Having things stored and organized makes life less stressful. That’s because you can keep things neatly tucked away and find them when you need them.
These nine storage projects are DIY friendly, but there are also companies that specialize in building and installing storage solutions.
You can also purchase premade storage units at home improvement centers as well as ready-to-assemble kits.
And now, on with our favorite storage solutions!
Track Storage
Track-type closet storage systems can make better use of closet space than a single shelf and hanging rod. They also can improve pantries with few storage options.
To install track storage:
- Remove the existing shelf and rod (in a closet).
- Lay components on the floor to see how they fit together.
- Use a stud finder to locate and mark the position of studs.
- Secure the horizontal track to the back wall near the ceiling with toggle bolts where there aren’t any studs, and wood screws where there are some.
- Position vertical standards on the wall every 24 inches or less, and secure them to the wall using toggles or screws.
- Use a hacksaw, bolt cutters, or reciprocating saw to cut metal shelves to length.
- Mount shelf supports on standards.
- Finally, position the wire shelves, hanging rods and wire baskets on the shelf supports.
Laundry Room Cubbies
Increase storage space in a laundry room by adding a storage unit to hold individual laundry baskets for each member of the family.
Construct the unit from ¾-inch medium-density fiberboard (MDF) to fit the space available. Support the shelves using 1-by-2-inch wood cleats attached to the sides of the unit.
Under-Bed Drawer
Actually use wasted space under a bed by building a large drawer from MDF that slides under the bed. Just attach casters to the bottom and a handle on the front to allow it to slide in and out.
Premade plastic storage drawers are also available, or you can mount casters on the bottom of old dresser drawers.
Attic Shelf
To increase attic storage, add a hanging shelf to the rafters. Here’s how:
- Construct L-shaped brackets from 2-by-4s cut so they match the slope of the roof and desired width of the shelf.
- Pop a chalk line along the rafters to aid in aligning the brackets.
- Screw the brackets to the rafters, making sure they’re aligned and level.
- Slide the shelf in place and attach it to the brackets.
Kitchen Lid Rack
To keep pot lids handy, mount a towel rack inside a kitchen cabinet door to store them on. Here’s how:
- Attach one of the brackets to the door stile, making sure the screws are short enough to keep from coming through the door.
- Cut the towel bar to length using a hacksaw, and smooth the end with sandpaper.
- Insert the towel bar in the attached bracket and screw the other bracket to the door.
- Put the lids on the towel rack with the handles facing out.
Built-in Bookcase
Custom-built bookcases are great for storing books and displaying family photographs.
Just follow these steps to build one:
- Cut MDF to size for the cabinet parts and shelves.
- Assemble the cabinets.
- Prime and paint the cabinets before bringing them inside.
- Construct a recessed base to provide a kick space below the bookcases.
- Install the bookcases on top of the base and secure them to the base and wall.
- Attach a face frame to the front of the bookcase.
- Use a router to cut a molded edge in the front of the overhanging top and attach it to the bookcase.
- Fill any nail holes, and apply a final coat of paint.
Watch: How to Build a Windowseat Bookcase
Toilet Topper Cabinet
Mount a cabinet above the toilet to add more storage space to your bathroom. Premade units are available at home centers, or you can make one from MDF.
When using MDF in a high-humidity area like a bathroom, paint all the sides and edges to keep it from absorbing moisture.
Watch: How to Build a Toilet Topper Cabinet for Your Bathroom
Medicine Cabinet
Adding a recessed medicine cabinet is another way to add storage space to a bathroom. NuTone’s locking bath cabinet fits in the space between two studs and features a keyed lock to keep medicine safe from children.
Here’s how to add it:
- Use a level and square to mark the opening.
- Turn off the electricity, and cut out the opening with a drywall keyhole saw.
- Slide the medicine cabinet in place and attach to the studs on either side with screws.
Recessed Wall Cabinet
This recessed wall cabinet is made from solid oak and oak plywood and serves as a charging station for cell phones as well as a place to hang keys.
An overhanging lip on the face of the cabinet hides the rough edge of the hole while an electrical outlet mounted inside the bottom door provides power for chargers.
More Storage Solutions
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Great idea on the recessed wall cabinet. Better yet, check out http://www.inwallcabinets.com for a complete line of recessed cabinets that fit between the studs and provide tons of extra storage space in the walls. Billiard Cue Racks, Bar Cabinets, Bath Cabinets, Spice Storage, Wine Storage. Need More Room? Look between the Studs!
This is great advice. I’ve found placing more things on walls and ceilings really helps. There are some great potracks (adjustable ones) available here http://www.adjustablepotracks.com
I found many places where I could buy potracks but so far this is the only site where I was able to buy adjustable ones. Great for those tricky spaces.
I had wire shelving in my previous kitchen space and completely hated them! Everything that was not wide enough to easily span three wires had a habit to fall over if not structured perfectly. And, whenever something did spill, it went right to the ground…making everything underneath it dirty and sticky on the way down! Once we built our flood pantry in the basement, we set up wood shelving…I Really Like them and, when we get to it, our new corner kitchen will probably also have wood shelving.