Decor Portfolio

Figuring out where to stow things, especially odd-shaped and bulky items, is a challenge in every part of the house.

When the back hall doesn’t have the space for anything beyond a small storage cabinet, you might look to the laundry or utility room.  By organizing shelving and closet space in an orderly fashion and replacing freestanding items, such as the workable and ironing board, with foldaway versions, you can create extra room to store some of the things that don’t fit anyplace else: sports equipment, the vacuum cleaner, recycling bins, large bags of dog food, and gardening tools.
The garage may offer additional storage possibilities.  Even if the cars take up every inch of floor area, you can utilize the space above them.  Suspend bicycles, canoes, and sleds from study hooks; store helmets, and volleyballs and nets – anything that’s not too small or heavy – in net bags or a hammock that also hang from hooks.  Stash skis, rakes and shovels in the narrow vertical space between studs, and tuck in some narrow shelves here and there to hold small objects.  You can also span the rafters with plywood to make a loft for storing luggage, or boxes of out-of-season clothes.