Storage solutions that may be hiding in plain sight

I am a designer who specialises in small spaces, so finding unexpected places to add storage is one of the most satisfying parts of my work.

My job is to ‘read’ your home so that I can unlock spaces that you may not have thought of using. Instead of upgrading to more - more space, more rooms, more square meterage - I like showing clients how to live with what they have and achieve the home’s full potential instead.

When we do design consultations with clients, their number one complaint is lack of storage. Believe me, I get it. The number of times that I still see new plans for new buildings with storage as an afterthought, rather than a key fundamental of the design, still surprises me. Over the years I have become very fond of a few off-the-beaten track corners in homes that potentially could be a game changer for clients’ storage woes.

Let's start with the space above the ceiling. We always look around and in front of us, but rarely do we look up. The ceiling cavity space is generally very large and is a pocket just waiting for you to use better, in either a new build or a retro fit.

Lightweight fittings and drawers in a cupboard or under the stairs can corral a lot of gear. Photo / Supplied

To get to the ceiling space, find a logical place (like a hallway) and install a ready-made attic ladder. These days they are super safe, not clunky, and are fairly inconspicuous. You'll need to get a builder up in the space to line the joists with ply. Use a licensed building practitioner to advise on the amount of load that would be recommended for your structure and to meet any code regulations.

Add a few lights too, as playing spotlight with a torch is not going to make finding things enjoyable for you. Again, be sure to get lights or plugs properly fitted by a licensed electrician.

Then you can think about how you want to organise this space so it is fully utilised. It will probably be for things you don’t use frequently - suitcases, Christmas decorations, memorabilia, seasonal items and so on – but still think about how often you need to get things, and what you’d like to be within handy reach. If your roof height and load-bearing allows, use racking or shelving to make retrieval easy.

If you have stairs, then that is your next bonus space – or you can apply these hacks to any cupboard in your home such as the humble hot water cupboard.

Often the under-stair cupboard is a free for all. For a while, mine just became a graveyard for reusable shopping bags. Pull out everything that usually gets crammed in there and organise it properly. You’ll be amazed how much space you can make.

Tucking built in shelves can make the most of the guest room. Photo / Supplied

If you cannot find suitable ready-made storage from a big-box hardware store, do not just give up. Get a builder to custom-make shelves, mount bag hooks and create a proper dedicated slot for things like the vacuum cleaner, wrapping paper and other tall items you store in there.

Thinking bigger, you can even turn the underside of the stair risers into little shelves or a wine cellar. To finish the space off like a pro, make sure the area is painted and, again, add decent lighting to make it easy to grab things.

The last space is a funny one. Most of the time when clients show us around their home, we get to the guest bedroom and they say, “this is our guest/storage room.”

Often this means it is a guest bedroom with the miscellaneous items that could not find a home anywhere else. So, rather than the guest room becoming an automatic dumping ground, face up to the fact it is mostly a home for the leftovers. After all, your stuff stays around longer than a guest.

Take a good look at the wardrobe. A guest usually needs only a small amount of hanging space, so that means you can use the other 70 per cent of the wardrobe for your items.

Specialised hooks and hanging fixtures from a hardware store make the most of tight storage spaces like under the stairs. Photo / Supplied

Use a mixture of shelves and drawers for organising the storage so that it can convert back to a full wardrobe if the room needs to become a permanent family bedroom.

Look for a bed with storage underneath: these have also come along way over the years with comfort and function. Lastly, dedicate a wall to a floor to ceiling storage unit, with a mixture of open shelving and closed cupboards or drawers to visually lighten the space and help give you options. Maybe feature a collection of books and a few pot plants to help it feel more decorated like a sanctuary, whilst hiding all the unattractive odds and ends.

But before you start adding storage, do a thorough de-clutter first – throw away or recycle old magazines, out-grown toys and games, broken anything.

When I’m with a client, sometimes I do not know when to stop suggesting secret storage spots.

Start by tackling a few key areas to really make a difference, as some clever problem solving and quality fit-outs can be storage game changers.

- Laura Heynike is director of Pocketspace Interiors