20 storage tips to get organised at home

So you’re ready to move, or perhaps you’ve just settled into your new dream home. Whatever your situation, the winter months are the perfect time to declutter your home and start afresh in time for spring.

It’s a good time to sort through the overflow – to make that heroic call to toss out or donate to a worthy cause. We’re here to help you get sorted from chaos to control, concentrating on three key areas that are most prone to clutter; the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. So, what are we waiting for? Let’s get creative!

Kitchen

• Use a ceramic cake stand to display olive oil, salt, pepper and all those tasty seasonings and spices you want readily to hand. Stash frequently used implements right by the stove in a seldom used jug or on wall hooks.

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• Timber crates make a unique storage idea for holding small wine bottles and food jars, or even recipe books and magazines in the kitchen.
• Glass containers are ideal for storing dry ingredients in the kitchen. All those textures, shapes and colours look so appealing. We suggest visiting a second-hand shop that sells vintage or retro items to find glass jars. Remove any unwanted labels or simply decorate them to suit your style/colour scheme.
• For pantry organising, use an over-the-door shoe rack on the inside door of your pantry. These are ideal for holding small snacks and boxes to make some extra space in your cupboard.
• Any space underneath your sink? Make the most of that space by installing several pull-out drawers. Place a wire basket in each drawer to hold washing detergents and sponges, plastic bags, paper towels, cleaning products and tea towels.
• Utilise your kickboards! Install drawers behind kickboards to make clever use of this space. This can be handy for storing your lesser used baking wares, trays, wire racks, roasting dishes and baking pans.

Bathroom

• Introduce a hanging organiser with hooks on to the back of the bathroom door to store toiletries and other small items that tend to clutter up your vanity. This is a smart way to clear your bathroom bench space and easily access the products you use every day.
• Purchase some identical plastic container bottles to hold your shampoo, conditioner and liquid soap. A set of uniform, labelled containers will sit neatly in your shower caddy.
• Add an eye-catching bathtub caddy – a handy decorative storage unit to hold soaps, lotion, oils and bath products.
• A vanity with a cabinet can hold small items such as toilet paper, medicine and cleaning products. Use adjustable shelving, plastic compartments and racks, and hooks attached to the insides of doors to make the cabinet work effectively. For family harmony, it’s important to create a personal storage space for every member of the family!
• If you have the space, build a recessed wall niche to hold items that can be openly displayed. It’s also a great spot to store and burn candles and display decorative bathroom ornaments.

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• Look for any ‘dead space’ in your bathroom and install some open parallel shelving in this area. Display colourful baskets, towels or bottles to add style and personality to your bathroom.
• If you’re handy around the house, how about carving out a storage area between wall studs? To hide the storage area, use a mirror as a door, creating a sense of space in the bathroom.

Bedroom

• It’s time to declutter your wardrobe by learning to let go of the clothes you no longer need. Begin by sorting through your clothes and weeding out those items that are really just taking up space. You may need to be ruthless. Donate to a charity, or make a bit of extra cash by selling some online. Think of the new items you could buy.

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• Wardrobe storage systems are readily available these days and you can easily turn a single space into multi-sectioned units with a lot more capacity. Look too for a variety of hooks and hangers to keep your clothes and accessories wrinkle-free and easy to find.
• Chaos at the top of your wardrobe? Purchase some rectangular wire or mesh baskets and divide your items evenly across the baskets. You’ll be able to see your items clearly through the wire or mesh. It can also add colour and texture to the space.
• If you live in a small place, replace traditional wardrobe doors that open out with attractive curtains or screens. This may help to provide a feeling of space in the room.
• Store seasonal clothing. Use vintage style suitcases to store out-of-season clothes such as jackets, boots or wooly jumpers. Stack the suitcases on top of each other to create a neat vintage effect.
• If you have space underneath your bed, invest in under-bed zippered storage bags. They can be great for storing throw rugs, blankets, linen and shoes.
• Ever considered hanging your jewellery? To save space in your bedroom, try a wall-mounted jewellery box to display all your favourite pieces of jewellery. Or you could pin and hang items on a decorative peg board or pin board instead.

Image: The 36th Avenue

For these and other handy tips and creative ideas on home storage, you can download the SPI Property Inspections eBook here. We’ve got all the important rooms covered as well as the garage/shed area.