Wednesday 8 July 2015

storage under the stairs!!!

This is a good one!
In our 950 square foot house without a garage storage area, storage is a big deal. But with saying that also you have to be aware of what you are storing, are you storing clutter and or garbage. Lots of clients get so excited when I come and they have just purchased 50 bins to put stuff in, That is the worst thing to do. The very first thing is to remove the obvious, garbage. Set a timer for 15 minutes and a bag. Lots of my clients are really shocked at how much garbage I remove in the first 15 minutes. Second step is remove the stuff that is not suppose to be there. I have found tooth brushes in the kitchen drawers. Third is remove stuff you want to sell and donate. The end goal is that we don't want to waste time on bins and organizing things that you don't love. So much stuff is kept but guilt. Your mothers wedding dress, grandmothers china so on. I have seen some very cool idea done with donated things. A lady makes burial gowns for still born babies with old wedding dresses for hospitals. Your grandmothers china didn't make it in the move to a new home so you have it stored because you just don't have the heart to toss it. well I think making a mosaic table top or garden stones would be fun.

On with our storage space. Our basement is finished but not really, if that makes sense. We have this space under our stairs it is such a awesome space. Most would not look at it as an awesome space but I love it. Granted it has taken a few tries to get it to were it works for our family. It is a very hard spot to photograph with not having a lot of light.

 
 



It is organized very simple, really. Like with like is my main goal. The bins are mostly Christmas and Halloween stuff yes that is all the decoration we have. I don't spend a lot of decorations at all. Most of them are diy or use what I have ideas. As you can see I have a paint stash hard core. I also LOVE spray paint. I love this space a lot everything has a home and it is easy for my hubby to find and put away things. love it!!!
working with the like with like idea, I love clear bins really bad. I still label the bins. it is proven that you are 30% more likely to put stuff away if its labeled, to me it is like a brain trigger that is like "oh I should just put it away right away" If it takes less then a minute do it now.



 
the labels just are like a cherry on top of a sundae or the olive in a martini lol.  

 
I am a project person I love to just do projects on a wim sometimes so having this space organized helps me to see what we have or what I will need to stock up on.


people that know me well, know I LOVE peg board. This piece was a cut off from a other project I was going to toss it but then thought It would be great here. BAMMM!!! I love it too. It keeps everything easy to grab and put away, all ways a win win for me.
 
With having a small house we have to think a little bit harder to set up systems that work well. we do have a little pantry area as well, past the laundry room. But that is it that is all the storage we have and it works well. think out side the box sometimes. Also don't over think systems too.