It’s a common scenario in the storage business: A customer rents a storage unit, and before they know it, it’s packed to the brim with stuff, everything from out-of-season clothing and sporting equipment to collectibles and archived documents. In such cases, yes, we’re always happy to move that customer up to a larger storage unit or even rent them a second storage unit.
However, that strategy isn’t always practical or feasible for everyone. When that happens, we recommend getting to the root of things and addressing the issue of why certain belongings are leaving the house in the first place. If space can be made for those things at home (without creating a suffocating or overly cluttered living environment), then fewer of them become candidates for outside storage in the first place.
Read on to learn a handful of our strategies for maximizing your storage capacity at home. It could save you time and money in the long run.
• Don’t ignore the vertical storage potential in each room of your house
For example, when you pack a box, you usually pack it from bottom to top. You can approach the rooms of your house with a similar mindset. Think in terms of floor-to-ceiling shelving, which, depending on the room, could accommodate books, linens and other stackable items. In the kitchen, you maximize vertical space by using the tops of cabinets to store small appliances or bulky serving pieces. You can also take a top-down approach by using hanging baskets to expand overhead storage opportunities in bathrooms, closets and kitchens.
• Utilize “found” space
If you have a staircase in your home, you might be able to convert that into a mini storage unit. Depending on the design of your house, you might be able to create a whole closet or at least install storage cubbies and nooks using doors and drawers. Even open shelving would look good for books and knick-knacks. And don’t overlook wall potential. Magnetic strips on the kitchen walls can hold up kitchen knives and free up drawer space. Magnets can be used in bedrooms or the garage to store toys or tools.
• Repurpose items
This one may require a little bit of creativity on your part, but look for items in your home that can be repurposed for storage. For example, file cabinets and library card catalog cabinets can be used as an alternative form of storage, and industrial shelving and cabinets might fit in with some areas of your house. A large vintage suitcase could be outfitted with legs to create a conversation-worthy side table that has built-in storage capacity.