Storage Problems & Solutions

We never seem to have enough storage in our homes, as we like to collect … things! Some homes come with generous storage while others never seem to have enough storage. The problem is often exacerbated in condominiums which have smaller rooms. Imagine a 3 bedroom condo with a single, kitchen pantry on the first floor so we needed to find more storage solutions.

Our customer bought a 3 bedroom condo and working with our interior decorator, Jennifer Myers, we came up with numerous ideas for adding storage. It turned out this client was much more interested in places to display collections than functional things like hanging coats. Here are ideas we shared …

Checklist for Additional Storage

Wondering what solutions you would pick? Here is a quick list of the storage needs we and our customer came up with … and which ones we implemented. The tie breaker here was the fact that the condo was ultimately rented, so the question of storage solutions in most cases was left up to the person living there.

• Customer wanted ability to store belongings safely in the basement … see Great Basement or Garage Storage
• We recommended custom shelving for the kitchen to double storage space … deferred to future kitchen remodel
• We recommended wall hooks by the front door (ideas below) … and our client left this solution to his renters
• Bathrooms got vanities with drawers plus hardware for towels and shelves for display
• Recommended a window seat in the master bedroom, to make good use of the dormer space … decided to wait and see how the room was furnished/used.

It was much easier handling these decisions when partnering with Jennifer Myers, Jennifer Myers Interiors. Owning a handyman business means I'm more familiar with how to install, assemble and/or build the solutions my customers pick. We build lots of rough shelving in basements and garages and some finished shelving in living and family rooms. We're comfortable working on ladders and in stairwells, i.e. we're always changing the light bulbs 20 ft up and the kitchen window seat below center was a great winter project.

When the front door doesn't have a closet to put coats away, you need to find another solution …
Add hooks to a nearby wall Use furniture with hooks Place a coat rack near the door
With more pictures than wall space, use your stairways and shelves let you rotate photos …
Family portraits great on stairs Shelves provide flexibility Combine photos & shelves
Window seats provide seating and storage in any room of the house …
Window seats with storage below Add shelves above a window seat