While you're settling into the winter season, the last weeks of fall are a great time to think about your storage. Guests are coming, gardening supplies are going into storage, and winter-specific items are coming out.
As you're pondering how you accumulated so many garden trowels over the summer, and remembering just how many boxes full of holiday decorations you put away last January, it's a good time to think about how you can increase your home's storage. Sweaters are coming out - guests are on their way - you can't find your crockpot again...winter struggles are real. Let's get you into the holidays feeling organized!
It might not be easy to add on an extra closet, or put in a pantry - but you can install shelves easily yourself. Really! It's a perfect indoor project for winter months, and - gift hint alert! - it can be a thoughtful gift for someone. While you're searching for the Christmas cards you bought last year and stored somewhere, keep an eye out for some of these common spots that almost always need extra storage.
Garages
Admit it: Garages seldom are used for just cars. All sorts of activities and traffic keep this space packed. Adding some shelves above a workbench area or near the door into your home are two small projects that can help to corral small items and keep frequently used things in a safe place.
Picture ledges are made with a lip to prevent anything from slipping off and are great for small containers, cans, and other workbench staples. Another gift hint alert: For a real Man Cave look, our diamond plate brackets fill the bill with rugged style.
Mud and Laundry Rooms
Keep a maximum of mess out of the manor by designating shelves for sports equipment, uniforms, and dirty shoes. (But be prepared to enforce it!) Choosing stainless steel ensures that you'll be able to wipe them down with ease and that they'll continue to look great through all kinds of rough use.
Over the washer and dryer, stainless shelves are ideal for storing detergent and other liquid laundry products that always seem to leak and drip, despite our best efforts. Consider adding some deeper shelves to handle folded towels and clothes until they make it back to their homes.
If you feed your pet in this area, installing a small, low shelf for food and water bowls will provide a secure elevated spot for their dining pleasure. The same stainless steel that's used in hospital and restaurant environments is easy to keep clean and sanitary. It's now easy to clean under the feeding area, and bowls placed at the correct height can help reduce neck and back pain in older pets, as well as aid digestion.
Kitchens and Pantries
Open shelving is popular, and a wonderful way to maximize storage without adding visual weight to your kitchen. We have a variety of attractive brackets that can be strategically placed almost anywhere there's available wall space.
Even small, overlooked areas under countertops and over sinks are valuable real estate for placing shelves. Add one below a window for a wintertime herb garden that provides a burst of green, or close to the sink for storing phone chargers.
In your pantry, our picture ledge style shelves are perfect for squeezing out every bit of available space. These shallower options fit spices, storage bags, condiments, and seasonings, freeing up your drawer space and putting everything at your fingertips.
Hall closets
Often a catch-all space, hall closets can be reorganized and repurposed with new sturdy shelves. Heavy, bulky items that aren't used every day, like boots, china sets, appliances, and serving pieces are much easier to access from a hall closet than stored up high. Remember the last time your ski boots bonked you on your head as you were reaching for something else in your closet? You'll thank us for this idea, later!
Bathrooms
Is your guest bathroom not very — welcoming? Remodel it for your holiday visitors! Shelves are a fantastic way to change the look and function of this space with not a lot of effort. Think about adding shelves near the bath or shower to hold towels - placing them in coordinating baskets is always a nice touch.
If this space is small and doesn't have much under-sink storage, some shallow shelves are perfect for holding extra soaps, cups, and toiletries, while preserving limited sink space. Again, our picture ledge style shelving is perfect for this type of application. Other places that could accommodate shelves? Check behind doors and at the ends of free-standing tubs. It's going to look pretty nice, eh?
Bedrooms
If your closets are just the standard rod-and-one-shelf variety, extra shelves can really help. Go low for extra shoe storage that will actually hold pairs of shoes, unlike many free-standing units that are sold. If most of the items hanging in a closet are short, consider adding shelves up to a height just below the lowest-hanging clothes. They're great for folded items and other oddly-shaped accessories that won't fit in dresser drawers.
Inspired? Most people don't realize how much storage can be added to their home until they look for it. We have shelves and brackets for virtually any dimension you might need - and can do custom sizes, as well. If you're thinking about a special gift for someone, contact us!
