Creative Storage Solutions

Sometimes thinking outside the box can make something you don't like into something that you can utilize. My nemisis is wire shelving, I HATE IT!! I long for the day I can have my closet redone with real shelves, doors to hide my hanging clothes so when you walk in it's one clean space...but I digress. In the meantime I've come up with 2 ways to help me utilize my space better.

The first issue I had with my master space was I didn't have any room to display my jewlery, I wanted a space where I could have it out and just grab and go. I would never go into a jewlery box and take out pieces to wear, it just won't happen. My bathroom was my original space to store it but that got cramped too easily and sometimes it would look sloppy. I decided that my closet would be the perfect space to keep it for a few reasons.

1. It's where my clothes are so I can easily grab something while getting dressed

2. It is "hidden" so that not everyone sees it when they are over or even in my closet.

3. It freed up space on my bathroom counters (who doesn't love that!)

Now this was such a great idea that you could imagine my disappointment when I realized it wouldn't work with my wire shelving. Any jewlery that may have fallen off my jewelry tree would fall to the floor and my smaller jewlery holder for earrings and rings was too small to sit flat on the shelving. I was so frustrated with the shelving I could have called California Closets right then. All of a sudden it struck me, why don't I just make it a flat surface? I quickly ran downstairs to grab some extra bathroom tile we never used from our remodel. This was it, the answer to my problems! :) It worked great. I couldn't be happier with it (and it's a perfect fit! - BONUS!).

The second issue I had was that I have random hats, gloves and scarves for when we venture out of Florida (and those few days it gets cold enough down here to use any of those items). I wanted them easily accessible and not hidden away because it's always a shock when it gets cold out, and I don't want to waste any time getting ready in the morning looking for a pair of gloves.

A few weeks prior I had come across this article on Pinterest that showed a way to hang a basket under a desk to hide the wiring. What they did was they took hook screws (for mugs) and screwed them into the bottom of the desk, hung a basket from it and placed the power strip and all cords in there. It's a genius idea, and then I realized my wire shelving could do the same thing! I bought some S hooks and mini baskets at the dollar store and tried out this theory. It worked out fantastically!

Before you decide to throw in the towel to a design feature you dislike in your home, take a step back and see if there is any potential space that you are missing.