Home and Garden

There are several ways to boost storage in every area of the home, from the kitchen to the garage. All it takes is a little effort and creativity to get your clutter under control.

Living Room

• Equip your home with furniture that has built-in storage. You can purchase ottomans that open to reveal storage areas for items such as blankets or magazines, tables that have added shelving built in for books and magazines and television stands that have room for DVDs, CDs and books.

• If you have free wall space, consider building shelving into the wall to add additional space and increase floor space.

• Baskets in shelving spaces add additional space for loose items that would otherwise be scattered around the house or placed loosely in drawers.

Kitchen

• Extend your kitchen cabinets all the way to the ceiling. Many kitchen cabinets have a gap between the ceiling and the top of the cabinet. By extending the shelving all the way to the ceiling, you effectively add additional storage space to your kitchen.

• Hang pots and pans from the ceiling with a rack to free up counter space.

• Drawer partitions and turntables can be added to create extra space in drawers and cabinets.

• Expandable shelving doubles your shelving space in kitchen cabinets where you may not need the entire space provided.

• Stacking platforms can be used in cabinets to double your space for storage.

Bathroom

• Get a sink with legs so you can store items in the space underneath it.

• Use portable cabinets to store extra toilet paper rolls, magazines or cleaning supplies.

• Add baskets to counters and shelves to create space for storing loose bathroom items such as extra bottles or rolled up washcloths.

Bedroom

• Dressers can also be used for multiple purposes. Place toys and other items in drawers not filled with clothes. Just be sure to secure the dresser so that it doesn't tip with the extra items on top.

• If you have space underneath you bed, use storage bags and boxes to house clothing and other items.

• Place hooks on the backs of doors to hang robes, jackets or handbags.

Garage and Shed

• Mount pegboards in the shed or garage to store tools and other items out of the way.

Hiring a professional organizer

If home organization isn't your strong suit, consider hiring a professional home organization service. These services can help you find the best way to maximize the space in your home and help you identify ways to reduce clutter that's taking up your precious storage space.