Hallway
Hooks for everyday coats, a closed shoe cabinet, a shelf or tray for keys and small things by the door. Seasonal items go into a wardrobe or a high cupboard so they do not block the way.
Ideas
Projects and ideas
Every room has its own kind of mess. Shoes and bags pile up in the hallway, jars and bags in the kitchen, and in the children's room toys spread all over the home. Below are ideas that help you get organised without major renovation or expensive purchases.
The best storage idea is the one you will keep using even when you are tired.
How this section works: we describe ideas in general terms and room by room, without specific sizes, models or manufacturers. Before any installation, check the wall for hidden wiring and pipes and choose fixings according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Ideas by room
Solutions that most often help in an ordinary home.
Kitchen
Working tools near the hob and sink, supplies at the back and up high. Deep drawers for pans are easier than hinged doors, and the worktop stays free for cooking.
Bathroom
Moisture-resistant shelves and cabinets, a basket for what is in use and a closed space for spare supplies and cleaning products. It matters that everything can air and dry out.
Children's room
Low open shelves and baskets that a child can reach alone. Always anchor tall wardrobes and shelving units to the wall so they cannot be tipped over.
Walk-in wardrobe
Makes sense when you have a separate alcove or a small room. It needs lighting, ventilation and well-planned zones for hanging, shelves and shoes.
Storeroom and under the bed
This is where rarely needed things go: seasonal items, tools, sports equipment. Labelled boxes and flat containers stop a storeroom becoming a warehouse of forgotten things.
Read next
- Materials
Open and closed storage, drawers, baskets, hooks and shelves: what suits what. The article catalogue is here too.
- Planning
How to plan storage: an inventory of your things, how often you use them, zones and a place for each group.
- How-to
How to put up a shelf without hitting hidden wiring, and how to declutter without regrets or exhaustion.
What we rely on
- Furniture and fixings manufacturers' instructions
- 78Online editorial materials
Our advice is kept general and is based on furniture and fixings manufacturers' instructions and on common household safety rules. Always check the fixing method, permitted load and the right wall plug for your wall in the instructions for the specific product, and leave complex installation to a professional.