Surrounded by clutter and chaos? Take a tour around your home to see how you can maximise your storage. While we're all for decluttering, sometimes the solution is to find clever ways to store things. Check out our room-by-room ideas.
Home office space
Few of us do well in an untidy office so storage here is key. Professional organiser Anita Birges suggests keeping things you use every day within arm's reach, then archive those you don't need around you, like old tax returns and school reports.
Shelf care
Think vertically to maximise space for storage and display. Floating shelves have hidden brackets to lend a clean, minimalist look.
Cable kit
Make it!
Use a laminate benchtop to create a custom desk minus the custom price tag. “Use desk drawers for files, accessories and even bulky items like printers,” says Anita Birges, professional organiser.
Study corner
Squeezing a practical study set-up into almost any space is easy with modular storage options. Mix-and-match cubes, drawers and shelves to corral kids' homework clutter and turn a functional nook into a thing of beauty.
Pantry
“The back of the pantry door is a space that people forget about, so we put up Practa racks and made a chalkboard, which can be like a family command station, so you can organise your week ahead,” says organisation expert Steph Pase, who transformed this pantry as part of the Make It Yours series.
Rack 'n' roll
Keep herbs and spices, chalkboard chalk and pens in plain view and in easy reach with a rack.
Label mates
Identify pantry items clearly by labelling jars and tins. There are plenty of labels to choose from, find one that suits your style.
Crate idea
Restore order to the bottom rows of the pantry with large crates.
Top tip
When the pantry is bulging, use inserts to create more space and improve visibility. Options include utensil trays, spice racks, pot lid organisers and hooks and holders for the inside of the doors
Laundry
Expert Steph Pase also lent her organisational skills to the laundry in the Make It Yours house, using the room's height to make the best use of the limited space.
Within the cupboard, Steph maximised space with handy hooks. “We put in removable hooks for the brooms to hang off, which keeps them off the bottom of the cupboard and you can store more stuff underneath,” she says.
A bench above appliances creates a space to sort clothes, while a drying rack helps to keep dryer use to a minimum.
Off the rails
A curtain rod makes an excellent drying rack.
Bright whites
Ventilated stacking baskets are a good pick for damp laundries.
Benchtop
Seal the sides of your board with oil, wax or lacquer before use, this will help protect it from water damage.
Neat and tidy
Store sponges and cleaning products in handy baskets.
Hold on
Use adhesive broom grippers to keep long-handled cleaning items in place.
Touch of class
Budget-friendly additions like rope storage baskets add visual appeal.
Vertical challenge
Adjust shelf heights to accommodate items of different sizes.
Bedroom
Through a combination of rails, racks and shelves, you can maximise the storage space you have in your bedroom.
Wardrobe love
A standard single-rail wardrobe doesn't make the best use of space, so Steph Pase used Flexi Storage solutions to transform the master robe in the Make It Yours house. “We grabbed the Flexi Storage starter pack , which is really budget-friendly, and then added on a shoe rack and accessory board,” she explains.
To minimise clutter in the wardrobe, embrace seasonal storage. “I like to store away winter or summer clothes, extra linen and blankets to free up space in the wardrobe for things I'm wearing now,” says Anita Birges.
Speedy solutions
Don't neglect the space under the bed. “You can't go wrong with a roller drawer or storage box with wheels,” says Anita. Rattan baskets tucked into a Clever Cube is a quick and stylish way to up the storage quota.
Five ways to make the most of your wardrobe
- “Use uniformed hangers to create more space and a less cluttered look,” says Anita Birges.
- Configure carefully. “The most common wardrobe configuration is four drawers, four shelves, one section for long hanging, two for short and a bulkhead at the top to store off-season clothes or things you want to archive,” says Anita.
- Use inserts to separate small items such as ties, belts and jewellery, which will save space and keep things organised.
- Undies, swimwear and clothes made of lycra don't tend to store neatly on shelves, so use drawers for these instead.
- “Most women need more room for their shoes,” says Anita. “The quickest, most space-efficient way to do this is to use hanging shoe storage.”
Need more storage ideas?
We've got plenty more handy storage ideas to help you clear the clutter.
Photo credit: Anna Robinson, Shania Shegedyn
