Storage Archives - LuxePros

December 2024
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It might be a bit on the chilly side now, but it’s not going to be long before spring cleaning season is upon us again. It’s a great way to refresh spaces and toss out that stuff that’s just been collecting with no real purpose. But what do you do with the stuff you DO want to keep? Maybe you need some more storage spaces!

These days, there are tons of prefabricated kits that can help you turn your home into an organizational powerhouse, as well as plenty of small projects that you can do over a weekend to prepare for the inevitable. If you start building your future storage now, you’ll be totally ready for sorting and putting away when the grass starts to green again.

Built-In Storage

You don’t have to be Bob Villa to install any of the many basic storage systems that are available through big box stores and home improvement centers across the country. Some are designed with specific kinds of storage in mind, like closet systems that help you make more room out of nothing at all. Other systems are designed to be extra sturdy for more challenging spaces, like garages or utility rooms. These out-of-the-box systems are a great way to add built-in storage, even if you’re not particularly handy. They often feature pre-cut pieces with just a few fasteners you’ll need to insert into the wall, along with step-by-step instructions to help you succeed.

But if you’re feeling up to it, don’t hesitate to pick up add-on parts for those systems, or go off the map entirely and use them in unexpected places, like under stairs, in mudrooms, and in other odd spaces in your house. Every nook can become mega storage if you have the right kind of system to install there.

Building From Scratch

If you’re a little braver or have some experience with home repairs, you may want to take a serious look at spaces like garage ceilings, wall voids, rafters, and attic knee walls for the room you can reclaim. Ensure there’s no electrical wire or plumbing running in the space you have your eye on for extra storage, though. Skipping this step can lead to some serious repercussions, including, but not limited to, electrocution and pipe ruptures.

However, with a careful hand, you can take those formerly useless stretches of wall or ceiling and add things like built-in bookcases, cabinets, and drawers. Remember that your built-in can only be as deep as the void, minus the thickness of the back materials, so choose your spaces accordingly. Attic knee walls are especially fun options since there are usually deep voids behind them that you can transform into your storage fantasies.

Some Special Options for Kitchens

Kitchens are notorious for lacking storage or working space, but they also offer a lot of small spaces that most people tend to overlook. For example, if you have a lot of mugs or teacups, the simple act of installing mug hooks under your upper cabinets can permanently free up shelf space. The inside of your cabinets can host shallow storage racks, which are great for holding cleaning supplies, spices, and other small items.

Another option might be adding a rail to your backsplash, enabling you to hang up items that tend to end up scattered in the kitchen. Wouldn’t it be nice to actually know where the potholders are at any given time? You can do the same thing with pegboards or heavy-duty metal sheets you can attach pots, pans, utensils, and the like with magnetic hooks.

Need Help With Your Storage Projects?

Sometimes, you can have great ideas for new storage, but short on the skill or time to execute them. That’s where your LuxePro community comes into play! Whether you want to simply change out the system in your closet, or add new built-in bookcases in your living room, you’ll find a highly recommended professional to help get the job done.

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Photo by The Creative Exchange on Unsplash

A pantry is a great thing to have. Not only does it store all your dry goods in one place, but you can also use your pantry to better organize your kitchen. Whether it’s a space the size of a small closet or a walk-in the size of a small room, your pantry is an important part of your overall kitchen experience.

With that said, do you ever wish that your pantry could do just a bit more? Here are a few ways that you can modify your pantry to add additional functionality and really get the most out of that storage space. Best of all, many of these ideas work regardless of how large your pantry is!

Multi-Height Shelving

Most pantries feature shelves, and in most cases those shelves are fairly evenly spaced within the pantry. You can get more use out of the space if you break that symmetry up a little, however. Fit in more shelf space by leaving a shelf or two with a lot of headroom and then placing other shelves a bit closer together. If you really want to maximize the effect, install vertical dividers on shelves so you can have one side be tall and add a smaller half-shelf on the other side.

Undershelf Baskets

Another great way to increase storage is to add undershelf baskets that slide out when you need them. These baskets are available in different sizes depending on your needs and can be used for bagged items, loaf bread, or other things that are light or fragile.

Zone Organization

To make better use of your pantry, consider designing a zone organization plan. A zone organization plan places your canned goods in one area, your pasta in another, bread, and cereals in another … whatever groupings you want can work! You can modify each zone to meet the shelving and storage needs of whatever it holds. When you’re done organizing, add labels to the shelves to identify the zones and make items easier to find.

Tool and Utensil Storage

A lot of people think that a pantry is just a place to store food items. It’s also a great place to put your kitchen tools and other utensils so they’re out of the way. Add hooks or drawers in the pantry to hold lesser-used utensils so that they’re out of the kitchen but easy to find when you need them. You can even put small kitchen appliances in your pantry as well.

Take Notes

Add a chalkboard, whiteboard, or other writing surfaces to your pantry so that you can make shopping lists, jot down meal ideas or otherwise take notes without having to leave the pantry area. If the pantry has a door, you can even add a coat of chalkboard or dry erase paint on the inside to give you an extended notetaking area.

Door Racks

If you have spices, small containers, or other small items to keep in your pantry, consider adding racks on the back of your pantry door as a place to keep them organized but out of the way. Depending on the type of door and what it’s made of, you can either install them directly to the door or simply use an over-the-door hanging rack.

Spin It Around

Lazy Susan units are a great way to get more use out of your pantry space. Depending on your needs and your available space, you can go as simple as a one- or two-tier unit sitting on a shelf or use a bigger floor-to-ceiling unit to make a full revolving section of your pantry.

Roll-Out Shelves

If you have limited space and want to make the most of it, consider investing in roll-out shelves or full-width drawers for your pantry. This lets you slide out the shelf that you need and access it all the way to the back so that you can place your shelves closer together than you might be able to with stationary shelving.

Revitalize Your Pantry

Do you need a contractor to help you pull off your pantry revamp? You’re in luck! We’re here to help you find the perfect contractor for the job and get the job done!

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January

Make Spring Cleaning a Breeze with Built-In Storage