Clutter can quickly take over a home. You will be shocked by the home organization stats about the amount of “stuff” your home has. Never fear, this guide provides helpful tips for home storage. From deciding if you should store at home or rent a storage unit… to a room by room breakdown of home storage options, its time to dive in!
Home Storage vs Renting a Storage Unit
It doesn’t take long for your home to get overrun with stuff, and when that happens, you need to find a place for it all. No matter what size house you live in, that can be challenging. You don’t have to keep your stuff at home, you have the option of taking it to storage. Either choice can be beneficial or come with a downside. These are listed below.
Home Storage Pros
When it comes to storing your stuff at home, the best thing about this process is that you always have access to your belongings. You don’t have to travel anywhere to get the punch bowl you need for the party… or to find the extra blankets for guests because they are all located somewhere in your home.
By keeping your stuff at home, you also don’t have to take on the added cost of monthly rent. This is something to consider when getting a storage space. You may have to pay a one-time cost for organizers, but this could be more affordable than paying fees every month for as long as you have the unit.
There are many ways to organize and store your belongings at home, including adding shelves, drawers, cabinets or space savers to any room in your home. These can become permanent and tailored to match the décor of your home. This can be a long-lasting and aesthetically pleasing way to get rid of clutter in your home and keep it organized.
Home Storage Cons
While storing your items at home can make it easy and convenient to access them when needed, you have to make sure you have space. Even if you store your belongings in organizers, if you don’t have a place to put the containers, you are still dealing with clutter. You could potentially put them in the garage, but then you won’t have room to park your cars. A basement might be a good option, but these places can also get damp, which could cause damage to your belongings.
Building a shed is an option if you have space in your backyard, the right permits and the budget. Having a shed on your property could increase your home’s value, but it will also take up valuable space. The size will also depend on how much stuff you need to store. In addition, while a shed is protective against many elements, it’s usually not temperature controlled. That means when it gets really hot or really cold outside, this could damage certain items.
Renting a Storage Unit Pros
Another option you can consider when it comes to organizing and storing your belongings is to rent storage space. These come in a variety of different sizes, so you are sure to find one that can accommodate your needs. In many cases, they are also affordable, but you will have to pay a monthly rental fee.
If you don’t use your belongings often, then putting them in storage will get them out of your way and free up space in your home or garage. Unlike a storage shed, you can find units that are temperature controlled, which means that your stuff won’t be damaged by weather changes.
In addition, many units also keep out insects and other pests. A storage shed might not be able to do that, which means that mice and insects can get into your belongings. Whether they chew threw the materials or leave their waste behind, pests will destroy your things.
Renting storage space also means that your stuff will be safe. Many places have gates and security cameras that keep track of who is coming onto the property. You will also be able to put a lock on your shed and keep the key. That means that you’ll be the only one who can access your unit.
Renting a Storage Unit Cons
There are many advantages to renting a storage space, but there are some downsides as well. Again, you have to worry about a monthly payment. This will vary depending on the size of unit you need, so if you have a lot of big things to store, such as furniture, then it could cost quite a lot each month to store it in this space.
You also won’t be able to access your belongings easily. You will more than likely have to drive to the location of the rental unit, which can be a hassle. A good storage space will have a gate and limited access, but that might mean that you can only get into your unit at certain times of the day. If you need something outside of those hours, you can’t get to it.
It might also be difficult to find a rental unit in the size that you need. There are only so many units within a property, and if they are all rented, you are out of luck. It can also be challenging to organize a rental unit. You usually can’t alter the space in any way, so adding permanent shelving or fixed organization units is out of the question. That means that you’ll be stacking your belongings in the unit, and finding something in the future could be a challenge.
Home Storage Ideas Per Room
If you decide to keep your items at home, you’ll probably want to add space savers or other organizing units to reduce clutter and make your home look good. Each room will require something different to achieve your storage goals, but it’s worth it to free up some space.
Garage
Adding hooks, shelves and pegboards to your garage is a great way to organize the space. This will keep your tools, hoses and other items out of the way. You might even consider adding a bench near the door for shoes and other items that might be covered in grime. The bench will ensure that they are easy to access, as well as keep the dirt out of your home. Need more inspiration? Check out the Ultimate Garage Storage Guide.
