Whether you’re getting your home ready to sell or just giving it a refresh, decluttering and effectively organising your storage space is key.
Research of 2,000 homeowners by premium housebuilder Redrow revealed that ample storage space is the feature most likely to create envy amongst friends and family. In fact, almost a third (32%) of homeowners say ample storage space is a ‘must have’ feature if they were purchasing a new home.
To help homeowners spring clean, Redrow has teamed up with organisational expert and author Vicky Silverthorn to refresh tricky spaces and ‘hack’ your current storage to make it as efficient, and aesthetically pleasing as possible.
Redrow x Vicky Silverthorn’s Spring Cleaning Checklist
Music on, gym gear on, open windows, start at the top of house and work your way down.
Start at the highest points in each room – dusting window treatments, light fittings and artwork.
Wipe down all surfaces with the appropriate cleaner – don’t forget kitchen cupboards, cooker hoods, skirting boards, desk fronts, chair and table legs etc.
Clean windows and mirrors with a glass cleaner. There are lots of recipes for homemade eco-safe cleaning fluids online.
Vacuum soft furnishings like sofas and under the cushions too.
Vacuum carpets or clean hard floors. Remember to clean underneath or behind furniture.
Keep the space you’re cleaning well-ventilated to reduce allergens and allow fumes from cleaning products to escape.
Vicky says: “A change in seasons is the perfect opportunity to organise, clearing yourself of unwanted items and ensuring those kept are stored sufficiently to avoid making your home feel cluttered. The most common mistake people make when reorganising their home is buying too much storage – specifically smaller items which make countertops cluttered or make large spaces look small.
“Consider which areas help maximise the space and think about how to utilise the space you do have in a smarter way. It may seem easy to organise your home by adding more storage items but it’s important to look at the space you already have and make use of unused areas.”
Vicky Silverthorn’s Top Tips for Hacking Your Storage Space
Unpack and stay put: Make sure when you move home that you are never putting things away and saying you’ll come back and do it properly later, it never happens and five years later the items are still in the wrong place. It’s so hard to find that time again. Use your time to unpack properly so that there isn’t any rushing around and you don’t have to do it again doubling up in work.
Get creative with your wall space: One of the most underutilised storage spaces in a home is wall space, for space saving it is understandable that homeowners don’t want to close in the space by adding too many cupboards but by thinking vertically you can keep a light and spacious feel whilst still incorporating sensible storage. This is particularly beneficial to new build homes with high ceilings and larger windows that allow for light to flood in and floating shelves or open shelving can be a great help.
Embrace your utility room: Utility rooms are the crème de la crème of storage spaces, offering a dedicated space for organisation and with some small additions can double as a mudroom that benefits the whole family. Adding hooks at two different heights to allow children to hang coats and bags themselves helps reinforce tidiness from a young age and makes use of the vertical space available. Purchasing a bench that has a cubby holes for shoes can really elevate the space and offer a mixed-use piece of furniture that will stop shoes piling up by the front door. These areas always need decluttering seasonally.
Choose smart furniture: When purchasing furniture, it’s very easy to only think about the aesthetic however, this is a vital moment to take a step back and think about the overall design and make sure it is practical as well as beautiful. Be clever with the furniture you choose and opt for items that will maximise the space on hand. In a bedroom opting for an ottoman bed allows you to utilise the floor space as a dual-purpose area and switching out bedside tables for two small chests of drawers will be both aesthetically pleasing whilst also delivering significantly more storage space.
Before you do anything, declutter: Even if you decluttered before moving whilst packing, view unpacking as a secondary opportunity to declutter and take a hard view as to whether you really need it. If you need the space ask yourself the question Can I live without this in my life? Often it makes the decision more obvious.
Helen Joseph, Redrow’s interior expert, adds: “There’s no better feeling than getting your home in order ahead of the lighter and warmer months. As more people seek to keep their spaces as sleek and inviting as possible, we’re continuing to see a rise in requests for storage spaces that are out of sight. Redrow homebuyers have a world of choice when it comes to designing their homes and tailoring this space to suit their exact needs, whether that be built in furniture solutions or a customised kitchen or utility room to suit their lifestyles and storage needs.”
