Storage space is often at the top of home buyer wish lists. Who doesn’t want more storage? Regardless of how much space you have in your Muskoka home, cottage, or condo adding in some clever storage options will not only help you stay organized and enjoy your home more, additional storage is also a plus for any real estate listing.
There’s a growing trend in utilizing what many consider ‘dead’ space in homes, especially when it comes to stairs. If you have open space under your stairs or want to open up the area, strategically placed shelves will give this area style and function, effectively expanding your floor plan. You can also go into your stairs for more storage. Building in drawers into stair steps is an excellent use of space, especially in smaller homes.
Sure, you have shelves on the walls, but you needn’t limit where on the walls shelves should go. Look up high and utilize what is essentially empty space waiting to be filled. A built-in shelf above a door is perfect for storing items you need, but not that often, such as extra blankets and pillows in a bedroom or large bowls and platters in the kitchen.
If you’re feeling adventurous you can even go into your walls to build new storage shelving. Between wall studs, there’s enough space to insert custom-made built-in shelving. Are your bedrooms lacking closet space? This could be a solution worth considering.
Short on wall space but big on windows? Consider adding glass shelving to some of your windows and you can expand your options for displaying what you love most in your home. Using glass shelves in windows will help ensure you don’t lose light while you gain extra space.
On the flip-side, if you have extra wall space, one option is to have a built-in cabinet installed. This can enhance the architectural style of your cottage, as much as it adds storage space. A feature to draw visitors into the dining or living room is also a plus to include when listing your property.
Making use of extra space will increase your storage options. In the kitchen or laundry room take advantage of the small space between appliances and the wall with a pull-out pantry or cupboard, ideal for all those smaller supplies; goodbye junk-drawer, hello discrete and easily accessible organization.
Speaking of the kitchen, and any other room with cupboards. You can readily double your storage space by installing pull-out shelves and drawers. The easier it is to access the entire storage space of a cupboard, the more practical it is and the easier it is to keep organized. If you have empty space between cabinets in your kitchen, consider filling the area in with some open shelves, extra storage without closing the room in.