5 Storage tips to keep your home clutter free

Did you have to dig through piles of clothes to find the perfect outfit this morning? Could you muster the energy to sort through the plastics cupboard to find a container (with a matching lid!) for your lunch? When you left the house, did you have to hunt around for your keys and wallet amongst all the clutter on the kitchen bench? When you jumped in your car, was it dirty because your garage is overflowing with stuff so you have to park it on the driveway?

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these, read on.

A cluttered home makes for a cluttered mind, or so the saying goes. And I couldn’t agree more because when my house is an unorganised mess, it sends me into a spin and the mad morning rush sets the tone for my entire day.

Imagine starting your day feeling cool, calm and collected because you’re organised, then (and this is even better!) coming home to a neat and tidy home.

It’s possible. You just need to think about one little word.

We could all do with a little more and can never have too much because over our lifetimes, we tend to collect more and more stuff.

Suitcases, picnic chairs, eskies, camping gear, the ironing board, laundry baskets, Christmas decorations, the first aid kit and the air fryer. They are some of the most common things people forget when planning out their storage spaces. If you throw babies into the mix, you can add porta cots, capsules, baby baths, highchairs, walkers, strollers and bouncers onto the list. Then guess what, those babies grow up and collect all sorts of things like mountains of clothes, toys, bicycles, tricycles and scooters.

Most people don’t spend time planning out their storage needs which is why we see so many homes with garages packed to the brim with stuff.

Having an organised home is the key to creating a peaceful space so before you build, we suggest making a list of every item you have (or will have in the future. Babies need a lot of stuff!!) and creating a dedicated storage space for it. You would be surprised just how long the list is for the average person.

1. SUPERSIZE YOUR WARDROBS

Wardrobes with hinged doors have less storage space than robes with full height sliding doors because the top of the door frame blocks the access to the top shelf so take advantage of the vertical space by changing it to full height sliding doors instead.

Then you have plenty of space to add an extra shelf for all those things you only ever need every-now-and-then, like winter blankets and keepsakes.

2. ALIGN YOUR VERTICAL PANELS WITH THE SLIDING DOORS

To prevent shelving from buckling under the weight of linen or clothes, builders need to install vertical support panels where necessary. While these serve a dual purpose as a divider, they can sometimes restrict your access to the shelving if they aren’t perfectly aligned with the doors.

If you have a robe or linen cupboard with sliding doors, we recommend positioning the vertical support panel in line with the edge of the doors so it’s easy to access.

3. MAKE THE MOST OF THE BUILDER’S SHELVING

Did you know it’s really cost effective to get your builder to add in extra melamine shelving during construction compared to buying all the materials yourself and having a carpenter install it afterwards?

This is because the builder buys the materials in bulk and the carpenter is already working onsite to install the doors, so you won’t be charged any additional call-out fees.

Most builders will just charge a lineal meter rate so you can get creative with the shelving layouts.

Here’s a few examples of cost-effective storage solutions:

4. STORE THE ITEM WHERE YOU’LL USE IT

The shed. Unless you have a decked-out man cave, the word probably conjures memories of sorting through piles of dusty old stuff while trying to avoid the cobwebs.

So here’s a hot tip, instead of forking out for a garden shed after construction, create dedicated storage spaces in your home and store the item where you’re likely to use it. For example, if you want to go on more spontaneous picnics, make packing the car easy by adding shelving in your garage where you can store the esky, picnic basket and chairs.

If it’s easy to get to, you’ll be more likely to actually use it.

5. UTILISE ALL THE WASTED SPACE IN YOUR KITCHEN

Kitchens are the heart of the home and if the benchtops are cluttered, your home will always look untidy so we recommend investing a little bit of money to add more storage.

Here’s a few things you can do:

Add overhead cupboards, including above the fridge recess, to take advantage of the wasted vertical space.

Upgrade to an integrated rangehood concealed in overhead cupboards so you can store little things like spices or dessert cups in there.

Increase the island bench to 1.2m deep so you can add a second row of cupboards that can be accessed from the back of the island. It’s great for storing things you only use every now and then like cookbooks, platters, Christmas themed plates etc.’

Add a bin drawer (it’s a no brainer!)

Add a power point into your walk-in-pantry and adjust the shelving heights so your microwave can be stored out of sight.