Transform Your Home with Clever Storage Solutions

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by: David Martin
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Word Count: 439
Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2011 Time: 8:34 AM
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With the current uncertainty surrounding the housing market, many home-owners are choosing to improve rather than move. If you've outgrown your home and are desperate for space there are a few changes that can vastly improve and maximise on your current offerings, and clever storage can offer the solution to all manner of home orientated woes, including the demand to keep a tiny house tidy.

Loft Storage
If you're lucky enough to have access to some loft space, you're pretty much in storage heaven. Before off-loading dozens of crates ensure that the space has been prepared - you'll need to do a reccy, lay board over the rafters, invest in a light and install a ladder - all of which ensures that whatever you're storing is safely accessible whenever you need it.

Shelving Storage
There are all manner of shelving solutions that can offer up some architectural and design credibility, as well as serving an essential function. Think about your choice of material - wood, metal, slate; design - free standing, floating, grid; and function - books, files, and electrical goods. These will all influence your final decision.

Built in Storage
All recesses and alcoves offer the perfect opportunity to maximise on space and functionality - rather than trying to find a piece of freestanding furniture to squeeze into an awkward corner, get something made to fit. Not only does this mean you get maximum use out of an otherwise useless space, but it's also unique to your home, plus built in storage is a dream to keep clean compared to freestanding.

Multi-functional Storage
Multi-functional storage really comes into it's own with stuff that you need only infrequently or seasonally - spare bedding perhaps and winter jumpers. The problem with boxing this stuff up is that you still need access, plus somewhere to store the boxes. The key is making sure that everything that commands floor space is actually maximising on its quota i.e. vintage, wooden trunks make great coffee tables but are also perfect for storing DVDs, blankets and books.

Get Creative
Take a look around your home and try to establish if there are any areas that are particularly underutilised - they may not seem practical, but don't let this put you off, the more creative you get the more storage solutions you get. If you have high ceilings make use of the extra wall space, install high shelves, fill them with lesser used books and incorporate a library ladder to access them. If you're short on outdoor space, fit brackets to the walls and hang your bike out of the way high in the hall.

About the Author

David Martin is a furniture designer who specialises in shelving and sofas.