The Best Storage Ideas to Reduce Clutter and Save Space

Have you ever found yourself thinking, “I have too much stuff and nowhere to put everything”? Chances are, if you’re reading this blog, the answer to that question is yes. We’ve all been there. Miscellaneous Christmas gifts from years past, hand me down items that are too sentimental to get rid of, or maybe you have a problem and collect too many tools like I do? Whatever the reason, we are here to help. Below are some great ideas to keep the things you love organized and reduce clutter.

Lift Up Your Items

At last year's home builder show, one of the things that stood out to me was a company that offered amazing garage storage products. They offered fancy lifts that allowed you to lower a shelf from the ceiling in your garage, load up your items, and hit a button to raise it out of the way. Now that is the pricier option (and well worth it, I’m sure) but the idea is still a great one. Get your stuff up off the floor and out of your way. There are several options that you can get that range in price from cheap DIY to expensive pre-built products. I’m going to share with you a few of my favorites.

Above Garage Door Shelving

The area above your garage door is typically just dead space. This idea turns that dead space into a massive amount of useful storage and the cost is very minimal. 

Hanging Bike Racks

One of the items that I can never seem to find a place for is mountain bikes. Now there are several different options to store your bikes in the garage but my favorite is to hang them from the ceiling or wall. 

Kayak hangers

This one is kind of obvious. Kayaks are big and bulky and will also need to be lifted up to the ceiling. There are several options for kayak hangers available. 

Make Use of Dead Space

Much like the space above the garage door, there is a ton of dead space in most houses that can be transformed into excellent storage options. Here are my favorites.

Toe Kick Drawers

Nobody would ever think that the dead space below your cabinets could be good for anything. But, if you find yourself thinking that your kitchen is too small or you have too few cabinets, it can be a perfect place to store your pans.

Hang Items Inside Your Cabinet Doors

This one not only gives you more places to hang your utensils but also helps you keep them organized. It also adds charm to your kitchen.

Above Bathroom Door Shelf

If you have a powder bath or even just a small bathroom, adding a shelf above the bathroom door can be great for storage and make your bathroom look amazing. 

Over Toilet Shelving

If your bathroom needs some decorating and you need some extra storage space, build a shelf over your toilet to solve both problems.

Corner Shelving

Most of the time the corners of your rooms are dead space. Not only will building corner shelves in your room be great for storage, but it will also make your home look amazing.

Build or Buy Furniture with Storage

Storage Bench

Adding a bench to your entryway or at the foot of your bed is not only practical but also great for storage purposes. Make sure your bench opens up and you’ll add a great storage space.

Coffee Table Storage

Need a place to store your games or kid's toys. Get a coffee table that opens up for storage. 

Ottoman Storage

Much like the coffee table, this can be a great place to store games or toys and also makes for a great footrest in your living room.

Optimize Existing Storage

Double Your Closet Size

Most reach-in closets are built with 1 rod with a shelf above it. This creates a lot of dead space towards the bottom of your closet. If you add 2 rods and shelves, you can literally double your closet space

Drawer Organization

This one focuses more on the organization side, but organizing your drawers can make it super easy to find the things you need when you need them. 

Backyard Shed

Last but not least, if you’ve exhausted all of your storage options and still don’t have the room to store your things, build a shed. Sheds come in a wide variety of sizes and can range in price from super expensive to very reasonable. You can either buy a pre-made shed or you can build a shed that adds style to your house. Check out our shed plans for some ideas here.