One of the downsides to life is that, as people, we tend to accumulate things. Sometimes we have enough storage space for our stuff, and sometimes, even after we go through all the things we own and get rid of the things we don’t need; we still have too much stuff and nowhere to put it all. There is good news, however. You have more storage space in your home than you think you do. All you need to do is know where to look.

If you have a yard, chances are likely that you have space where you can build a shed. If your tools are cluttering up your garage so that you can’t park your car there, then consider buying or building a shed on your property to store things like gardening tools, the lawnmower, and the snow shovel. Having a shed clears your garage of seasonal outdoor clutter, and frees up the space for cars, or a workbench, or additional storage space, like for the Christmas decorations that you have no space for in the rest of your home. Adding a shed can add considerable storage space to your home. If you don’t have the skills to build one from scratch, there are prefabricated shed kits that make building one easier.

Another thing you can do is add shelving. Wall space is space that is frequently not utilized as much as it could be. You could install floating shelves or build a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf. You could add shelves near the top of your bedroom wall near the ceiling as a storage space for things you still need to use, but not very often. You can also use repurpose old dresser drawers for a built-it-yourself bookshelf. You can even install shelves in your bathroom to store all your toiletries. If you have blank wall space, consider putting it to good use by adding shelves.

Another thing you can do to increase the storage space in your home is make your driveway bigger, if you can. If you have the space on your property to extend the driveway and don’t have enough space in the garage for all your cars, making the driveway bigger is an option that allows you to park all your cars on your property, instead of on the street. You’ll need to use concrete to extend the driveway. If it’s not thick enough, you need to make the concrete stronger in order to avoid running into problems. You may also consider hiring professionals to help you extend your driveway.

If you have children, you want them to have space where they can play. If there’s not enough space in your home for a toy room, consider building a treehouse. You don’t even need a tree in your backyard to build a tree, although there are several things to consider first before building one. Building a treehouse can be time consuming, but it can be a wonderful spot for memories for the kids.

Every house and apartment comes with some limited storage space already, although it may be in places where you don’t think about it. Sometimes there’s a cupboard under the stairs, or a small space on the upstairs landing that’s not being used. Finding storage spaces is all about using the space you already have creatively. If you have storage space under the stairs that you’re not using, build a shelf that slides out from them and use it to store linens or Christmas decorations. There’s always space under the bed as well that you can use to store items. Take an inventory of the space you already have and think about how you can use it differently.

You already know that you need furniture in your home or apartment. But what if the furniture itself were storage space? You can buy bed frames that have built-in storage spaces or install a mudroom bench that has a place for everyone to store their shoes. You can use a wooden chest as a place to store extra blankets as well as serve as an aesthetic piece to your living room. Even an ottoman can serve as a storage bin. Furniture that serves two purposes will help you reduce clutter in your home.

In addition to using functional furniture, you can also use organizational bins to organize the storage space you already have. Frequently, stuff that gets placed on shelves ends up in a giant heap because there’s too much of it. Organizational bins allow you to separate things into similar categories that can be quickly retrieved at a moment’s notice. Instead of stuffing all your arts and crafts materials into a set of drawers, for instance, use organizational bins to organize the materials and more easily access them the next time you need them. You can also use organizational bins to put items into deep storage that you still want to keep but can’t bear to part with. Organizational bins help free up cluttered space and allow you to store more items in the space you have available.

Another space that you can use is the ceiling. Frequently people don’t think about the vertical space available in their homes, but the ceiling can serve as a wonderful storage space. You can hang pots and pans from there in the kitchen, or your bike if you have a small living area. You can also store things on top of shelving units, like cabinets in the kitchen, or an entertainment center in your living room. Using ceiling space is an excellent way to increase the amount of storage space in your home.

You don’t have to rent a bulldozer and build an extension onto your house to find additional storage space. After going through your belongings, you might find that you have less to store than you originally intended. But when storing items, you’ll find that if you think creatively, there is always space.

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