storage - right or wrong?
 

What would you have done differently regarding storage in your Villages home? What is your favorite storage idea?

My favorite storage idea was the yard sale and dumpster at the last house.

My favorite storage idea was the basement at our last house. I don't have a favorite storage idea here we threw out all we could and storage is still an issue

closets
 

1st thing is the steps and flooring in the attic - we use ours for Xmas stuff and grandkid stuff and a queen size airbed in its bag. Not stuff you need frequently - those steps are kind of dangerous.

Next - go for the 3rd bedroom if you can, not a den (with no closet) and customize the closets, either yourself if you're able or use a closet company. Try to figure out what you want to store there first - crafts, files, games, wrapping paper, whatever. We have volume ceilings and 3 shelves above hanging clothes - with the top shelf being wire again so we can see what's up there (old people tend to forget :). We keep mostly luggage and a plastic bin with snorkeling eqpt for cruises. You don't want to get up there too often either.

If you have an inside laundry, this provides another room of storage - add cabinets over the washer/dryer and shelving on the other side if you can. We have a shelf above the 2nd fridge and laundry room sink and a small shelf opposite next to the washer/dryer cabinets for bleach, white vinegar, distilled water, etc. It's fairly high - we used leftover wire closet shelving so I can see what's up there.

We also changed out the bi-fold door on our pantry for a regular paneled door and hung shelving on the inside of the door for lightweight pantry stuff - cereal, etc. Frees up a large shelf for small kitchen appliances so I don't have to bend down and poke around lower cabinets.

Don't forget about under your beds - we keep a crib mattress for the preschoolers in our family, and maybe extra winter clothes until you figure out how much you are going to keep. That may depend on if you go back at Xmas, etc.

The garage is a whole other chapter and there are multiple ways to do it. I'd suggest driving around and stopping to talk to guys puttering around in their garages - most would be happy to share tips.

storage
 

We bought a platform bed with drawers under my wief gets the dresser and I am under the bed

All the new furniture we bought when we move here last year has storage. Drawers under bed...great! Entertainment unit...drawers and shelves. My hubby built closet 'systems' in our closets...fabulous! Attic stairs and shelving in garage, shelving in laundry room. If you have outdoor stuff HD has a storage box...we have two. Great for storing patio cushions, pool stuff, etc.

Sweetie really increased our storage of not-used-that-often things by taking down the shelves in all closets and adding one and in some cases two more tiers. To have a professional closet design company do this is danged expensive.(and far prettier) I am so pleased with having a high up shelf that you can have bins for mittens and caps and not too often used clothing and seasonal decorations and not used often serving trays etc. AND FAMILY PICTURE Albums.

There are things that you probably STILL will want to keep that are not often used. I am surprised by how often I use things I didn't think I would.

I am not a huge clothes person, so our closets contain a LOT less than our northern closets held. Warm weather clothes take up less space and most can be folded rather than hung.

I think we are going to have to add another refrigerator in the garage. I miss the extra space I used to have when I am cooking or planning for holiday fun.

There is a new Premier model, the Seabrook, that has a room JUST for storage.

We are building a Lantana and moved the washer/dryer into the garage so we can use that space as an extra pantry/storage room. Also added lots of stretches but you will need a larger lot to get the extra space you need to do that.

My favorite storage idea is my friend's brainstorm - she shut off the water to her dishwasher and uses it as an office file drawer. It is filled with notebooks, supplies, etc. So very efficient! (She washes her "very few" dishes by hand).

a bigger garage

Boy Howdy Gracie. I looked up your floorplan. What a nice house. Looks like Gary Morse really rewarded you for all your good works. :1rotfl:

I love my master bedroom closet, had it customized so I can store suit cases on the very top shelves, blankets, pillows., double hung rods, shoe storage up to the ceiling. It looks like a boutique in there! Also love my room across the laundry area, did a pocket door had shelves and a work surface with counter tops below, love that too, I have tripled or quadrupled my storage, I actually have empty shelves now I have so much storage, was well worth the investment to have this done, Chris Arnold from All Ways Closets did my work. Also did shelving in the garage, and utilized my attic space for Christmas stuff, my friend rigged up a pulley system so I can use that to leverage the weight while carrying the items up the ladder, works great.

Ok, let's reopen this. What about your kitchen pantry? What did you do to add storage...over the door shelves? I like that idea but I don't want the hooks to show.

I like the idea of a pulley system. I wondered how i would get things in and out of my attic!

Old Dave how are you...where did you settle