Creating storage: 10 ways to make more space in your home

This is an obvious one: decluttering and throwing out old/unused items automatically frees up more space. To make it easier to separate yourself from your belongings, try to imagine what your life would look like with more space. Nice, eh? Then it’s time to get going: sort any worn-out items into one box, and put keepsakes in another; then create a third box for items you’re selling or giving away. Our tip: get rid of anything that you haven’t worn or used in more than two years. Or simply give it away and make someone else’s day in the process.

Take a look around and you’ll probably find that the hallway is the one place where items tend to accumulate quickly. All manner of things tend to pile up, in addition to coats, bags, shoes and even the recycling, which probably should have been put out some time ago. You can prevent your hallway from turning into a junk room by adding some practical storage as soon as you walk through the door. How about a built-in closet with drawers, shelves and clothes rails, extending all the way up to the ceiling? And if shoes fit too, that’s perfect! The fewer things you have lying around in full view, the more tidy your hallway will look.

Have you been dreaming of a walk-in wardrobe since you first saw "Sex and the City"?! Well, it couldn’t be easier to create your own: simply separate off a wall from the rest of your room with sliding doors or curtains – from floor to ceiling, and across the entire length of the wall. Then add shelves, containers and clothes rails to this new space to create your own perfect walk-in wardrobe. It’s guaranteed to create a tonne of space!

You can make even more space when you separate off areas within a room using lightweight walls or – even easier – by strategically positioning bookshelves or screens. The rear sides can also be used for storage; for example, screens can also serve as clothes racks. Low walls in bathrooms can be used to separate the toilet from the wash room, while also offering somewhere to stow items. And these kinds of dual-function partition walls can even be used outdoors in the garden or on the balcony.

What would a kid’s room be without a bunk bed?! But they’re suitable for grown-ups too, especially with a desk or a small cupboard underneath. If your home has high ceilings, you could even think about converting your loft into a bedroom.

Old buildings often feature alcoves of different sizes in the walls – which are suitable for storing books, for example. Of course, if your home doesn’t already have an alcove, you can create your own. The easiest way to do that is by rearranging your furniture to create an extra “room”. Or you can use some drywall to build another wall in front of the existing one, so you can easily add integrated shelves and storage space. You could even draw attention to your handiwork with coloured paint or spotlights.

If you’ve ever lived in a small flat or shared apartment, then you know how to get by without much storage. If something doesn’t fit, you simply find a way to make it so! By mounting shelves in a zigzag format like this, no millimetre of space goes unused.

Lots of items are used and need homes in kitchens. If you have a functional fitted kitchen with plenty of cupboards, that’s great! But if not, and you’re wondering what to do with your five pans and 12 different mugs, here’s a tip: try hanging them up instead of stacking them. You can simply use rods/bars or even wire shelves, using hooks to hang up saucepans or food on them. This keeps everything tidy and looks good too.

A sofa or bed with drawers, an ottoman in the hallway that can be used for sitting or storing hats and scarves, a mirror that’s also a coat stand, and a desk that folds out to a dining room table. If you’re short on space but have lots to stow away, then multi-function furniture is right for you. Because why waste valuable space if it’s already available as part of furniture?

Last but not least, there are containers, baskets, boxes, etc. in all shapes and sizes – which are invaluable when it comes to creating more storage space. You can use them to keep all kinds of items out of plain view, from toys, to love letters, tax returns and even ski equipment out of season. With colour coding, labels or transparent plastic containers, it’ll be easy to find what you’re looking for. And the best thing is, you can stack boxes of different sizes into the most awkward corners or beneath slanted ceilings, so you don’t waste an inch of space!