The #1 Storage Solution Most People Forget About

If you’ve been scratching your head, scrolling for storage solutions while looking around a house in disarray, experts would say therein lies your problem. Looking around. According to organizational experts, the most underutilized storage opportunities are up and down.

So forget the dressers and the closets (well, maybe don’t forget them, but hit pause!) and take a look at all that beautiful vertical space.

“Walls really are untapped storage potential,” says Angie Kreller, interior designer at the Sydney, Australia-based renovation company, Yabby. “With a few wall-mounted shelves, they can easily turn into another clever storage solution in the home.” 

To do this “right,” Kreller tells Cubby there should be a mix of “functional” shelves that are meant to hold household items, and shelves that can act as “decorative accessories.” For example, one shelf can have baskets with extra linens, and another  can display framed photos or beloved baubles.

So where do you even start? Well, Stephanie King, owner of Soulstice Living, an organization company in Houston, Texas, recommends looking behind kitchen and bathroom doors. “It’s surprisingly spacious and perfect for storing all kinds of essential items,” King says. “Think small and easy to grab items such as toiletries, canned goods, or spices.”You can also place shelves or hooks behind entryway doors for “grab-and-go items” like umbrellas, rain jackets, and sunscreen. “The usefulness is endless with this much vertical space to fill,” she tells Cubby.

King tends to recommend a cabinet or shelf with a depth that’s under 3 inches, saying it’s “typically the sweet spot” that fits without interfering with the door opening or closing. And if you’re unable to mount a shelf or cabinet (maybe you’re renting or not an expert DIYer), there are lightweight storage options that hang on the back of the door.

On the other end of the spectrum, if you’re building your home or renovating with free rein, consider building tall storage. Marta Pawlik, co-founder of LAIK, a boutique vacation-stay management and design company in Windmermere, England, has seen missed opportunities in many children’s spaces. “In kids’ rooms, ceiling-high storage often gets ignored,” Pawlik says. “People stop at the top shelf of a wardrobe and leave nearly half a meter of unused vertical space. I prefer building cabinetry that goes flush to the ceiling, then using the upper section to store off-season clothes, spare bedding or toy rotations,” she continues. “It keeps the everyday space uncluttered without sacrificing accessibility.”

Accessibility for the adults, that is. As for the tots, they probably can’t (or won’t) take things in and out of that ceiling-high storage. And while you might not need them grabbing the extra quilts, you probably want them putting away their toys.

Jane Stoller, AKA Organized Jane, author of Organizing for Your Lifestyle: Adaptable Inspirations from Socks to Suitcases and Decluttering for Dummies, says parents often forget to involve the kids in the process. “If storage isn’t accessible or fun, it won’t be used,” Stoller says. “ … Too often, parents take on the organization process alone. While I get the urge to just get it done, if your kids don’t feel included, they wont use the system or learn how to organize.”

So maybe the sky-high cabinets or adult-height floating shelves aren’t for kiddos, but Stoller says giving them ownership of appropriately-placed storage options (think: hooks at their eye level or under-bed storage) can encourage little ones to (finally!) put away their gadgets and gear. “Let them pick out their bins, decorate their labels, or decide where their art supplies live,” she continues. “This small creative control leads to big buy-in.” 

With a combination of heights and purposes, new shelves, cabinets, and hooks can quickly become the prime, underrated storage solutions you’ve been missing out on. It seems like things are already (ahem) looking up!

This post originally appeared on Cubby. See it there: The #1 Storage Solution Most People Forget About