Getting rid of clutter can lend a home that all-important feeling of spaciousness. But often, there isn’t the space available to stow that clutter away.
Traditional storage solutions have a natural disadvantage, here. They tend to be low to the ground, because this makes them easier to install and access. But what about all that wasted space up nearer the ceiling? If we were to make use of it, we might create massive amounts of space at ground level! But exactly how should we approach this task?
1. Floating Shelves
A ‘floating’ shelf is a shelf that’s attached directly to the wall behind it. You’ll need a wall that’s strong enough to hold the items you intend to load onto a shelf. You might go for solid lengths of wood, or you might construct a bracket and enclose it in a plywood box. Floating shelves can conjure space from thin air, and they look incredibly neat and tidy, if your DIY skills are up to the job. But you will need the right tools – if you’re putting up dozens of shelves, an impact driver goes a long way.
2. Radiator Shelves
A little shelf above a radiator generates extra storage from nothing, and if you do it right it’ll also divert heat into the room. But at the same time, you may also divert heat back into the wall, which will cost you in the long run. You might offset this with foil strips along the back of the radiator. Bear in mind that shelving of this sort will get warm, so try to avoid storing food items on it.
3. Shower Storage
Rather than cluttering up the edge of the bathtub with a motley roster of shampoos, conditioners, shower gels and bath salts, why not arrange these devices in a series of hanging baskets. You might attach them to the wall with suction caps, or you might go a stage further and drill through the tiling. Make sure that you seal it properly!
4. Rolling Shelves
Rolling shelves are fantastic for those narrow gaps that you can’t otherwise make use of. Just wheel the thing out whenever you need one of those rarely-reached for supplies. You might even build one yourself using inexpensive castors and cheap plywood. Stock it with spices, tins, condiments and other essentials, and cram it into the space between the wall and the fridge. If you attach it to the wall on a rolling castor, then it can be as tall as you like.
5. Adapt Moulding
Moulding doesn’t just serve a decorative purpose – it also serves a practical one, too. You can hang high-heeled shoes off it. The sole will naturally swing toward the wall, thus holding the entire thing in place. If you’d rather not have your collection on display, then you might just as easily stow it out of sight, on the back of a wardrobe door.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
