Make the most of the storage space under your stairs by organizing your belongings.
Staircases often feature empty spaces beneath them, which many homeowners turn into storage areas or an additional closet. Filling this area with too many items prevents you from finding what you need and makes it harder to store new items. Organizing the items inside this space isn't enough because you may still keep items inside that you no longer need or use frequently. Organizing also involves weeding through your stored items. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Remove everything from the space and place the items into one of three piles: keep, trash and donate. Store keep items and items to donate in cardboard boxes. Boxes with handles make it easier to transport the donated items to the thrift store or charity. Anything you plan on throwing away, place into trash bags and carry to the trash when done.
2. Measure the amount of available space inside the storage area with a measuring tape. It's easier to see the amount of space once the area is cleared out. Use the measurements to purchase bookshelves or storage organizers that fit into the available space.
3. Add shelves to the sides or back of the storage space. Placing shelves in different heights will allow you to store items you use frequently as well as items you use only a few times a year. Look for racks with adjustable shelves or those with shelves of different sizes to fit different things.
4. Install a closet rack if you currently lack one in the storage area. A closet rack or closet rod allows you to store out-of-season clothing, jackets and special occasion clothing that you have no space for in your bedroom closet. Push the clothing to one side of the rack to avoid blocking your shelves.
5. Use plastic bins and fabric storage boxes to arrange items on each of your shelves. Look for bins and boxes with labels on the outside and write a short list of the box's content on the outside of each one. Bins with handles make it easy to pull the boxes off of the shelf later.
Tags: area with, available space, closet rack, handles make, items inside, keep items
