Bexley/Beverly Hills Blog

If you’re downsizing into a smaller home or apartment, you might be worried about the lack of storage space and how you can fit everything into a smaller space. If you think outside of the box, you’ll find that there are plenty of clever storage solutions for small spaces that don’t require a complete remodel of your home.

Clever storage solutions for the living room

In your living room, think about furniture that has multiple purposes to optimise the space that you have available. Here are some ideas.

1. Use a revolving bookcase. These clever inventions are similar to the revolving shelves that you can find in public libraries but on a smaller scale. They can also act as a side table if you get one that’s not too tall.

2. Consider an open shelf system that can also double as a room divider.

3. Invest in a coffee table that has storage or drawers underneath.

4. An ottoman can double as a storage space for magazines or for storing your throw rugs.

5. Get rid of that bulky lounge suite and invest in a two or three seater that can double as a fold out bed for when guests come to stay.

Ingenious storage ideas for the bedroom

If you’re moving into an older home, sometimes the bedrooms won’t have a built-in wardrobe. You can easily remedy this by looking at wardrobe solutions at Ikea or scouring online marketplaces for a vintage wardrobe that you can customise. Here are some other ideas.

6. Install a couple of wall-mounted shelves next to the bed instead of using bulky bedside tables.

7. Place a blanket box at the foot of the bed to store your linen.

8. Consider putting up some shelves above the windows to store less-often used items.

9. Store your seasonal clothing in vacuum bags under the bed. Use a valance around the base of your bed to hide the items stored underneath it.

10. Use revolving bookcases in children’s rooms too.

Increase your kitchen storage space

In smaller homes, the kitchen may not have enough storage space, so you have to think outside the box to use the space th4at you have. Here are some ideas for inspiration.

11. Consider replacing the lower cupboards with large drawers. These are much easier to access and to keep tidy, especially if you invest in some drawer dividers for smaller items. If you don’t want to buy dividers, use show boxes and other containers.

12. Consider installing a slide-out pantry next to the fridge for all your cans, jars and spices.

13. Use stepped shelves in your pantry and overhead cupboards. These allow you to use more of the vertical space and let you see everything at a glance.

14. For added bench space, consider investing in a butcher’s block that also has shelving underneath. If you get one on castors, it can easily be moved around to where it’s needed most.

Keep your bathroom and laundry well-organised

In the bathroom and laundry, you need to maximise your available space. Here are some ideas.

15. If you have drawers in your vanity, consider putting some divided baskets into them to keep the contents nice and tidy. You can find these at Kmart and other large department stores.

16. Use pretty cane or rattan baskets to store your towels. Roll the towels so that they take up less space.

17. A hanging ladder rail is also handy for storing towels.

18. Attach a hanging rack in the laundry to store your brooms and mops.

Use additional storage space in the garage

If space inside your home is limited and you’re lucky enough to have a garage, you can use the garage for additional storage space. Try these clever ideas.

19. Install high shelves around the walls with some hanging rails. This is the perfect place to store suitcases and seasonal items that you don’t use too often. Plus, the hanging rails can hold all your garden tools.

20. Attach a pegboard to one of the walls to hang all of your tools and other garden implements. A pegboard keeps your tools tidy and always at hand.

And last but not least:

21. If you own an older home, check the roof cavity for storage. Tip: It’s a great place to store lightweight seasonal decorations.

Can we help with your St George home?

If you’d like no-obligation expert advice about downsizing your St George home, please get in touch with our team. We’re here to help.