Surprise Storage Hacks That Actually Look Good, Too

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published Jun 28, 2017
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We’re so used to shopping for furniture room-by-room that it’s hard to think outside the box when it comes to clever ways to create more storage and deciding what to put where. But sometimes, putting furniture in the “wrong” room turns out to be just the right way to get organized. If you’re starting to pre-plan your fall reorganization strategy, this may be just the new way of thinking that makes it all click. With that in mind, we searched Home Decorators Collection to find some versatile pieces that can go incognito in unexpected places and create extra storage space where it’s needed most.

Bring your filing cabinet into the living room.

Console tables and side tables are usually a storage vacuum — they take up space but can’t hold more than the remote and a few magazines. Find a filing cabinet that’s pretty enough to double as a side or console table, and you can tuck away all your paperwork in the living room if that’s where you’ve got more space (…and no one will know). The Anjou file cabinet does this trick.

Turn a bookcase into a kitchen pantry.

No pantry? No problem. Bookcases create instant storage space and are also a slimmer solution for tight kitchen spaces. In some ways, they’re even better than a normal pantry because their shallow shelves give more visibility when you’re looking for spices or dishes. Go for a simple design since it’ll be easier to clean, and consider stackable bookshelves for their versatility.

Use mobile shelving carts in the bathroom.

Have you ever noticed how hair stylists have tons of drawers for all their tools at the salon? Take a cue from the pros and do the same in your bathroom. A mobile cart with lots of shallow drawers (like one of these) is ideal for stashing a collection of tiny shampoo bottles stolen from hotels, or just your everyday bathroom stuff. Also, being able to store your toothbrush in a different drawer than your hairbrush just feels right.

Ultimately the goal is to have only the things you need, but there will always be little doodads that need a home; that’s when getting smart about storage really comes into play.

Build an incognito office in your living room.

It’s essential to keep a good work/life balance, but often impossible to keep separate working/living rooms. If your living room doubles as your office, store the work things in a way that’s accessible but concealable. A handsome office suite allows the workspace to become part of the room when not in use. Or, for a plan with an even smaller footprint, mount your TV on the wall above a simple desk-and-chair combo that becomes a multifunctional station that’s part workspace, storage space, and media console in one.

This post is sponsored by Home Decorators Collection at The Home Depot® and was created by Apartment Therapy’s Creative Studio.
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