Perfect Order on the Balcony: 7 Life Hacks That Work

Even a balcony of just two or three square meters can be made functional and convenient. Start with cleaning, and then use our life hacks. Many of them have already been applied in practice by Russian designers.

Using a Magnetic Brush

Washing windows from the outside is quite a challenge. A magnetic brush will make this task much easier. It consists of two parts—brushes connected by the force of magnetic plates. If you place them on opposite sides of the glass, the magnet will keep them from falling.

Design: Julia Murigina
Store the Bicycle Vertically

When space is limited, vertical storage saves the day. The same applies to storing a bicycle. All you need is to attach a bike hook or a special bracket to the wall, and two problems are solved at once—bicycle storage and balcony tidiness.

Design: INT2Architecture
Install Tire Mounts

If there's no garage, winter tires have to be stored on the balcony. To prevent them from taking up floor space, buy a special bracket and hang it under the ceiling.

By the way, there's no need to worry that tires will roll down. The brackets are angled so the wheels will bump into the wall.

Properly Sort Items

If you store many useful items on the balcony, proper sorting is a must. A Japanese consultant on tidiness and author of the book 'The Magical Cleaning' recommends sorting all items first by category, then by size. Store them in transparent boxes—this allows for quick and easy access to the items you need.

Design: Alexandra Sakmarova
Install Deep Shelves

Saving space and organizing storage can be achieved with shelves. You don't necessarily have to order custom ones. If your budget is tight, you can attach several wooden boxes to the wall. They are quite spacious and look interesting.

Design: IK-Architechts
Integrate Storage Space

The balcony is the perfect place for 2-in-1 systems. For example, you can build additional storage into a bench with a flip-up seat or a sofa with sliding drawers. Functional furniture keeps items clean and organized.

Design: GEOMETRIUM
Suspend Flower Pots

Usually, flower pots take up a lot of space, but vertical storage can help save room. You can arrange flowers on a narrow tall shelf or staircase shelf, or even better—hang flower pots from the ceiling.

Design: Studio Lesh
The cover features a design project by Natalia Oreshkova.