Storage Ideas for Everything

Professional organizers expound the virtues of finding a place for everything. It seems that the clutter that takes over our lives is caused by items that really don't belong somewhere. Hence, they are simply left anywhere.

So when you're attempting to find suitable storage for belongings, your first step will be to get organized. Begin by purging yourself of the things you don't need or don't want. Although many people won't place things they don't want on display in their home many will tuck these very same items into drawers or closets, just in case. However, since storage space in many apartments is limited it’s important to stay focused and store away only items you know you will need at some point.

In addition, there are many things we must hold onto, even though we’d rather not. Receipts, tax returns, and other personal papers are examples. You may not need these items often, but you will probably need them sooner or later. But not all items that require storage are seldom used. There are many often-used things in our homes that need a place to "live" so when we need them we know just where to look.

Here are some creative ways to find a home for many of the things that make their way into our homes:

Magazines

• Cut the top off of old cereal boxes and cover the rest of the box with Con-Tact paper, wallpaper, or other decorative surface.

• Store magazines in a tin bucket for a look that is great with Country, Traditional, or even Contemporary interiors. 

Personal Papers

• Expandable, multipocket file folders are inexpensive, compact, easy to find, and keep papers neatly organized by the categories of your choosing.

• Create a personal notebook by purchasing a large binder and pocket folder dividers. Use it to store phone lists, invitations, prescription and medical information, warranties, stamps, stationery, and any papers you need to access on a regular basis. (But remember to clean it out now and then.)

• Cover old shoeboxes (including the lid) with decorative paper, write the contents on the end of the box, and then stack them on a closet shelf.

• Photo albums, memory albums, and photo boxes are all great choices for storing photos. For photos you'd like to share more often, place them in a ceramic or wooden bowl and make them part of a tabletop grouping in your living room.

Bills and Correspondence

• Create a portable correspondence center by using a wine box or wooden crate with containers of various sizes placed inside. A wooden "toolbox" from a crafts store also works great and already has built-in dividers so you won't need extra containers.

• Purchase an inexpensive expanding file folder with at least five or six sections. Label each section to correspond with a week of the month, like this: "First Week of Month," "Second Week of Month," and so forth. When a bill arrives, slip it into the section for the week you plan to pay it. At the beginning of each week, check the folder and see what's due.

Books

• Purchase square or rectangular wicker, wire, metal, or wooden containers to hold smaller books. This will help keep them conveniently together, and the container looks orderly when placed on exposed shelving.

• If you have many large books, stack them on the floor to create a small night table next to your bed.

Clothing and Linens

• Store linens neatly folded in laundry baskets or hampers.

• Roll up towels, sheets, or blankets, and store them in baskets under tables.

• Place them in a trunk that's being used as a coffee table, at the foot of a bed, as a side table, or as benchlike seating.

Kitchen Storage

• Place cooking utensils in porcelain or ceramic bowls, vases, pitchers, and mugs.

• Hang (or nail) a piece of lattice on the wall and add hooks for hanging things like pots, pans, pot holders, towels, and even large cooking utensils. It's inexpensive and removable and stops these items from scratching up your kitchen wall. (And you'll free up drawer and cabinet space.)

• Keep spices in matching, simple glass containers (like Ball jars), and they'll be so attractive you can leave them right out on the counter. (For smaller quantities, baby food jars work great, too.)