Seven stylish flat storage ideas

We can’t all live in a huge home. In fact, many of us live in flats, which generally tend to be smaller. 

With flats seeming to get smaller and smaller, especially new builds, the one thing many are lacking is storage. However, just because the flat lacks cupboards and closets, it doesn’t mean you can’t do something about it. Below, we’ve compiled a list of some amazing storage ideas that’ll enable you to store your belongings in style. 

Make the most of your doors

Putting hooks and nails in the walls and doors isn’t really an option if you rent your flat. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use hooks at all. In fact, over-the-door hooks are widely available in homeware stores and make for the perfect place to hang coats and towels when you’re not using them. If you keep your doors propped open, these will handily keep these items out of sight. 

Think clever hideaways

If you’re lacking storage space, sometimes this can be easily rectified by being clever with the furniture you buy. Rather than having a lot of furniture that’ll create dead space, why not find items that provide a double service? 

Ottomans, for instance, make for ideal storage and seating areas, meaning you can keep clothes, bed linen or even DVDs stored right where you’re sitting. 

Break the room up

If you have an open plan living and dining area, or if you live in a studio flat, you’ll find that stud walls aren’t the only way of breaking up a space. In fact, you can take this opportunity to not only divide your living area, but add interesting storage opportunities in the process. 

Floor to ceiling bookshelves and other forms of shelving units will allow you to keep a whole manner of knick-knacks stored, add an interesting layer of décor, and create the perception of multiple rooms. Allowing hanging plants to spill from these adds a clean and organic feel, while using an array of colourful photo frames within them can give your room a personalised touch. 

Use your features

If you live in an older flat, maybe one that occupies part of a converted house, you’ll probably still have some of the original features on display. 

This could involve anything from alcoves to a chimney breast. If you have the former or the latter with no fireplace installed, this could provide another storage opportunity. Whether you want to build a door and use these hollows as cupboards, or add some shelves within them to show off your statement pieces, they can really come in handy. 

Take advantage of bare wall space

We often have vast expanses of wall with nothing on and often used them to add a shelf full of ornaments, a bit of art, mirrors or pictures – but these spots could be great for storage, too. 

While you’ll certainly want some of the walls in your home to feature some art or mirrors, others could very well feature useful storage solutions. 

Small, contained shelving units can be easily added and filled with essentials that don’t fit in the cupboards. How about a narrow, additional kitchen unit for spices and small utensils? Or adding a small shelf to the bathroom for all your bottles? You can also add mirrors to the front of these to increase the sense of space, or adorn them with prints and make them double as a piece of artwork. 

Store things where you might not expect to find them

Speaking of bathrooms, this is one place we don’t tend to ‘furnish’, in the traditional sense. But if you have some space in your bathroom, a freestanding storage unit can come in handy for towels or bed linen. 

You may instinctively put your books in the hallway or living room, but why not fit them into the dining room, if you have some extra space there? This is probably the best formal and calm room of your home, after all. At the same time, if you have more kitchen cupboard space than you really need, there’s no reason you shouldn’t pop all your unsightly DVDs and console games in there – even if it feels a little unorthodox. 

Get clever

If you own a lot of shoes or a bike, these are particularly difficult items to find a home for. 

Introducing a wall fitting that’ll allow you to hang your bike not only creates storage, but it also makes for a fantastic feature piece. Meanwhile, shelving across the top of a room is the ideal place to store shoes – as you won’t be using the space, and your shoes won’t get in the way up there. 

No matter how big or small your flat is, you’ll want to make sure your contents are protected. Get your Rias home insurance quote today >