Share your ideas for extra storage...

I am constantly looking for ideas to store things in the house. The generally smaller rooms and not having closets really makes it difficult to store extra things.  I was really spoiled for space in my old house. Huge closets in every room and an enormous walk-in closet in the master bedroom.

Despite getting rid of so much before I moved, and literally condensing my belongings to about 1/5 of what I used to have, I am still having trouble finding attractive ways to store things.  I'll tell ya, it really makes you reevaluate what you truly "need" in a house when you have nowhere to put it!

Still, I've come up with a few ideas but would love for others to share how they make the most out of the space they have.

A couple of things I've done:

My DH has a tiny home office. Since I was in business for myself for 20 years, I brought over a lot of office supplies. He simply doesn't have the desk or drawer space for our combined supplies. I took one of those things you hang over the back of doors to put shoes in, and put all the little supplies in it - tape, markers, scissors, stapler, extra CDs, extra USB thingies, etc., etc. I bought a nice canvas one so it looks nice too, and all the little things are out of the way, yet still within reach when he's at his desk.

Extra sheets are stored under the mattress (not under the bed) of the bed they are for. Makes it easy to change sheets/put on new ones.

I bought some colorful totes for the top of the refrigerator for extra bottles and boxes of food items. It looks so much nicer then just putting stuff on top of the fridge.

DVDs are watched once and given away (except for some favorites that we may watch several times).

We made it a rule that any new furniture we bought had to serve double duty as storage. Ottomans have to have a lid/storage space, coffee table has drawers and baskets, etc.

So if you have any ideas, especially really creative ones, I'd love to hear them!

What a great idea for a thread!!!! I love the sheets under the mattress idea, never thought of it. Will ponder a bit and add some ideas-- but look forward to reading others in the meantime!

Can't wait to read some ideas, because I certainly need them.

I know I sound like a broken record, but... IKEA!
Great storage stuff in there!

Hooks! Don't underestimate the helpfulness of hooks! I have already sent over lots of command hooks (the 3M reusable ones that use the non-stick applicators for the wall or doors, etc). Of course, ikea sells lots of hooks that can be screwed into the wall/door. I find that having things I use all the time- towels, house robe, coats- on hooks, it leaves more room for the things I need to store and don't use every day. I've already told DH that we are going to put up some wall shelves in the bedroom so I can get some of the clutter around the bed up off the floor and organized! I love these boxes for closed, yet stylish, storage on shelves:



I know I've seen similar in the UK (at Ikea, probably).

Yes, hooks are great!  Speaking of hooks, I put little ones inside the doors of my wardrobe to hang all my necklaces and bracelets. All my earrings are stacked in ice cube trays in a drawer in my vanity table.  I miss having a stand-alone jewelry chest, but there was simply no room for it.

We do have those nice 5 hook stainless steel looking things that hang over the doors and use them for robes, towels, etc.

I do want to buy more attractive boxes and baskets for spaces like on top of the wardrobes. Slowly but surely the ugly tubs I brought my stuff over in are getting re-purposed in the gardening shed for tools, plant food, etc.

Ikea Sultan Alsarp

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/00098884/#/60098881

It's rock solid and holds a ton of stuff. 

These ideas are really good.  I wish we could use the over-door hooks, but we haven't found any that fit on the doors here yet.  They're thicker with not much space at the top.  Blah.

Oh, don't underestimate the usefulness of space bags.  I've been keeping our winter clothes and stuff like that in them when not in use, and it really helps.  Loads of stuff can be crammed in that way!  It frees up some room for other things under the bed or wherever.

Fallgal, if you want nice boxes and baskets, try TK Maxx.  We found several wicker baskets there for the bathroom.  We have a tall, narrow bookcase that fits in the corner, so everything goes in baskets on the shelves.  The baskets themselves are nice, and I know the stores I've been to have a lot of pretty boxes as well.  The kind that would look nice on display.  I plan to use more of this sort of thing.