Kitchen
Organizing your kitchen involves going through your things and getting rid of any appliance or utensil that you no longer use or that is broken. Once those are out of the way, you can add hooks to your cupboards for coffee cups and dividers to the drawers for the utensils that you plan on keeping.
You can even add shelving units that pull out so that you have access to your pots and pans. Smaller shelves can be added to your spice cupboard so that you can stack your spices, making them easier to find.
To keep things organized in your kitchen, you might also consider designating certain cupboards for specific items. For example, if you put all of your baking supplies in one area, you’ll know where they are at. You can also put canned goods in one place, and other non-perishable items in another cupboard. They may even need their own shelf.
Living Room
When it comes to storage in the living room, you can look for items that pull double duty. For example, you can get a TV stand that also has shelves and drawers. This is a great place for your movies or books and other small items, including extra remotes.
You can get a coffee table with drawers to store books or other items. If there is space under your couch, you can use the space for plastic containers that hold toys or magazines that you want to have in the living room.
Wicker baskets can add to your décor but also be a great place to hold extra blankets and throw pillows. You can also put small bowls on a table near the door to hold keys. You might even consider adding some hooks near the door so that keys are always easy to access as you are entering and leaving the house.
Bathroom
The bathroom can be one of the hardest places for storage. This is because of how there are laid out or their size. To add some more space, you might consider adding a vanity with cupboards or even open shelves on the walls. These can be a great way to organize towels, toothbrushes, lotions and other items.
You also have the option of getting behind-the-door storage. This can be a great way to store your personal toiletries… including makeup, hair care products, shaving accessories, curling irons or hair dryers.
Adding corner shelves or a wire basket that hangs from the shower-head is a great way to organize your shower. This will keep soap and shampoo out of the way and give you more space to get ready for the day.
Still struggling to organize your bathroom? Check out this step by step guide.
Bedrooms
Adding storage to your bedroom can be accomplished by adding drawers and other organizers. This can be in your closet or using the space under your bed for plastic storage containers. Getting rid of clothes that you no longer wear or want is also another way to free up some space in your room. You might even consider getting a bed frame with drawers built in so that you have space to store extra blankets or clothes.
Like in the bathroom, you can also hang an organizer on the back of your door. This can be a great place to put ties, jewelry, makeup or other small items so that they are out of the way but easy to access.
Laundry Room
If your laundry room doesn’t have a lot of horizontal space, then you may need to go up for storage. You might consider adding cupboards or shelves to hold your laundry soap and fabric softener. You could even get creative and affix a table that folds from the wall. Just pull it out when you are ready to fold clothes. When it’s not in use, it will be against the wall, giving you plenty of space to take care of dirty clothes.
Linen Closet
When it comes to organizing and having storage space in your linen closet, you’ll want to take the time to separate the items into categories. Designate an area specifically for extra towels, sheets and cleaning products. While getting the space organized, this is also a good time to get rid of anything that you don’t use or need.
Hallway Closet
A hallway closet is a unique challenge. Hooks and special hallway closet organizers make a huge difference. As always, decluttering is a necessary first step. In fact, tackling a hallway closet can be such a large job, so review the Ultimate Hallway Closet Organization Ideas Guide to help you.
Walk-In Closet
A Walk-in closet quickly becomes a “throw and hide” space. Reclaiming that requires a holistic viewpoint. Start with pulling everything out and decluttering. You will be shocked at how little of your clothes you actual wear. Once you have a full view of your walk-in closet, evaluate if built in storage or a full closet system will match your items.
Also consider hooks and storage boxes with the most accessible items being the ones you need the most often. Rotate your clothes between seasons to shift needed outfits to the front.
As this can be a major project, check out the Ultimate Walk-In Closet Organization Ideas Guide.
Home Office
Do you have a space in your home that is dedicated office space? Maximizing storage can be accomplished by making sure you have plenty of drawers and using desk organizers. This includes and is is not limited to a pen holder and a file holder. You might also add shelves so that you have a place for your books and other important documents.
The Ultimate Guide to Home Office Storage has fresh ideas worth evaluating.
Conclusion
Hopefully you can see how trans-formative home storage can be. Start by tackling one room. Once you build your home storage confidence, you can gauge how much of a project each room will be. Don’t be afraid to rent a storage unit. As the pros and cons listed in the first section detail, it may be a wise choice.