Where to Find and How to Organize Additional Storage Spaces?

The first idea is to store items in a closet. But what if it's already full? You don't want to throw away beloved items or send them to a vacation home. It's simple – you just need to create new storage spaces.

Before taking action, carefully inspect your interior and identify places where you can create new storage areas in the house without causing damage. To create storage spaces and avoid turning your interior into a furniture store, you'll need creativity and follow several simple recommendations I will describe below.

Closets

It's hard to imagine a house without a closet, but let's see how functional your closet is? Usually, closets have a standard height of 2100–2300 mm and useful depth of 57–58 cm.

This means that above a regular closet, there is an empty space since ceilings in living apartments are higher. This space is not being used.

There are two options to solve this issue:
 

• Extend the closet to the ceiling or replace it with a new one. For example, most furniture stores today offer a constructor service where you can get help assembling a closet up to the ceiling from standard modules.
  Place boxes above the closet, where you can store items and belongings.

The second option is more budget-friendly and easier, as it doesn't require major renovations. Bright boxes placed neatly on top of the closet can refresh your interior.

Kitchen Cabinets

There is always a shortage of storage space in the kitchen, so it's better to make upper cabinets reach the ceiling. However, keep in mind that items used rarely are best stored on high shelves, as it's inconvenient to reach dishes from such heights.

Space in Closets

You should use the volume of shelves and wardrobes correctly. For example, you can add extra shelves to a wardrobe, thus reducing unused space. In addition to shelves, you can use special dividers that create a second floor on the shelf of a wardrobe. These shelves and dividers can be purchased at furniture stores. Using them, you can significantly increase useful volume and double the number of items.

For wall-mounted wardrobes, I recommend using this technique carefully and not overload the shelf. Before placing new levels with dishes on a suspended wardrobe, you should check and reinforce the mounting of the wardrobe to the wall and strengthen the wardrobe itself.

Beds

Under the bed, you can store many items, from bedding and blankets to luggage. For example, I keep an ironing board under my bed.

However, you should not forget that for comfortable and healthy sleep, air circulation under the mattress is necessary. Therefore, if you organize storage under the bed, it should be done in such a way that there is a 10 cm gap of empty space under the mattress rails. For this purpose, you can use special drawers that slide under the bed.

Narrow Wardrobes and Shelves

For storing clothes and shoes, you can use narrow wardrobes. This idea works well in small entryways or hallways where it's hard to fit a wardrobe with a depth of 60 cm, but a thin wardrobe of 25–30 cm will always find space to be placed.

Narrow shelves can be used in bedrooms: they are ideal for storing memorabilia and setting up a home library.

Lofts

Lofts are a forgotten past. We all remember how typical apartments were delivered with lofts in kitchens and hallways. Later, they started to be removed, but now they are being built again because lofts can store many items. For example, a loft under the ceiling in a hallway will be unnoticeable but can store many things.

To make new storage spaces convenient, you should plan easy access to them. Reaching lofts and upper shelves is difficult, but you can buy special step stools with steps to solve this access issue.

Storage in the Bathroom

In small bathrooms, you can install special doors near the bathtub to cover the space under it. This space can be used for storing household chemicals.

Above a standalone washing machine, you can install a wall-mounted cabinet. Another great idea is to use a narrow wardrobe with a mirror door above the sink.

And don't forget about boxes, additional shelves, and narrow shelves – they are meant to organize and systematically arrange storage in the home.