As I go over the numerous meetings I’ve had with couples regarding the design of their residences, I recall one common factor.

There has always been one near-customary specification from every lady of the house: “Please remember that I need loads of storage in my house.” Not unexpected at all, for I’ve always believed that unlike the ‘throw away’ society of the West, ours is essentially a ‘keep away’ society.

Storage

“A place for everything and everything in its place.” Wouldn’t that be ideal? In the perfect home, you’d have a place to put everything where it would either look beautiful or be out of sight until you need it.

Instead of opening a cupboard and finding a pile of things that do not go there, you can be so organised in your home that you can open a cupboard or door and find exactly what you’re looking for. When you’re finished using the item, you will be able to open the door again and put the item back. Case closed!

Ask yourself ? “is storage easy in my home?” Or are you just waiting to move into the ‘more perfect home’ that will have more closets, a bigger storeroom or loft or perfect built-in storage? Don’t wait for a day that may never come. Launch ‘Operation Storage’ right now.

Operation storage

Start the operation by deciding what you really need in each room. Everything that you don’t need should be moved out of the room. Throw it away, give it away or move it into the garage or loft.

Look around

Once you’ve decided what you really want and need in each room, look around the room for areas of storage. Is there any open, empty space? Look up, look down, under, and next to ? your furniture, bed, wardrobes and cupboards. Any open space can be a potential storage space.

Do you see an open space in a crockery cabinet or under a sofa table? Use this space to stack PVC cartons, wooden chests, beautifully covered cardboard boxes, or lidded rattan baskets to store memorabilia, magazines, family photos, games or computer disks.

Look up

There is probably nothing higher than 6 feet in your room, but there is a lot of space above. Instal shelves 12” to 18” below the ceiling to display collectibles, plants or photos. You can buy readymade shelves and mounting brackets at any building supply store.

Over the window: Agreed that the space above windows in today’s apartments is only about 2.5 to 3 feet, but it’s nonetheless space. Mount a shelf above the windows for displaying not-very-tall things that you don’t use but love to look at.

Wall space

Find standard, open-wall shelves of any size at a hardware store or home improvement centre for an inexpensive storage solution for books and decorative objects.

A structured wall unit or entertainment centre can house books and electronic equipment and it provides space for decorative displays.

If you’re going to stay in the same home for a while, you might want to invest in custom-made shelves or cabinets. These solutions give storage space without protruding too much into the living area.

Behind closed doors

This one is a clincher in 90 per cent of residences. Check the space behind your doors. I bet you’ll find anything between 9 and 12 inches depth of a rather wide unused space. Use it.

Enclose shelves and slim cupboards behind these doors. Instead of using an open one, choose a bookcase with doors. If it looks too conspicuous when the door is shut, colour the storage unit to match and blend with the adjacent walls.