Storage ideas: 8 areas at home you may have forgotten

A small square footage becomes an issue only if you aren’t fully maximising what you are given. This is usually the case when we overlook certain areas of the home during space-planning.

If you are wondering where to squeeze in more storage, these are 8 areas of the home to think about and the storage suggestions to make the most of what you have.

1. You forgot: That area in front of your bomb shelter

Storage ideas: Shoe cabinet or kitchen pantry

Here’s a win-win solution if you think your bomb shelter’s butt-ugly. Conceal them behind custom-made carpentry and doors, then incorporate storage shelves on the other side.

Depending on where your bomb shelter’s at, it could function as a shoe cabinet (if it’s near the foyer) or a walk-in pantry (if it’s inside the kitchen).

2. You forgot: That area in front of the window

Storage ideas: Lepak corner, makeup table or shelves

If you have no view to speak of, we would recommend putting the space in front of the window to good storage use. Option one: a lepak corner, complete with cosy daybed, under-bed storage and full-height shelves flanking both sides of the window. The second option: a makeup table.

Love the idea of using mirrored panels for the drawers because they appear just like an extension of the window view. The third option: see-through shelves. These are great as they don’t block out the light or ventilation.

3. You forgot: The structural ceiling beams

Storage ideas: Display cabinets or a wine glass rack

For those living in an HDB flat, you will likely encounter a couple of ceiling beams that are a sight for sore eyes. You can’t hack them away because they are going to destroy the structural integrity of your home (and it’s illegal anyway).

The one thing you can do? Make a storage out of it. Turn it into a display cabinet for your mementos (it would be too impractical to store everyday items that high) or use the underside of it as a quirky wine glass rack.

4. You forgot: The storage potential above the toilet

Storage ideas: Use that concealed toilet recessed space or get an off-the-rack shelf

Bathrooms are some of the most functional of spaces at home, so they definitely need to stay organised through proper storage. One often forgotten area that can do with extra storage? Above the toilet!

Rather than go the conventional towel rack route, you want to opt for a more substantial storage idea. If you are opting for a concealed toilet, you will likely incur a recessed area that will benefit from a cabinet. If not, go with an off-the-rack shelf to store all those extra toiletries.

5. You forgot: That corridors aren’t just for walking

Storage ideas: Shelving or pull-out wardrobes

Corridors aren’t just empty souls existing for us to pass through. These designers hacked away the original walls along the walkways and turned them into functional and stylish storage pieces. One turned them into a whole alley of shelving, while the other hid away substantial closet room. Genius.

6. You forgot: That overhead bed space

Storage ideas: Across the bed storage or above the bedhead storage

If you are looking to double bedroom storage, look no further than to the space above your bed. If your bed is positioned between two walls, consider going with an over-bed storage that stretches the full length of your sleeping area.

We also love the storage option of units running above the bedhead with full-length wall cabinets flanking both sides of the bed for a neat and tidy look.

7. You forgot: That awkward corner

Storage ideas: Open shelves or makeup table

Some homes have them, most don’t know what to do with them. We are talking about awkward corners. But these are be turned into usable storage spaces with some ingenuity.

Consider open shelves, cut neatly into the corner and very affordable, or take a leaf from the second picture, where an awkward nook in a bedroom was converted into a vanity area with a makeup table. The table even flips up to a vanity mirror!

8. You forgot: The space above the door

Storage ideas: Open cubbies or closed cabinets

For homes with taller ceilings, there’s going to be all that extra space above the door. Make the most of that space and turn it into storage.

Open shelves or cubbies work well with open-concept doors like ones made from steel bars, serving as a platform for displaying trinkets. For conventional doors, stick with closed units for a clutter-free look.

This article was first published in Renonation.