Are you constantly misplacing household items like your screwdriver or tennis racquet? If so, perhaps your household needs 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.
For house owners…
Take a peek inside many Canadian garages and chances are you won’t see a car. Garages and basements often become a dumping ground for all the things we rarely use. Here are five quick ways to makeover your garage and/or basement:
- Clear the clutter! Have a yard sale, sell your unused goods online, or donate items to your 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 worktable.
- 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.
For condo owners…
Even in the smallest of condominium units, there is often under-utilized space. Here are a few ways to help you optimize it:
- Transfer your music collection to a digital format and sell your space-hogging records and CDs.
- Keep out-of-season clothes and spare linens in vacuum-sealed storage bags under the bed. Use hooks for bathrobes, 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.
- Open or floating shelving will create the illusion of space while providing stylish storage for household and decorative items.
- Invest in multi-functional furniture versus individual pieces which can take up valuable floor space. For example, a padded ottoman can be used as coffee table, storage space, and extra seating.
