Innovative storage solutions for small homes

Press profile homify Press profile homify
Underhill House PPS7, Seymour-Smith Architects Seymour-Smith Architects Modern study/office
Loading admin actions …

When a lot of possessions come up against the problem of a small home to house them, the results can vary from a cluttered and unusable space through to a heart wrenching clear out of some of your favourite items. This doesn't have to be the case though as, with some considered design and imagination, you can find endless space that is not already being taken advantage of.

Clever storage solutions seek to get the most out of forgotten areas, such as under stairs or beds. So, take a look at our suggestions for getting the most bang for your buck when it comes to small home storage ideas and see if you might have access to more space than you thought!

Create usable corners

Corners are a curse to anyone that finds themselves short on storage, but with a little ingenuity they can become a great space saving resource. 

By building corner shelves with narrow ledges, you are able to create valuable storage solutions that don't encroach into the wider room too far, thereby making them fit for purpose but not at the detriment of what could already be a small room. This office is a fantastic example of what is possible with a small footprint but a specific need and we think the team at Martin Greshoff Furniture have created something really special.

Utilise under the stairs

What a fantastic use of the normally totally redundant under stairs space! Though on the face of it these shelves seem fairly small, they could be put to any number of great uses that would free your home of clutter and mess. We can imagine, given that this is a hallway, these shelves being the the ideal shoe rack, as long as everybody remembers to tidy their favourite pairs away!

Storage solutions can be as simple as looking at dead space and thinking 'I could build something in there' and we really love the ethos of that in this example. 

Fill up the bed

Divan beds fell out of style for a while, thanks to the more Scandinavian-inspired designs taking over and offering a new, modern and pared back simplicity that we simply all had to have. The only problem with this was that we suddenly had nowhere to store all of our bed linens and spare duvets. Cue lots of us buying blanket boxes and ottomans that we stubbed our toes on every morning, before finally realising that a divan bed is one of life's perfect storage solutions, especially for small houses.

With everything kept perfectly out of sight, you can afford to keep all of your clutter and prized possessions and when divans are as stylish as this one, we think it's a natural choice, not a necessary one!

Stock up the shower

Bathroom storage can really come at a premium, especially in a smaller property that boasts a large number of residents. Family bathrooms seem to fall prey to endless bottles of toiletries being strewn everywhere, but that doesn't have to be the case when clever storage solutions are out there. We know this is not a small bathroom, but focus in on the shower and you will see recessed wall shelling, which we absolutely love and think offer great inspiration.

Taking up no space in the cubicle itself, the shelves offer bags of storage and potential. If you need more room, simply make your recess bigger and if you need less, smaller. Genius!

Create magic in the kitchen

If you are blessed with a tiny worktop and very little in the way of usable storage in your kitchen, give some thought to a hidden larder installation. Thanks to the clever built-in storage featured in the doors, you will be surprised at just how much you can squeeze into one of these units, while all the time hiding it from sight! 

An extra special touch is how the microwave has been included in this larder, freeing up more counter space and making storage solutions such as this one really worth their weight in gold. Or truffle oil.

Go high

Small properties do not necessarily have to have low ceilings and if you are fortunate to enjoy those of a higher variety, you can consider building your bookcases right up to them. By opting to build up instead of out, you are able to make the most of your available space, create storage solutions that you desperately need and retain all of your original floor space. It seems like such an obvious idea when you think of it like that, but you'd be surprised at just how many people forget that they can install shelves as high up as they like! We have to also admit to really liking the daring splash of colour in this example, especially with how it contrasts against the crisp white so wonderfully.

For more innovative storage ideas, take a look at this Ideabook: 11 chic bathroom storage ideas.

Have you got any tips for making the most of storage in your home? Tell us in the comments, below.

Need help with your home project?
Get in touch!

Highlights from our magazine