Looking for a gratifying do-it-yourself project for the weekend? Are you constantly misplacing or forgetting where you left household items like the screwdriver, hammer, or measuring tape? If so, perhaps you should consider giving your household a little re-organizing. Whether your home is a compact condo, cozy semi, or spacious detached, we can all benefit from a periodic check-in to see if we are making the best use of our space. Below you will find space saver tips for houses and condos.
DIY Friday: Space Saver Tips for Houses & Condos
Space Saver Tips For The House:
Take a peek inside many Canadian garages and chances are you won’t see a car. Take a peek inside many Canadian basements and you may not see a floor! Garages and basements often become a dumping ground for all the things we rarely use, and are a great place to start organizing! If you organize these spaces, and give all the rarely used items a permanent home, it will help the rest of your house stay more organized. Here are five quick ways to makeover your garage and basement:
- Clear the clutter! Have a yard sale, sell your unused goods online, or give items to a local charity.
- Add tall utility shelving to free up floor space, keeping any hazardous cleaning, garden, and automotive supplies out of reach of children by placing them on the top shelves.
- Store lesser used items on utility shelving in plastic storage containers with lids to keep out dust and moisture. Use bigger bins on casters for more frequently used items and roll them out-of-the-way, such as under a work table.
- Clear off your workbench and use a wall or pegboard to hang frequently used tools and store the rest in a tool chest. Use jars or plastic bins for storing and organizing smaller items like nails, screws, and nuts.
- Hang skis, bikes, brooms, shovels, wheelbarrows and other unwieldy sport, garden, and household items off purpose-built wall hooks or in specialty containers to keep them free from damage.
Space Saver Tips For The Condo:
Even in the smallest of condominium units, there is often under-utilized space. Here are a few ways to help you optimize it:
- Keep out-of-season clothes and spare linens in vacuum-sealed storage bags under the bed. Use hooks for bath robes, clothes, purses, or even jewellery.
- Use decorative baskets for small items like magazines, hats, scarves, mittens, and children’s toys to keep things neat and organized. Re-purpose mason jars for really small items.
- Open or floating shelving will create space while providing stylish storage for household and decorative items.
- Invest in multi-functional furniture versus single-function pieces. For example, a padded ottoman can be used as coffee table, storage space, and extra seating.
- If your unit came with a storage locker – use it! Use bins and containers that are clearly labeled so that you will easily be able to access items.