Simple Ideas for Decorative Storage

In other issues, we’ve covered organizing and storage options for our garages, but we certainly need storage inside our homes as well. The quickest way to ruin the look of a beautifully decorated room is to let it deteriorate to disorder and chaos due to a busy household. Let’s face it, we’d be happy if our things would sprout legs and walk back to where they belong. If you don’t have a storage spot for your items, they quickly disappear. Adding storage space always helps us maintain our sanity, but inside our homes, we want attractive, appealing, and stylish options. Here are a few ideas:

Shelving for your piles of books and magazines doesn’t have to look cheap. You can buy affordable, easy-to-assemble shelving kits that look attractive and pricey at discount stores and places like IKEA (all three of the shelving units pictured below range from $30-50). You’ll find a variety of sizes and “mix and match” pieces to fit any wall or corner you need to fill. If you’re a DIYer and plan to build your own wall shelves, here’s a tip–painting them the same color as your wall causes the shelving to nearly disappear and brings attention to your books as decoration.  Baskets are great catch-all containers that hide “stuff” and can slide easily onto bookshelves.  They are attractive, stylish and come in a variety of colors.

If you’re tired of dusting and trying to protect your treasured breakables, glass curio cabinets are not out of style. Secure these treasures behind glass so they are visible and dust-free. Glass-front dining room hutches or china cabinets can also double as display cases if you don’t have china or crystal to show.

Blankets, throws and pillows take up a lot of our closet space. Take advantage of wooden storage chests with lids to hide some of those things. They work well in any room, and are especially lovely in living or family rooms as coffee or end tables.  If cushioned, they can be used as extra seating in a pinch.

People are still refurbishing old trunks and using them as coffee tables, as storage at the foot of the bed, or just as home décor. They can hold some of that “stuff” that needs to be hidden away, or again, they’re perfect for blankets and bedding. Dust off and clean up that old family heirloom trunk and put it to good use. Naturally, you can buy them new in many styles and colors.

Ottomans have graduated into attractive accessories that come in many sizes, colors and fabrics, and even with storage capacity. This is another place to hide those couch pillows and throws that seem to pile up. A larger ottoman can also function as a coffee table, when you put decorative trays on them that will hold drinks and remote control devices.

Decorative trays are also useful on counter tops in kitchens and baths. They can hold some of that stuff that collects that you don’t want scattered all about. It can hold your mail, keys, cell phones. In the bathroom, you can manage the clutter of lotions, perfumes, make-up and hair care products on your counter.  

Storage benches are very attractive in entry ways (and other rooms, too) and can conveniently store umbrellas, boots and rain slickers…anything that you may not need very often. They can be refinished, stained, or painted to match your style and décor.

You may have some of these items in your home that are not being fully utilized.  Take a good look at all of your stuff, start reorganizing and begin storing in unique and creative ways!