No matter how big your house is, coming up with a storage solution to organize every single one of your belongings remains a challenge. If you’re tired of living in a cluttered home but don’t have the budget for expensive furniture and equipment, why not DIY it?
There are plenty of practical solutions you can take that will keep your house organized for much longer than you expect. Moreover, these are worthwhile investments that you can take advantage of regardless if you live in a two-storey house or a flat.
To get you started, here are 4 ideas even amateurs can DIY in an instant.
Install a Catchall
A lot of homeowners tend to underestimate the power of an entryway catchall. By allocating space for your things as soon as you enter the house, you significantly reduce the clutter you’ll be making as you make your way to the bedroom to rest, or to the kitchen with your groceries.
Fortunately, a catchall doesn’t require any fancy furniture or decor to be aesthetically pleasing or functional. You can use an old desk, a shelf, or a shoe rack and push them up against the wall. Place baskets on top items you need when you go out, like your keys and wallet.
Do you have spare hooks? Installing them for your hats, coats, and bags can free up the floor in your entryway. In case yours is spacious, you can bring in an outdoor bench. The space beneath it is perfect for storing your shoes, and you can put the groceries or any heavy load down on the seat instead of scrambling to the kitchen.
Creating an effective catchall is all about relocating furniture to the entryway that you can repurpose for your specific needs.
Install Tension Rods
Tension rods aren’t just for maximizing the vertical space of your wardrobe. They’re also for organizing the rest of the drawers and closets in your home. Take your kitchen, for example. Just the sheer number of kitchenware in your pantry is enough to cause chaos. You can bring order to them by installing tension rods of various sizes in every cabinet.
For those with unused vertical space, you can install a tension rod to add layers. This gives you more room for your dry goods and ingredients. You can also fit them vertically to keep your chopping boards and pans separated in the same closet.
Do you have several spray bottles that are taking up too much space in your cupboard? Install a tension rod to hang them by their trigger. Following the same principle, you can use them as a makeshift shoe rack. If you have narrow spaces in the walls where you can install a few, then you’ll find yourself saving floor space and making a less costly investment.
Install Over-The-Door Shelves
Do you know what space you often ignore? The one above your doors. Use them for storage by installing floating shelves. You can have them wall-to-wall, or simply at the length of your door. Either way, they offer great storage space for items that you don’t use often but also don’t want to keep in the attic.
For living rooms, this could be books, magazines, and photo albums. For bedrooms, this could be curtains, bedsheets, and other personal items.
Install Under-The-Bed Storage
The space under your bed offers great opportunities for storage, too. Depending on your bed, there are a number of ways you can make this work for you without buying expensive tools.
The drawers of old desks and cabinets that you’re about to throw out often fit in that space. By adding wheels beneath them, you can transform them into pull-out storage boxes for your shoes, seasonal clothes, and other items that simply don’t fit in your wardrobe anymore. To further optimize the storage under your bed, and to keep your clothes or bedding you are storing there protected, it is best to use high-quality vacuum storage bags that reduce the space taken up and protect the items inside from bugs, moisture, and dust.
Are you handy with some carpentry tools? Then why not create one that suits the specifications of your bed? You’ll find that by doing so, you can keep your belongings safe and organized without further reducing the living space in your bedroom.
It Can Be Simple
Most amateur DIY-ers get frustrated with their projects because they go with complex ideas too soon. In the end, what they’re left with are wasted equipment and no actual storage solution. You can increase your chances of DIY success by sticking to these four basic ideas. They will not only solve the most pressing storage concerns you have at home. They’ll also build up your confidence to try more daring DIY projects in the future, which will save you from having to find someone to help you with your DIY projects.
