In cold climates, we all hibernate a bit during the long winter months. A classic marker of the change from winter to spring is the desire to give our homes a thorough cleaning. Plan now for the changeover to spring, so you’re ready to say hello to warmer days with a clean, organized house. Keep reading to find out how to set yourself up for spring cleaning success.
You know you’ll feel great once it’s done, but giving the house a deep clean is a big job, and it can be challenging to get started. Make it easy on yourself by taking advantage of the remaining winter months to organize your home, so you’re ready to hit the ground running. Implement proven storage solutions in every room now.
Start by looking around and making a plan for season and holiday storage. Seasonal and holiday items are, by their nature, easy to store away for long stretches of time. You shouldn’t have to move boxes of holiday decorations more than twice a year. You definitely shouldn’t have to shuffle holiday decor to get to the towels in your linen closet or confront the kayak every time you get into your car when all local bodies of water are currently thick with ice.
Add another shelf near the ceiling of an existing closet. It doesn’t need to be convenient because you’ll only need to access the spot occasionally. Take advantage of deep, awkward spaces like a nook under the stairs. Install a wire shelving system that includes a track to pull out totes stored out of reach.
Every room in the house could likely benefit from some well-thought-out custom storage systems or tricks. Sometimes it’s easy to overlook the places and spaces we use day in and day out like the kitchen, laundry room, and bathroom.
Start by decluttering the kitchen, bathroom, and even the laundry room. Most people have items that are no longer needed but are still taking up valuable space in their cabinets and closets. Give yourself permission to get rid of dishes and cooking gadgets you never use. Look up recipes to use up ingredients taking up space in your pantry or donate to a food shelf.
Then aim to make your storage work for you, not against you. Installing wire shelving systems inside existing cabinets and closets, including linen closets and miscellaneous storage closest, can help you take advantage of every inch. Wire systems are strong, easy to maintain, and fully customizable. Include shelves just tall enough for the baskets you bought to organize your pantry. Add risers and pull-out shelves to deep kitchen cabinets.
Laundry room storage is often neglected even though we spend a lot of time in the laundry room whether we like it or not. Consider outfitting your laundry room with a custom laminate cabinet system to maximize storage space. Large utility-style laundry rooms can be storage workhorses with the right storage system. Easily accessible shelves near the washing machine are a must for detergent, but every other available square foot can work for you too.
Closet space is one of the most desirable qualities in real estate, but most of us don’t know our existing closets could be working harder. If you’re living with a standard reach-in closet set up: a hanging rod with a high shelf, change your life with just a few custom storage additions. You probably don’t hang all of your clothes, and the high shelf is inconvenient for nearly everyone of average height. Invest in a wire shelving system with the right amount of shelves for your wardrobe, and don’t forget details like shoe racks.
Update your walk-in closet with custom cabinets if you’re ready to start every day in a good mood. Talk to a design professional about the right mix of shelves, hanging space, shoe storage, collection display, and details to pull it all together.
It can be very satisfying to include your garage on your spring cleaning to-do list. Garages in cold climates take a beating during the winter, with slush and dirt dragged in on car tires every day. Plan a day as soon as it gets warm to clean up the garage. Then, get ready to enjoy the outdoors again by rotating your warm-weather essentials out of storage. Get the grill out and clean off the patio furniture. Hang up the shovels and pull out the bocce set.
Before the weather turns cold again, take a look at how your garage storage functions. Like holiday decor inside the house, the garage likely holds a lot of seasonal gear that can be rotated out of easy reach part of the year. Look into lining the walls with study shelves as high as you can go. Install a pulley system to lift kayaks, roof storage boxes, bikes, and other bulky items out of the way when not needed.
Planning a system of cabinets and a designated workspace in the garage can help you reclaim a workshop area for tuning up bikes or working on projects in the garage. Cabinets can include locking doors to keep valuable tools and hazardous chemicals out of the way.
Call on the experts when you need a hand to guide you through the options for custom storage in your home or garage. At Harkraft, we’ve been helping homeowners and contractors design innovative storage solutions for decades. Contact us today to find out more about custom cabinets, wire shelving systems, and all your storage needs.
