5 Cool and Unexpected Storage Ideas
Storage – everyone needs it, some of us more than others, especially if you have kids or a large shoe collection. Even if you’re the kind of person who regularly has throwouts you’ll still have household stuff you want to keep organised and tidy. But don’t just settle for boring, run of the mill storage options. Check out these 5 innovative and stylish storage ideas to maximise your space.
1. Staircase Storage
Staircase storage is the perfect solution for those who actually do have a large shoe collection. By adding hidden drawers to each step in your staircase you can now house all those favourite pairs of thongs you just can’t bear to chuck out. The concept of stair storage or ‘kaidan tansu’ was created by Japanese merchant farmers in the 17th to 19th centuries who had tiny houses. They stacked storage chests up on top of each other to make a staircase chest. This was partly to avoid being taxed if they had extra floors (the staircase could be disassembled whenever the tax man came to call) but also a handy for extra storage.
Find out more: Eco-salon
2. Bookcase Nook
Who doesn’t like snuggling down in a comfy spot with a good book? This innovative bookshelf ‘cave’ design takes the concept of a reading nook to a whole new level. It works on the principle of creating a safe, private hidey hole, as well as a partition divider for a room. This would be great for students living in studio apartments who need storage for their books but want to save on space. You can store books on both sides and get rid of the extra chair!
Find out more: Cozi
3. Sofa bunk bed
Multipurpose furniture is the ultimate solution for giving you extra storage space. With this sofa bunk bed in the lounge, you can use your spare room for storage rather than taking up space with an extra bed. Designed by Bonbon in London, the DOC sofa bed niftily changes from a sofa to bunk beds in the blink of an eye, perfect for those unexpected overnight guests!
Find out more: Cozi
4. Surprising Shelves
If your airing cupboard is full to overflowing then consider the Metro tub designed by MTI Baths in the US. The bathtub features inbuilt shelves for storing towels, facecloths, toiletries and whatever else you can’t fit in your overflowing bathroom cupboard. This simple but effective design makes you wonder why all bathtubs don’t have shelves!
Find out more: D.I.Y Network
5. Tiny Wardrobes
Not everyone has a walk-in wardrobe but even if you have a tiny cupboard for clothes and shoes, this is a clever and effective way to give you more tons more space. Simply attach multiple railings to the back of your wardrobe door and voila! You have your own wardrobe organiser without needing to call in a builder or pay the earth. Just be careful not to open the door too quickly or you could be bombarded with flying shoes!
Find out more: Curbly
