Finding clever ways to store the little things we all accumulate, like an ever-growing collection of sports collectables, for example, makes for feelings of satisfaction and pleasure. We get to enjoy our favourite items when they’re displayed at their best, and know the items we treasure but don’t want always on show are safely tucked out of harm’s way.
If your small treasures have become an annoying and overwhelming muddle of dust collectors, now’s the time to get back in control with these clever storage and display ideas:
Shelving Ideas
Shelves make for versatile and creative ways to store and show off collectibles and valuables, or just the little things that are part of your life and make you smile with memories.
- If you have an awkward corner in a room, install floating shelves that wrap around the corners. Place them at equal intervals from about dado height and paint or paper them to match your decor. They’re especially effective in plain white against a white wall, as displayed create an eye catching contrast.
- Two or three box shelves, offset from each other, make interesting alternatives to bedside tables, providing space for books, your clock and lamp or anything else you like handy by your bed.
- Make the most of alcoves or recesses in any room with tiers of shelving. Place mirrors behind to bounce light around the room, or create a feature with discreet lighting.
Shelves fit well into any room, whether you choose bespoke solutions (such as fitting shelves around a window) or a standard shelving unit.
Be Selective
The old saying ‘less is more’ was never more true than when it comes to display and decor at home. Two or three photos look stylish together, but a dozen or more can look untidy. The more you have on display, the longer you’ll spend dusting too, so it’s wise to be a little picky about what’s on show.
- Have a rotation system so you can ring the changes. Pack up the things not being currently displayed and rent a small self storage room to safely lock them away. Having them away from home will prevent them slowly creeping back out.
- Use the same storage room to clear space at home by storing seasonal items not in use. Think sports or garden equipment that’s only used for part of the year, or children’s toys that have fallen out of favour but will seem new again after a few months out of sight.
- Storing out of season clothing frees up space in closets and wardrobes, making the clothes you wear on a regular basis much easier to find.
Use Hidden Areas of the Home
We all have them, we just don’t use them effectively. Cubby holes under the stairs, wasted space in kitchen cabinets, even hidden storage areas in furniture can all work towards clearing clutter and keeping possessions organised.
The garden, if you have one, offers huge potential for storage. A prefab shed can be erected in a day or two and suddenly you’ll have another whole room to play around with. You can use plastic crates to keep things dry if you’re worried about things getting damp and stack them on either side of the door so that you have a convenient storage room whenever you need it.
You could also, for instance, take the kickboards off the bottom of kitchen cabinets and install hinged, lift-up doors (or sliding ones) instead. That way you can access acres of space you’d never normally use. This is very handy for flat items you don’t need daily, easy access to.
Another idea is to swap out standard furniture for that with storage built in. End tables, coffee tables and beds all come in storage versions, providing convenient space for the odds and ends of daily life that otherwise litter up surfaces that could be clear and gleaming.
The little things in life are often what make it special. Stay in control of your little things and they’ll give pleasure for years without becoming annoying clutter.
