4 Ways to Increase Your Property’s Storage Space

Every home collects clutter; it’s inevitable, as we all collect stuff. Some call it consumerism. Some of the worst clutter culprits are children’s art projects, holiday decorations, outgrown baby clothes, and gardening equipment. Some items are kept for sentimental value; others are only needed occasionally throughout the year.

Having ample storage in your home is essential, yet did you know most modern buildings often lack built-in storage as architects try to maximize living space?

The good news is that all homeowners have options to increase their storage capacity and improve their property’s value.

Key Takeaway

There are many ways to increase storage at home. Decluttering is the starting point to adding storage space. Additionally,multi-use furniture like beds with drawers and outbuildings like your garage provide vital storage solutions.

Whether you invest in multifunctional furniture, add an outbuilding, or start by decluttering, there are solutions to fit every home and lifestyle. By previewing some of these approaches up front, you can better plan how to address your own storage needs.

Let’s look at what you can do to get more storage at your place, including:

• Use height
• Repurpose a room
• Hidden storage furniture
• Utilize empty and odd-shaped spaces
• Hang stuff up on hooks
• Add an outbuilding

Use Height

The height of storage units does not limit you. A builder can custom-build full-height wardrobes and storage units for any room of your house. For a DIY-friendly option, you might consider adding ready-made tall shelving or stackable storage cubes, which are usually simple to install and can cost $40 to $ 2,000, depending on quality and size.

Hiring a professional carpenter to create custom-built storage, however, typically starts at around $500 and can go up based on materials and complexity. (How Much Do Custom Cabinets Cost? (2026 Prices), 2026 HomeGuide)

Additionally, consider the wasted height in rooms and use it to store seldom-used items at the top. Please consider the wasted height in rooms and use it to store seldom-used items at the top.

Repurpose a Room

A box room makes a tremendous walk-in wardrobe if your bedroom is too small for an additional wardrobe. For example, you could install a modular closet system like IKEA’s PAX to custom-fit shelving, hanging rails, and drawers along the walls. Each family member could have their own wardrobe unit, making it much quicker to sort the laundry as it all goes in the same place.

Alternatively, turn a rarely used guest room or home office into a storage facility by adding open shelving (such as Home Depot’s ClosetMaid wire shelves), cube organizers, and stackable bins. Instead of having an empty spare room most of the time, consider using a Murphy bed or a fold-out wall bed (like those from Wayfair or Costco) that tucks away when not needed. It might be a tight squeeze against drawers and units when it’s down, but you can easily access all your storage when it’s up.

Hidden Storage Furniture

If you can’t easily alter your living space, especially if you are renting, investing in furniture with built-in storage is a great option. These solutions usually do not require any permanent changes and are safe for renters who want to avoid risking their deposit. For example, Ottoman beds lift and have enough room underneath the mattress to store bedding, clothes, towels, and more.

Storage benches, under-bed boxes, and stackable organizers are also renter-friendly since they do not need to be attached to walls or floors. By choosing these no-installation options, renters can enjoy more storage without worrying about making changes that could cause problems at move-out.

Utilize Empty Spaces

Looking around your home, you’ll find dozens of small wasted spaces that DIY could quickly transform. With some imagination, you can get the best out of these areas, from corner kitchen cupboards to under-the-stairs nooks. A growing trend is to install under-stairs drawers to utilize the space under the lowest steps, and you can have a carpenter build them to suit your needs.

Think about storage behind or underneath existing furniture. A wall mirror could hide a thin jewelry cupboard, or a TV unit could have bookshelves or coat hooks on the side. Coffee tables are great for extra space, with shelves and drawers underneath the main surface.

Hang Things Up

If you’re struggling for surface space, consider making more of the dead areas around your home, such as behind doors and ceilings. Hanging items such as pots, pans, and utensils from the ceiling can save clutter in your kitchen cupboards and make things more accessible when needed.
You can also use hidden spaces, such as behind closed doors. Use over-the-door hangers for hanging garments such as coats and jackets, or get creative and use the space for anything from shoe storage to a spice rack.

Add An Outbuilding

If you’re serious about storage, it’s probably worth adding an external building to store everything. These can range from plastic garden boxes to freestanding steel huts, in various sizes. Outbuildings add permanent long-term storage solutions, allowing you to safely store large furniture items, lawnmowers, bikes, boxes of baby toys, etc., until needed again. This space can also add value to your house and free up other internal spaces for different uses, e.g., converting a garage into a home gym.

Keep in mind that some types of outbuildings may require permits or planning approval from your local authorities, especially if they are large or constructed as permanent structures. Always check your local regulations before you start your project to avoid any issues.

Declutter

Of course, sometimes the solution isn’t adding more storage but reducing the number of household objects you hold. We’ve all got the clothes we hope will fit again, the hobbies we mean to start, and the books we’ll read one day. Marie Kondo, queen of decluttering, suggests sorting through things by category (towels, bedding, clothes, etc.) rather than by room because this is a more effective way to gauge how much you own vs. how much you need. (Kondo, 2023) You probably don’t even realize how many tea towels, pairs of slippers, or serving spoons you have!

To make decluttering less overwhelming, try a simple process: set aside just 15 minutes each day to tackle one small category or area, such as a drawer, shelf, or box. Have two bags or boxes ready—one for things to donate or give away, and one for items to throw out. Keep your focus just on that area, and stop when the timer rings. This approach makes it easy to start, helps you see progress quickly, and builds momentum for bigger decluttering projects in the future.

In Conclusion

Decluttering your property by sorting through your belongings and discarding unused items should be the first step in addressing your storage issues. There are many ways to store what you’re keeping, from keeping blankets inside your ottoman sofa to building an outbuilding for all your garden tools and furniture.