Do you feel smothered in your home with all the items you have lying around that you can’t throw away or don’t know where to place? Or are you preparing your home for winter and want to store everything safely for the next year? In any case, our homes shouldn’t look like storage sheds. With proper use of space around the house, you can have a much tidier and roomier home. Here are six ways to make more storage space in your home.
Store your items in cardboard boxes
Boxes are amazing for storing and organization. Not only do boxes keep your items safer from breaking, but they are also easy to carry. Professional moving companies use boxes all the time just for these reasons. Because of their shape, you can also stack them easily to make use of the unused vertical space in your house. For an even better organization, the experts at City Movers advise labeling all of your boxes on the side. That way, you will be able to read what each box contains, even if they are stacked vertically.
Make use of the space around your furniture
A lot of furniture creates pockets of unused space due to its shape or size. Oftentimes there is room behind the doors, under the bed, and sometimes even above tall furniture that can be made use of. One of the ways to make more storage space in your home is to find such spaces.
One of the most commonly used spaces for storing rarely used items is under the bed. This is a perfect place to put away boxes and smaller items. However, because air circulation is poor in such places, the dust gathers faster. You should make sure the items are properly sealed in bags or boxes. This will keep your items safe until you need them again. It will also make your cleaning job easier, as you can dust the boxes much faster than every item individually.
Your wardrobe can also have unused space between it and the ceiling. This is another great place to store boxes and other containers. Just make sure to place them securely, so they don’t fall and injure you or break the items inside.
Get rid of what you don’t need
It happened to everyone. You don’t want to throw away something because it might have use for later. A year later, you stumble upon that item just to realize you completely forgot about it. This is one of the main causes of clutter in our homes. Getting rid of such items is one of the easiest ways to make more storage space in your home.
Some people get very attached to things, and they don’t want to throw them away. This only adds up to their ever-increasing pile of clutter. A good rule of thumb is to consider getting rid of the things you know you haven’t used in at least a year. Things like old items you replaced with new ones, broken electrical equipment, piles of wires you kept “just in case,” and so on.
You don’t have to throw these things in the garbage, however. Many people organize garage sales just for this occasion. Not only will you earn a bit of extra money, but some people might have use of what you no longer need.
Store items in your attic
Your attic is a perfect place for storing items that you don’t use. Most people use this area to put away the things they don’t need anymore but don’t want to throw away. However, if you want to make the most of this area, you could invest in turning your attic into a proper self-storage area.
Unfortunately, your attic might not be in a condition for safe storage. There might be a lot of humidity in the attic. Humidity can damage cardboard boxes and rust items made of metal. Additionally, if you haven’t used your attic in a long time, the floorboards might also need maintenance. You will also need a proper staircase leading up to the attic. Standard ladders that many houses have will make your storage process much more difficult and dangerous. You won’t be able to carry heavy boxes and other items up and down the ladder with much ease. This is why making use of the space in your attic might require an investment, but it will be well worth the price.
Tidy up your garage
Along with the attic, the garage is one of the best storage spaces in your house. A messy garage, however, is only wasting space that you could be putting to good use. Whether you are using your garage as a workshop or as a storage unit, tidying it up and making smart use of the room will give you plenty of space. Consider the area used for walking around the garage and which isn’t. Usually, the corners and the back wall of the garage are used the least, which is a great place to store the items you don’t use.
If you are keeping your car in the garage, give yourself enough room to be able to navigate around it with ease. It is essential to maintain your garage organization and the item arrangement. Otherwise, you will have to constantly reorganize everything every few months.
Rent a personal storage unit
The final advice for our list of ways to make more storage space in your home involves renting a personal storage unit. Many moving companies offer storage services where people can put away the things they don’t want lying around their house.
Knowing how to properly use the rented space is quite important, however. Consider what you want to put in the storage unit. The things you will be using the least should be at the back of the storage unit. The items you plan to store for a shorter period should be at the front. This way, you will be able to easily access the things you will need soon. It also helps keep everything organized because you won’t have to move the items in the back of the storage unit as often.
