We’ve talked about the negative mental health and physical health impacts of clutter in a previous post. There are a surprising number of health benefits for everyone when the home is organized and decluttered.
Now let’s get into some practical ideas to help your family live more clutter-free so that you can have the health benefits that come with having a cleaner, more organized home.
Your home doesn’t have to be ready for a Good Housekeeping photo shoot. It only has to be perfect for your family. Then you can enjoy making healthy, wonderful memories together.
All it really takes is a trip to a great storage solutions store and a bit of planning.
A handyman’s best organizing solutions
You could call a professional organizer to come help. But you may surprise yourself with the great plan you can come up with yourself!
We’d love to share some of our suggestions for improving the storage situation in your home so you can declutter like a pro!
Kitchen storage ideas
If you need a bit more storage in the kitchen, there are so many things you can do without having to spend a fortune on a major remodel.
- Add an island (portable or permanent).
- Add more shelves or cabinets.
- Install hanging storage racks for pots and pans from the ceiling over the island or over the counter or sink.
- Install hanging storage racks along the backsplash for utensils and spices.
- Install cabinet organizing systems with rollout drawers in your cabinets.
- Install a beautiful dish rack over your sink.
- Buy a free-standing storage cabinet.
- Hang a pegboard.
- Build cubbies around doorways.
- Add cabinets above your fridge.
- Add shelves between the studs to use as a pantry.
Bathroom storage ideas
Some older homes have very small bathrooms and limited storage, but there are still things you can do to increase your storage space and declutter your sink area.
- Install new shelves.
- Install a big mirrored medicine cabinet.
- Install new cabinets or a new sink and cabinet combination.
- Add a cart or free-standing shelf unit.
- Use a ladder for a towel rack.
- Install floating shelves between studs.
- Install hidden bins on the inside of cabinet doors.
- Install a wall rack.
- Install cubbies on the wall.
- Mount shelves and caddies in the shower to the wall.
- Add hooks and hanging storage.
Bedroom storage ideas
Looking for more storage ideas for your bedroom, your guest bedroom, or your children’s rooms? Try these on for size.
- Install shelves.
- Mount wall-cabinets.
- Buy stand-alone shelving (be sure to tether tall furniture to the wall for safety).
- Build a window seat with storage.
- Mount cubbies to the walls.
- Buy and assemble a bookcase or multiple bookcases (and tether them to the wall).
- Buy or build a headboard with built-in storage.
- Buy a bed that has space underneath or large drawers for storage.
- Buy display cabinets or shelves for collections.
- Buy storage containers that fit under the bed or in closets.
- Install a storage system in the closet or along one wall.
- Install hooks for hanging coats, scarves, purses, jewelry, etc…
Living area storage ideas
Focus on the rooms where family members spend the most time first. Once you begin to get the clutter in those areas under control, your home will feel so much more peaceful and organized.
- Install shelves or built-in cabinets for storage.
- Install wall-mounted cubbies.
- Install a wall of bookcases (and tether them to the wall).
- Build a window-seat or make one with a chest or trunk and a cushion.
- Invest in coffee tables and side tables that have storage in them.
- Buy an entertainment cabinet that has storage.
- Buy a vintage dresser.
- Install hooks and shelves near doorways for important things like coats, purses, keys, and phone-charging stations.
Foyer or mudroom storage ideas
These rooms tend to catch a lot of clutter. Be prepared for it! Have a place for everyone’s coats, shoes, umbrellas, school supplies, mail, etc… to go. If there is a designated place for each item, it’s a whole lot easier to keep things organized and tidy!
- Install cabinets for each member of the family.
- Build cubbies over a built-in bench.
- Buy a bench with storage.
- Install hooks for coats and wraps.
- Install wall-mounted shoe storage.
- Build cubbies under the stairs.
- Put a dresser there and assign each family member a drawer.
Playroom storage ideas
Whether the playroom is in the FROG or basement, toys never seem to want to stay in their place. But with easy-to-access storage drawers, bins, or cabinets, even toddlers can learn to put away their toys easily and quickly.
- Install built-in cabinets.
- Buy a daybed with large storage drawers.
- Buy toy chests or storage bins to put along the walls.
- Hang a netted sling to hold stuffed animals in the corner on the wall.
- Buy furniture with storage.
- Use an over-the-door organizer.
- Install cubbies with mesh boxes or baskets.
- Build a long bench along the wall with drawers, cabinet doors, or storage bins.
- Build shelves in the closet or install a closet storage organization system.
- Hang a pegboard storage system on the wall.
- Hang a corkboard for artwork.
- Build shelves with crown molding on the edges to display children’s books.
- Mount a plastic storage bin with little drawers to the wall for Lego storage and other small toys or crafts.
Laundry room storage ideas
This is another room where things can get disorganized super quickly if there is no storage system in place.
- Install a closet storage system with bars to hang clean clothes on.
- Install cabinets with a counter, if possible, to provide places to keep dirty laundry baskets and a surface for folding.
- Consider installing fold-away hanging racks that can easily be put away when not in use.
- Install shelving or cabinets above the washer and dryer for laundry supplies.
- Install cubbies with baskets for each family member’s foldable laundry.
- By stand-alone shelving systems (and tether them to the wall) if you can’t do built-in cabinets or shelves.
- Install a wall-mounted ironing table that can fold away.
Garage storage ideas
Ideally, first, have a cleaning-out session and get rid of trash and anything you know your family will not be using (organize things into sell and donate piles). You may be able to make enough money from a yard sale to cover your new storage system costs.
Then consider what items need storage solutions and design your storage around the items you have.
- Install hanging bike racks from the ceiling or on a wall.
- Install built-in cabinets or shelves.
- Use sturdy stand-alone cabinets or shelves.
- Sort tools and items by type and label the bins on the shelves.
- Group like things together so they are easier to find.
- Install a pegboard tool organizer to hang frequently used tools in easy-to-reach places.
- Build a bin to hold rakes, brooms, pool skimmers, and other long tools.
- Have a battery charging station for battery-powered tools near your storage bins/shelves for those tools.
- If you don’t have enough room for everything, consider a storage shed with shelving for the back yard.
Need help installing storage solutions?
If you aren’t up to putting together a storage system, mounting cabinets or shelves, or using tools, don’t worry! Whether you want to start organizing your kitchen and bathroom or other rooms in your house, a home improvement service can do the hard work for you.
A licensed and insured handyman near you can help you with almost all of the installation projects listed in this post.
Interior and exterior storage solutions often require some skill. If you aren’t comfortable doing it or you don’t have the time, why not turn to someone with years of experience who can help?
A handyman is your clutter-busting teammate.
Then you can enjoy all the health benefits of living in a clutter-free, functional, beautiful home.
Ready to organize your home in Columbia, SC?
We’re available to lend a helping hand. We can handle many carpentry and minor electrical jobs so you don’t have to.
Please contact us today about how we can help you with your organizing needs.
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