3 Space-Saving Ideas when Furniture Shopping

If you’re anything like me, your home is probably full of useful clutter: things that you need and use regularly, that don’t necessarily have a logical place to live. Shoes, reusable shopping bags, umbrellas, pet leads, and sports equipment all fall into this category.

Luckily, home décor has gone through a functional storage revolution, and there are dozens of fun, stylish, and space-saving ways to organise your home without breaking the bank. Here are my top tips for tidying up your life.

Use You Under Stairs Wisely

Cupboards are the usual go-to storage solution for under the stairs, but these can be problematic. How do you reach all the way to the bottom? What if you can’t fit a light? With some thinking-outside-the-box, you can find a better use for that awkwardly shaped space.

• If you’ve got enough room, consider moving your downstairs loo into the space. This could then free up another area as a walk-in storage room which would be much more accessible.
• Convert the cupboard into a series of pull-out drawers. These are much easier to access, can reach into every space, and can be used to house children’s toys, shoes, sports bags and more.
• If your stairs are in/near your kitchen, you could turn the underneath into a storage pantry. Fit with shelves and add several doors and you’ll never run out of cupboard staples again.
• Turn it into a cloakroom. Under the stairs is a great place to store coats and shoes and keep them out of the way. It also lets you hand coats at a height where little people can reach them, great for teaching them some independence when getting ready to go out.

De-clutter your Bedroom

We want our bedrooms to be somewhere quiet and relaxing, which isn’t going to happen if you’ve got boxes and bags strewn everywhere. While wardrobes and drawers are great for clothes, they’re not always so useful for spare sheets, duvets, and pillows. Why not invest in a bed from Divan Bed Centre and take advantage of their ottoman or drawer storage to keep large items out of sight, while still keeping them accessible.

Don’t Forget Outside

Outside storage like sheds and garages can quickly become dumping grounds for tools and machinery – it’s just far too easy to shove everything in and leave it be. However you’ll get much more out of your space if you organise it properly.

• Install wall shelves and hooks to keep things off the floor. Tool kits, drills etc fit nicely on strong steel shelves, while even larger items like lawnmowers and bikes and be suspended in order to create more space.
• If you’re a keen gardener, create an organised space for you to do tasks as well as store your tools. A potting bench and stool will let you tend to your seedlings and keep any mess in one place.
• Create a dedicated area for sports equipment so everything is in one place and easy to find. You could shelve some storage boxes for kit and keep large bins full of equipment like hockey sticks and golf clubs.
• Garden toys for the kids are often used seasonally, so give them a dedicated space over the winter where they can stay clean and dry and safe for little hands. If your garage is clear enough, you could even let them play inside on wet days, giving you the added bonus of an all-weather playroom.

Even the biggest DIY novice should find something here to inspire them. Adding shelving units, bins, and boxes is simple and straight forward and has an immediate positive impact on any surroundings. There are so many styles to choose from that you’ll be able to find something to compliment your décor, whether it’s monochrome minimalism, old-style country, or fun and funky.