Increase your storage before selling

Key Insights

• Look for furniture that doubles as hidden storage.
• Corral belongings in bins, containers and other options that will hide clutter and allow for easy clean up.
• Specialty storage units are available for many areas in the home, including bathrooms, closets, kitchens and garages.

Extra storage is a bonus for every home, and adding a few spaces to store your things before listing your home can not only be a big selling point, but can also help to hide your clutter. Here are a few ways to add storage to different rooms of your home that you—and potential buyers—will love.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms can be a clutter magnet and often have very little storage. Home improvement stores offer specialty bathroom cabinets that can fit in small corners, or shelving with cabinet fronts if you have extra wall space. If you have a tiny bathroom, don’t forget the power of a mirrored cabinet, under-sink storage and above-toilet storage options.

Corralling and hiding are the name of the game in your bathrooms. While featuring books or pottery on shelves may be aesthetically pleasing in other areas of the home, no one wants to look at your dental floss. Rely on baskets and cabinets to hide personal hygiene items away and keep your bathrooms looking nice and clutter-free.

Bedrooms

Double-duty furniture is key in a bedroom. Nightstands with drawers (or shelving), bed frames that allow for storage under the mattress, ottomans or chaise lounges with hidden storage and dressers or desks that allow for items to be displayed on top (like a TV or vanity) are all pieces that combine function, storage and style.

Of course, you can always incorporate shelving, cube storage and bookshelves to store items. Just be sure that you keep everything looking tidy, whether that’s straightening shoes into a neat row, hanging jewelry or folding blankets.

For kids’ rooms that are filled with stuffed animals, books and toys, be sure that your little one is able to put their things away themselves without having to climb on furniture or lug heavy items. Consider organizing items that can be tossed into drawers, cabinets or cubes for quick cleanings and last-minute showings.

Closets

Maximizing your closet space can improve your organization as well as your aesthetics. Remember to take advantage of vertical space using shelving and hooks, as well as unused spaces like the back of the door or closet corners.

Add closet space by installing a second hanging row, shelves and basket modules into the space (bonus if any of these features are adjustable to better accommodate belongings). There are plenty of stores that sell specialty closet systems that can be installed fairly quickly and have a huge impact, as well as systems that address specific storage needs for items like shoes, bags, hats, etc.

Living spaces

Just like bedrooms, living spaces benefit from furniture that doubles as storage. There’s a wide variety of hutches, coffee tables, TV consoles, ottomans and other pieces that offer hidden storage features. Shelving, baskets, blanket ladders and carts are also options that can add style to your space as well as storage.

Kitchen

You might be surprised at how much space you can utilize for kitchen storage. One area you might be neglecting are cabinets you currently use. Hanging items on the back of cabinet doors and installing extra shelving to utilize the full height of the cabinet can double the amount of storage you have. If your cabinets don’t reach the ceiling, try placing bins or baskets above cabinets to store items not often used.

Just like bathrooms and closets, specialty items for kitchen storage can be easily found.

• Narrow rolling carts can fill in the awkward spaces between counters, walls and appliances to store smaller items;
• Kitchen islands can act as extra storage and prep space;
• Spice racks, pantry canisters and knife holders can all remove bulky packaging for sleeker storage (some can even be mounted to walls or your fridge to free up your counters).

If you have beautiful cookware, cutlery or kitchen appliances, consider leaving them out as decor and put something else in the cupboard, drawer or pantry they used to occupy.

• Nice pots and pans can be hung from the ceiling;
• A unique teapot or dutch oven can sit on your stove;
• A new mixer can add color to open shelving;
• Kitchen utensils corralled in a canister or a butcher block left on the counter can create a sense of functionality.

Garage

There are few things more appealing to some people than a large, organized garage space or shed. Built-in garage shelving can be more costly than the in-home shelving options like bookshelves, but there are other, more cost-effective options available, too. Consider a great tool bench, bike racks, and assorted hooks or bins that will stay in place after you leave. Whatever way you go, adding organization and storage options to your garage makes the space much more appealing to potential buyers.

If you’re thinking about selling, a good place to start is by removing clutter and organizing your space. Storage is a must-have for any homeowner, and showcasing the storage potential of your space could be the key to winning over a buyer’s heart and pocketbook. If you’d like more tips on how to stage your home and attract the maximum number of buyers, reach out to an experienced agent today.