HGTV: More Space In Your Place

Need extra storage for all your stuff? We’ve got the key to finding new spots and using them brilliantly. (Hint: Look high and low!)

When it comes to finding storage space in your home, often there’s more than meets the eye (level).

First, Look Around

Do your kitchen cabinets meet the ceiling? Are your living room bookshelves awkwardly sitting out on their own? Does your bathroom vanity have that weird area underneath collecting dust?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, congratulations! You just unearthed new spots to store your stuff. Measure it, head to your favorite basket source (see ours, opposite), and use it. Our favorite places to find space are ones you might never consider—and don’t require a full renovation or a hefty budget.

Renovating? Consider Built-ins

On our shows, we’re often doing complete overhauls of common spaces like living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens. If you’re doing a full renovation, consider putting a little extra in the budget for custom cabinetry and shelving. You know what your family needs and where your previous layout fell short.

Stay Flexible

Even when you’re creating custom solutions, don’t be hyperspecific. You may want to use the space differently as your needs change. And even if something seems like a storage miracle, trends fade. We’re seeing people unhappy with their open kitchen cabinets, for example. They look cool but can be impractical. All that tableware sitting out needs constant cleaning.

Copy Us!

“More storage!” is a request we hear a lot on our shows. So go watch Property Brothers: Forever Home or check out Inside the Design on thescottbrothers.com to see our solutions in the wild, get inspired, and find your new storage space!

In this remodel, we weren’t just looking for space for these awesome guitars: We needed to store musical accessories and everyday pantry items, too. The custom shelving allows baskets to slide out, creating a smart alternative to bulky upper cabinets that would have eaten up space for these instruments.

An entryway can be one of the most useful storage spaces in the house. We’re big into defining these areas with a built-in bench, hooks for daily coats, and baskets underneath to store gloves, umbrellas, and other high-use items that seem to go missing right when you need them.

Instead of trying to insert a linen closet in this bathroom, we stored towels under the sink in these stylish baskets. A bonus: They’re easy to clean.

A common request from parents on our shows: somewhere the kids can do homework in view of Mom and Dad while they fix dinner. In this underused corner of an apartment, we put all the pieces together—a floor-to-ceiling pantry, a double desk for homework duty, and a spot where the kids can sit down and throw on their shoes when they’re done with schoolwork and ready to go play.

“There’s no substitute for creating more storage space in your home. It’s renovation by organization.”

—Jonathan

Stylish Storage

Stash anything from toys to towels in these lovely handwoven Sisal Baskets (starting at $23).

Finally organize everything that’s jammed under your bathroom sink with The Basket in Ocean ($59 for 3).

Bring order to office supplies, stray socks, or other odds and ends in these practical but pretty Albany Cane Rattan Bins (starting at $30).

By Drew & Jonathan | Product images courtesy of the brands | All other images courtesy of HGTV