Does Your Home Feel Fully Storage Limited? Here's Why That May Not Be True

There comes a point where we need to address how many items we have in our household, especially if you’re someone who loves to collect or buy lovely items. That’s not to say your shopping habit is a problem, or that you’re a “hoarder” and have any compulsive tendencies; rather, there are too many lovely items out in the world to ever fully store in your home. It’s a shame, but sometimes we have to make choices.

If your home feels fully storage-limited, the first advice we’d give before implementing fixes or adjustments is to ensure fire safety. No display cabinet or beautiful collection is worth putting yourself at risk or impeding an evacuation when that would be important. Also, ask if rooms are being blocked off - for instance, if your lovely spare bedroom is completely closed off by boxes, that’s an issue.

So, in this post,I intend to discuss what to do if your home feels fully storage-limited. With that in mind, please consider the following advice:

Storage-Providing Furniture

Of course, storage furniture is a provision that lets us hide our storage space without necessarily intruding on the space even further, and you won’t need a custom-built one, either. A bed frame that lifts up to reveal storage underneath can suddenly make room for winter coats, extra bedding, or even old keepsakes you want to hang onto but don’t need every day. It's why Ottoman beds have become such a lovely and popular choice for households.

Coffee tables with drawers or shelving underneath are great for this too, too, especially if you’re someone who likes to have board games or books nearby but doesn’t want to leave everything in plain sight. You can do the same with side tables that have a little cabinet space. If you make your furniture work a little harder so you don’t have to keep stashing things in corners and hoping no one notices, this can be a lifesaver.

Sometimes you’ll find pieces that were never intended to be storage-friendly but just happen to be, like a bench in the hallway with baskets underneath, which could be a good place for shoes, or a deep windowsill that doubles as a mini shelf; it all adds up. The best part is that it doesn’t feel like you’re “adding storage,” just making your space that little bit smarter. In other words, our advice for storage isn’t “just add more!”

Self-Storage Utilities

There’s no shame in admitting your house just can’t hold everything right now. Maybe you’ve come into an inheritance and all of a sudden the wider possession set of your parent is in your household. In these cases, self-storage units can be very helpful if you’ve hit capacity and still have things you’re not ready to part with.

They’re especially good for items that only show up once or twice a year, like camping gear, Christmas decorations, winter tires, or a suitcase you only use for long-haul flights. You don’t need them cluttering up your hallway closet, and you don’t want to trip over them every other weekend.

That said, self-storage shouldn’t be an excuse to never declutter. If you’re paying for space every month, make sure what’s inside still justifies the cost. It’s easy to treat it like a bottomless junk drawer, but eventually that bill adds up. It’s better to give yourself breathing room at home, not to delay the tough calls forever.

Height Scaled Storage

Now, you don’t want your walls completely covered in shelving and hooks for stuff, but that space above your doors, above the wardrobe, over the kitchen cabinets could all have potential, because high shelves are underrated for the most part. They’re ideal for things you don’t need daily access to, like spare towels, seasonal decor, or even a few extra books you’re not quite ready to donate.

You may already have this space without adding more furniture, such as tall bookcases with the top unused, or the top of your wardrobe. It’s fine if you need a stepladder for getting there if you only need it once a month or less, for instance, having your Christmas and gift wrapping items on top of said wardrobe is out of sight and out of mind, but there when you need it.

The trick is to make it look intentional. Use baskets or boxes to keep everything tidy and matching. Transparent containers help too, so you’re not opening a dozen lids just to find your extra lightbulbs. If you’re really low on room, even the back of the doors can be a storage opportunity. Over-door hooks or hanging organisers are perfect for toiletries, scarves, or random odds and ends that don’t have a home yet.

Garage Spaces

Now, everyone knows garages are supposed to be for cars, but for most people, they’re a mix of sports gear, half-finished projects, tools, and those boxes you meant to sort months ago. That’s fine, it’s your garage, but without care, it’s easy for it to become a dumping ground.

Thankfully, with a bit of structure, the garage can actually do a lot of heavy lifting. Wall-mounted racks can keep things off the floor, which makes the whole place easier to walk through. In the same way, pegboards are great for tools and odd items that you want within reach, but not spread across the workbench. Moreover, heavy-duty shelves and clear bins go a long way toward turning chaos into something more usable, especially if you have many random items you want to categorise

If you’re tight on time for now, it can be helpful to focus on zones. So that might include one wall for sports stuff, one area for DIY, one corner for holiday decorations, and whatever makes sense for how you use it. You’re starting out, so just make it usable enough that finding something doesn’t feel like opening a tomb from Indiana Jones.

Stacked Items

There’s a right way and a wrong way to stack, and safety is always going to be on the right size. You can also use flat containers that are all roughly the same size, clearly labelled, and not stacked higher than you’re comfortable reaching. This means opting for bulk buys of storage bins or tubs can be helpful, especially if you’re putting items in self-storage or in the basement/attic of your home.

Stacking works well for certain things like boxes of craft supplies, folded linens, and pantry tins. Just keep it stable. If the base layer isn’t solid, everything else is going to wobble and be dangerous to handle. Clear is best, because if you can’t see what’s inside without opening it, you’re going to forget it exists within a month.

One trick is to use stackable drawer units instead of actual boxes, because that way, you can still access the bottom one without lifting everything else off first. This is especially helpful in wardrobes or bathroom cupboards where you’re storing smaller bits and pieces.

6-Month Time Limits

We all have possessions in our household that we haven’t used for five years or more, and we all wonder if this is the year we’ll use it. There are so many examples of what such an item could be that we needn’t give them; you likely already have something in mind.
But you might find that an arbitrary six-month limit on stored items, unless seasonal, sentimental or holding value, could be enough for you to sell or donate them. That way, you’re constantly rotating space or value on a daily basis. It’s not hard to see where the value in such an approach could lie!