It’s the perfect time of year to organize. Help your clients determine how they can store and organize their belongings by following these best methods.

3 Key Takeaways:

• Storage options must reflect the needs of a homeowner.
• Make sure you add storage choices to each space
• Be aware of storage location along with pricing and user-friendliness in mind

New homes are shrinking in size and storage space, and older homes have their share of storage woes as well, which makes it difficult for homeowners to keep their homes tidy and organized.

Although the majority of homeowners have been influenced by the ideas of decluttering, like Marie Kondo and Swedish Death Cleaning, a few didn’t take the time to organize and keep the things that were left, which left them in piles. In addition, the majority of homeowners are still buying something, so it’s unlikely that their spaces will be big enough to store all of their belongings.

Design expert Jacob Laws of Jacob Laws Interior Design and his wife have experienced the challenges of having a small storage space. They live in an early 1800s house situated in Charleston, S.C., and have a goal of limiting their possessions in order to ensure that it’s tidy. “But it’s easier for us,” He declares. “This is what we do professionally.”

The positive news is the fact that everybody from builders at home and architects to professionals in the field of design and organizers are joining in to assist.

Designer of commercial interiors Mary Cook of Mary Cook Associates, who provides advice to home builders on closets, is seeing larger ones appear. Jeff Benach, principal of Lexington Homes, has altered the angle of the staircase in a townhouse model to allow for an additional hall closet. He also tilted the garage to increase its height to accommodate more storage. Wingspan Development Group offers extra cabinets in a few of its multifamily homes with walk-in designs and kitchen pantries that are accessible from the home. Numerous pros, including Salesperson Aleks Videnovic of Compass, the founder of StageIT.site and RenderPRO.io, help visualize possibilities more easily with renderings.

The fall season is the perfect time to help clients get their storage organized, and some of the best methods can be helpful so that it doesn’t become too much. This can also help when selling their homes, as an organized storage area shows potential buyers how houses can be efficiently used, according to Allison Bond, a salesperson at Cummings and Co. Realtors with its headquarters in Maryland.

Best Practices

In the beginning, owners need to take a look at their clutter, based on the old rule that items that haven’t been used for more than three years or have a significant sentimental value are a good idea.

Figure Out How and Where

Every homeowner needs to consider the length of time they plan to remain in their home, as built-ins, such as closet systems, can cost more than furniture that is freestanding and can be moved to a new home. “Live in your space for a few months before you commit to any storage investment,” Laws advises.

The most important questions for homeowners to ask themselves, according to designer Bob Zuber, AIA, director of Morgante Wilson Architects, are: what am I keeping? How easily accessible is it required to be, based on the usage frequency? Do the items being stored require specific considerations, such as temperature control?

Trends are constantly changing. Large entertainment centers and armoires are no longer trendy, while “Costco Closets” in suburban homes that store bulky objects are becoming popular, Cook says.

All systems that are installed must be adjustable, whether shelves inside the form of a bookcase or clothes rods in a closet, as needs to be changed.

Keep It On Brand, But Not Personalized

Storage needs to reflect the home’s aesthetics and style as well as its price. This means that you will need more expensive wooden shelves instead of wire in mid-priced or luxury homes.

Consider carefully which materials you’ll choose to use. Metal generally costs more than wood, with the exception of exotic species. Staining wood can be more costly than painted Melamine, and similar materials are among the least expensive; however, they are extremely sturdy, says the designer Rebecca Pogonitz of GoGo Design Group. Wood is a good choice due to being customizable, according to creator Suzan Wemlinger, who is the chief designer of Suzan J Designs.

Homeowners should be cautious about personalizing storage unless the storage item is worth the cost. This may be applicable to the collection of fine wines inside a customized cellar. A better option is a wine cooler that is refrigerated that is able to be moved to a different home.

Keep the Space in Mind

Storage shouldn’t be positioned in a way that blocks the doors, windows, furniture, and the flow of traffic. Its function is to facilitate daily life, not to make it more difficult.

Future needs must be considered by not utilizing every storage space. This was the case during the pandemic, in which many homeowners searched for space to set up an office. Many found it by converting an unfinished closet into a useful cubicle.

Storage on public sites should be avoided as much as is feasible, as it is costly and is often used as an excuse to delay decluttering, according to Videnovic.

Every room needs storage. “People will notice if there’s none,” says Amanda Wiss, a stager, organizer expert, and the co-founder of Urban Clarity.