Home Design - 10 Sneaky Ways to Get Organized

10 Sneaky Ways to Get Organized
Kathryn Weber

Although the area closest to your ceiling is hard to get to, it's still a great place to store items you don't use often. Installing pull down closet rods up high will store seasonal clothes but still leave them in easy reach
Storage Ideas

There's a saying that for every minute spent organizing an hour is gained. If you've taken the time to get organized, you know that's true. Once an area is organized, finding items suddenly becomes matter of fact and doesn't require having to dig and search. And even if you've worked at getting your home organized, there may still be room yet to scavenge to gain more storage - space that you might not have considered.

Here are 10 sly storage areas that can help you sneak in more organization:

1. Get high

Although the area closest to your ceiling is hard to get to, it's still a great place to store items you don't use often. Installing pull-down closet rods up high will store seasonal clothes but still have them in easy reach. Find a good selection at closetbay.com.

2. Up a wall

Narrow vertical shelves or baskets are perfect for magazines, caps or other items and come in a variety of widths that allow you to sneak storage into a tight spot and don't take up a lot of wall space. Look for these on sites like organize.com.

3. Take it to the ceiling

Your garage has lots of horizontal space on the ceiling, so why not use it? Install organizers designed to fit in the space above your car -- perfect for seasonal items and rarely used items like camping gear. Find these at your local home center.

4. Make a mess

It's not always possible to keep everything neat, so pick one or two drawers or small areas where you can just pitch. A good one? A messy drawer in the kitchen for utensils you rarely use.

5. On a rail

Rack up extra storage in the bathroom, kitchen, your desk or anywhere you need storage and organization by installing rails. Attached to a wall, rails can hold hooks for hanging pans, holding dishtowels and some even have small baskets or holders. Use them in the living room for magazines. Ikea has a large selection of rail systems that can be customized for a variety of uses.

6. Cut it out

If you're handy, make cutouts in between wall studs to create storage nooks. Finish out with trim and shelves and you've got a handy spot for storage or display.

7. Hide it under the bed

Lots of things are shoved under the bed, but why not use the space in a more organized way? Purchase wire underbed rolling storage for blankets, games or shoes. Buy online at Target.com.

8. Johnny on the spot

If you don't have a cabinet above the commode, you're missing a storage opportunity. Purchase an over the toilet cabinet and start putting the john to work. Bathroomfurnituredirect.com has a variety of options and styles.

9. Put your feet up

A storage ottoman is a hands-down favorite in the disguised storage category. It makes a handy spot for quick cleaning when unexpected company visits, too.

10. Magazine corral

Magazines have a way of infiltrating our home and taking over all horizontal space. Corral them in a standing multi-tier magazine rack. These can be standing or mounted to the wall. Look for them stacksandstacks.com.

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