Does the thought of putting away your holiday decorations fill you with so much dread you briefly entertained the idea of keeping them up all year?
Do you feel like Santa dumped the entire contents of his
sleigh in the middle of your living room and now you’re scrambling to figure
out where the new toys will live?
Is your spare bedroom so full of oddball storage items that you
encourage guests to 
hang their clothes on the overbearing treadmill because the
closet is jam-packed with summer clothes, camping equipment and rolls of loose wrapping
paper?
If you have crummy storage space in your home, then welcome
to the club. We receive many calls from frustrated homeowners asking for a
variety of storage solutions because their houses are especially full-to-bursting
right after the holidays. But storage challenges are not reserved for packrats
alone. Even the most clutter-free minimalist can suffer from inadequate storage
issues. Older homes have notoriously tiny closets, and many newer houses have poorly
designed storage areas that waste space. Whether or not this sounds familiar, here
are some tips to maximize storage in any home.
Look for underutilized nooks and spaces throughout your
house and designate them as storage zones. Unused and sometimes harder-to-reach
spaces, like the attic or crawl space, can be retrofitted with adjustable
shelving to offer clean, dry storage for things like holiday décor that require
limited access. For items used more frequently but not daily, such as a food
processor or a steam-cleaning machine, create a storage solution that makes it
easy to retrieve each item and put it away. Consider installing roll-out
shelves or a Lazy Susan turntable in a blind kitchen cabinet to gain easy
access to the processor. Under the stairs is a great place to store things like
the steamer and other broom closet items.
Installing manufactured storage systems can help you take
advantage of every available inch of space in your closets, basement, laundry
room and garage. Adjustable metal shelves, like those available at www.GorillaRack.com, quickly and easily adapt
to fit tight spaces and ever-changing storage needs. Design your own customized
closet system at www.EasyClosets.com,
or go online to find creative organization ideas for craft centers and gift
wrapping stations on sites like www.DoItYourself.com
or www.DiyIdeas.com.
Sometimes lack of storage is the symptom of a bigger issue:
lack of adequate living space for your growing and changing lifestyle. If this
is the case, then a basement remodel may be the best solution if you have the
resources. Remodeling a basement increases living area, expands storage options
and adds to a home’s value. If the thought of tackling a large basement remodel
or even installing a small storage system is appealing yet daunting, then find
a professional to help. Contacting the Better Business Bureau is a good place
to start when looking for a qualified contractor in your area.
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Bryan Soth and Dwight Sailer are authors of the consumer guide “What You Need to Know before Hiring a Remodeling Contractor” and owners of HighCraft Builders, a Fort Collins design-build remodeling firm. Contact them at (970) 472-8100 or visit www.HighCraft.net.
