-all for book bags and other school supplies.

Kitchen. Smaller or galley-style kitchens rely on creative storage for ease of use. Tackle this high-traffic area for more efficient meal preparation.

4. For easy access, add vertical dividers to lower cabinets for storing pizza pans, cutting boards, baking sheets, griddles, and pot lids.

5. To create extra storage space, attach wire organizers to the backs of your cabinet doors.

6. Put dry goods such as pastas, cereals, and rice in labeled, stackable plastic containers to create more shelf room and easier accessibility.

7. Use tiered wire shelving units in your cabinets and pantry to eliminate dead space and double your storage capability for everything from plates and cups to kitchen wraps.

Master Bedroom. Nothing says “sanctuary” like a neat and orderly bedroom, but too often, this room gets ignored in the rush of everyday activity. Try these storage tips to make this space more inviting.

8. Under-the-bed boxes are a great place to store gift-wrapping supplies, out-of-season clothes, baby books, and memorabilia you don't need access to every day. You can also fill luggage with out-of-season clothes and hide it under the bed.

9. Get your closet under control by doubling your hanging space. Move the eye-level rod up slightly, and install a second rod at about waist level. On the shelf, install inexpensive, stackable shelves to create more vertical space for sweaters and handbags. Clear plastic storage bins are perfect for scarves, belts, gloves, and other accessories.

10. Use an upholstered ottoman or cedar chest—ideal for the foot of the bed—to store blankets and other linens. A cedar chest gives the added benefit of protecting wool blankets and sweaters from moths during the warmer months.

Your child's bedroom. With limited space, a child's room is even more likely to need creative storage solutions. Try these suggestions for added storage in unexpected places:

11. Consider a captain's bed, with drawers in the wood cabinetry beneath the mattress, for additional storage.

12. Sort toys by category (action figures, doll clothes, and so on) and place them in plastic stackable storage bins on the closet floor. This will give those little hands easy access. Because children usually don't have much need for hanging clothes, use an old dresser, a bookcase, or stacked plastic crates in the closet for additional storage.

13. Think vertically and hang anything you can throughout the room. Hang lower shelves to stow frequently used books, toys, stuffed animals, and games. Install higher shelves for your child's display items and pictures. Put an inexpensive closet organizer over the door to store coloring books, crayons, stuffed animals, and other small items.

Bathroom. It's particularly tricky to find extra storage space in small bathrooms, but try these tips to make the space work harder for you:

14. Store small towels and washcloths in coordinating colors on the countertop in a wine rack. Rolled and tucked into the holder, they make a functional decoration.

15. If you are installing a new sink, opt for a traditional cabinet vanity to store cleaning products and extra soaps, shampoos, and conditioners. Consider mounting an 8-inch-deep mirrored cabinet above the sink for more storage. If you have a pedestal sink, place small baskets at the base for extra storage.

16. Try shelving that won't interfere with traffic—an over-the-toilet tank, a top-of-the toilet tank, or on any other available wall space. Store everything from cotton balls to swabs in baskets or colored bins that coordinate with your décor to pull the look together.