Spring has sprung and spring cleaning has begun for many of us. It’s an enjoyable rite of spring, but cleaning up your home and putting  away your big, bulky winter clothing can have a side-effect (or benefit) — revealing your home’s storage limitations.

So, as we start spring cleaning season, here are some helpful tips to maximize your storage space and minimize the clutter.

• Try a trunk as a table. Storage trunks make great coffee tables, and can be used to store blankets, pillows, and even kitchenware. These multi-tasking tables can save you space by storing items, and you can prop your feet on them for the big ball game.

 

• Have guests but don’t have a guest room? Pull-out couches are great space savers and help to maximize the utility of all the rooms in your home.
• Think vertically for storage. Shelves, armoires, and bookshelves take up minimal floor space, but can give you maximum storage space. Take advantage of the floor to ceiling square footage and use high-stacked shelving to store anything from books and family albums, to towels and blankets in closets.
• Built-in shelving is also a perfect storage choice. Built-in shelving looks clean and streamlined in a living space, and can even be used in mudrooms or closets for shoes and raincoats.

• Hang big items in your garage or storage room from the ceiling. They make hooks to hang bikes, canoes, ladders and just about anything from the garage ceiling. Remember, don’t write any space off when thinking about storage options.
• Make the most of your closet space by adding shoe organizers to the doors — an easy way to keep a heap of shoes from taking up floor space.

• Use natural lighting as much as possible. How? Open windows to play up the spring sunshine. Fewer lamps mean more floor space, and more room for trunks, shelves and other items that can be used for storage.
• If you’re looking for a true home improvement project, the space under your stairs can be transformed for more storage. Build a book nook, create shelving for storage, install a closet for winter gear, or even install a bed for guests! The possibilities are endless.

Use these tips to utilize your space from top to bottom — or add some of your spring inspirations in the comments section. Good luck, and happy spring cleaning!

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