Shelve it, stack it, stow it, store it! Shelving is one of the easiest and most versatile ways of dealing with domestic clutter. Place items on view or design a system to hide them away.
Good storage, as much as having good installations to handle it, is a state of mind and relates to a very human desire to put things away or hoard. Before choosing a suitable storage system for your lifestyle, there are a couple of points you should consider.
Do you want to conceal things or display them? Most household items are well hidden away in cupboards and nooks, whereas some items, like collectables or ornaments, are possessions you would like to see.
How often will you be using the stored items? Many seasonal items such as summer/winter clothes, blankets and eiderdowns, fans, portable heaters and Christmas decorations are likely to be used only at a certain time of the year.
Items used more frequently include tools, hobby equipment and clothes.
Things used daily must be stored in a handy place. These include cooking equipment, crockery, cutlery and glassware, daily clothes and shoes, toys, cleaning materials, study materials, videos, tapes, records and CDs, linen and so on. Books should be stored where they are easily accessible and away from any damp.
Most household items fit best in square and rectangular storage systems. Make sure you are happy and comfortable with the way your system works.
Shelving
The possibilities in shelving are enormous. Not only can you put objects on top of shelves but, with rails and hooks, the underside can also be utilised.
One of the most versatile installations is adjustable shelving for storage of just about anything. This type of shelving can cover a whole wall, or just a section of a wall. It can be fixed to timber- framed or brick walls.
Bookcases
Bookcases are a special form of shelving, and are always a point of interest in the home. Like shelving, bookcases come in various styles. To define where shelving stops and bookcases start is perhaps best done by examining what is on the shelves.
Alcoves
Look at wasted corners around the house. A popular storage idea for years has been to fit out the space between projections such as fireplaces and piers. The possibilities are endless. One such solution is to convert an alcove into two-tier hanging space in a bedroom, thus relieving the pressure on your everyday wardrobe.
In other rooms alcoves can house shelving for books or treasures; they can include built-in loudspeakers which otherwise take up floor or shelf space; they can incorporate a small bar refrigerator, or a wine rack, or wood storage for the fireplace, or they can be converted into a linen cupboard.
Alcoves are common in many rooms, especially in older homes. They can be considered as the inside space of a cabinet or cupboard, ready to be fitted out in whatever manner is appropriate for your storage needs. It is a simple matter to mount a series of shelves in the space. This makes ideal storage for ornaments, books, games, pottery — even an open bar. It is also possible to include glass shelving for display purposes. The alcove may also have glass doors on its front face for protection against dust.
An alcove can simply have a door or doors fitted to the front to allow upright storage of vacuum cleaners, brooms, hanging clothes, or the like. Some converted alcoves have sophisticated architectural storage features, incorporating room themes such as arches, window designs, corbelling or other features.
The trick with fitting out any alcove or similar area is to avoid building a second hefty frame which will eat up potential storage space. Thin jambs on either side, or sleek thin brackets should be sufficient.
It is important that the weight on the shelves can be adequately supported by the support or bracketing provided. The walls should be sound enough to take screws into timber studs, or to be plugged for fixing to masonry or plastered walls. Another problem, especially in older homes, is that of working around ornate skirtings and cornices. There may even be picture rails, dado panels, rails and vents that have to be taken into account. However, with care, you can work around all these features without destroying them (perhaps they could even be extended through the alcove fit-out as a continuation of the room’s ornamentation).
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