Any clever ideas to create more room for storage in your home?

Question

Okay...I'm pre-planning, but our home as 3 bedrooms (all on the second floor). Currently, my husband and I occupy one of them, while our 11 month old son has another. The third room is now hiding all of our stuff. Everything from my son's no longer used furniture (baby swing, bassinet, etc.) to all of the clothes that don't fit in my very small closet in my room (maternity, fat, and out-of-season clothes). The problem is come March, my husband and I will be trying for another baby. The new baby will take over my son's room and my son will take over the room w/ all the stuff. Besides our basement (which is an unfinished, very dusty and icky area...I NEVER go down there), we have no place to put all this stuff. Any ideas? Please HELP!

Answer 1

Have a garage sale and sell off what you don't need or want. The baby stuff you'll be using for the new one so set up the room for the new baby.

The clothes you can get some of the 'space saver bags and pack them without air, they hold a lot and shrink to save space. Place under beds.

You could also buy a storage shed for the back yard.

Answer 2

Clean out the basement; invest in damp-proof paint for the walls and a dehumidifier. Then peruse the home centers (Low*'s, Hom* D*pot, etc.) for shelving ideas. Before you start putting anything in the basement, make up your mind that nothing will go directly on the floor; shop the shelving/storage units for price, flexibility, etc. Choose any plastic tubs with an eye towards how well they seal.

You should keep bassinet, swing, etc.; any baby clothes that you keep should be spotlessly clean and dry, sorted as to size. Label the outside of the storage bin/tub with information: size 6 mos -  winter; size 12 mos - summer, as appropriate. Perhaps you'll want to keep maternity clothes; I've never had to deal with "fat" or "skinny" clothes but out of season things should be clean, dry and labeled: winter sweatshirts, size XL.

Be merciless when you put things in your newly cleaned and organized storage space. Remember, whatever goes down must come back up. (This is how I persuade myself to donate last year's clothes instead of storing them). Also, keep a master list of what is stored in the basement and where. The baby things you've so carefully saved and stored will be not so wonderful if you can't find them at the time baby No. 2 is in that particular size or season.

Answer 3

give unwanted things to goodwill