Need more places to store your stuff? We asked our pro storage gurus for their favorite storage tips and advice.
11 Storage Tips for Cutting Clutter
Updated on Apr. 23, 2025
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Use a Closet Organizer System
For economy and quick installation, you can’t beat wire-shelving systems; you can outfit a typical closet in an afternoon. Or you can easily build your own closet organizer, adapting the plans to your specific needs and DIY skill level. You can also buy a pre-made system, but before you go shopping, go online to check out the options, accessories and installation steps.
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Increase Shower Storage
The trouble with those shower caddies that hang from the showerhead pipe is that you have only one showerhead. To get more storage space, hang another caddy in the corner or on the shower wall. Or install these viral shower shelves that give you plenty of space for all your soaps and shampoos.
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Hang Electrical Junction Boxes as Mini Storage Bins
Electrical junction boxes can hold a lot more than wiring. You can nail or screw them to just about anything anywhere. In the shop, they’re great for those tools that can’t hang on hooks—tape measures, markers, chisels, etc.
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Increase Cabinet Space with Rollout Shelves
Lower cabinets offer the biggest storage spaces in your kitchen. But the back half of cabinets is usually wasted—it’s filled with forgotten stuff or left empty because it’s out of sight and out of reach. Rollout shelves reclaim that space. You can buy rollouts or build your own.
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Hang Items from Cabinet Doors
Don’t let small stuff occupy valuable drawer and shelf space. Equipped with cup hooks, the backs of cabinet doors can hold measuring cups, spoons and other hanging items. With homemade racks, they can hold lids or spices. Be sure any protruding items will hang between shelves—or else the doors won’t close.
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Use Stud Cavities for Storage or Make Built-In Shelves
An unfinished wall or ceiling isn’t an eyesore; it’s a storage opportunity. With some shelf hardware and 1x4s, you can pack 8 ft. or more of storage into one wall stud cavity. If your walls are finished and your DIY skills are ready for a more involved project using the same concept, you can make your own built-in shelves, like the ones pictured here, to add more storage to your home.
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Use Ceiling Joist Space for Storage
If you have an unfinished ceiling in the garage or basement, use the extra space for storage. For a few dollars per square foot, hang a wire shelf just below the joists, and then tuck baskets and bins into the empty spaces. This works well for items you don’t need often like seasonal decor.
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Use Leftover Electrical Cables
Don’t toss out those leftover scraps of electrical cable. They let you bundle up and neatly store all kinds of stuff. To hang up or carry your bundle, twist a loop in the cable.
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Add an Extra Medicine Cabinet
Many bathrooms have wall space, usually next to the door, that’s perfect for an extra medicine cabinet—or even two. With “recessed” cabinets that fit between studs, you don’t lose an inch of bathroom space.
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Leave Space Between Cabinets for Shelves
Whether you’re building utility cabinets or buying them, you can double the storage you get from each cabinet. Just leave spaces between the cabinets and fill those spaces with shelves. The easiest way to hang the shelves is to drill holes for shelf supports in the cabinet sides.
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Add a Divider for Cookie Sheet Storage
Every organized kitchen needs a slot for flat cookware like cookie sheets and pizza pans. Make a vertical niche like the one shown here. Just add a plywood divider, drill holes for shelf supports and shorten the existing adjustable shelf.
FAQ
How can I maintain a clutter-free space?
Maintaining a clutter-free space takes everyday maintenance. Have systems in place to control clutter that comes into the home, things like: a designated place for mail to gather, a basket for living room blankets, and an organized junk drawer for all those little items that you need but don’t want to see. It’s also a good idea to keep a box or basket available for donations. Every time you see something you no longer need, throw it in the donation basket where it can stay until your next trip to the donation center.
Why is decluttering important?
Decluttering does more than make your home look nice. Too much clutter in your home can lead to stress, scatterbrain, difficulty focusing, and even memory loss. A clutter-free home will give you peace of mind and make it easier to find your things. No more searching for that important bill, or running late because you can’t find your favorite shirt. Keep decluttering a priority and you’ll improvement in your everyday life.
