Do you have a ridiculously high shelf you can't reach? A gap between your kitchen cabinets and the ceiling? A space at the top of the closet that you're unsure how to use? You're not alone. We all have storage that's hard to reach; the key to a more organized home is knowing how to use it wisely.
If you're looking for some easy home organization ideas, start by streamlining your storage. To get started, it helps to think like a real estate agent. There's no use letting perfectly adequate storage go to waste just because it's tricky to reach without a ladder. On the other hand, you don't want to go through the hassle of fetching belongings from those hard-to-reach places on a daily basis.
Ask any professional organizer, and they'll tell you that high-up storage should always be reserved for items you rarely use. The more infrequent, the better. From seasonal clothing to cumbersome sports gear, here are the items that organizers always store in hard-to-reach places for the most convenient storage possible.
1. Holiday and Birthday Decorations
No matter how big your family is, I doubt you're making use of those birthday decorations every month. The likes of birthday candles, Christmas decorations, and Easter accessories don't deserve a prime position among our storage. Instead, keeping these items in those awkward, out-of-reach areas is a great storage hack.
"All the fun stuff like banners, party hats, string lights, and even themed serving trays can live way up high in the kitchen cabinet, pantry, or even the secondary storage area in the basement or garage," explains Di Ter Avest, professional organizer and founder of Di is Organized. "You really only pull them out a few times a year, so there's no reason for them to take up easy-to-reach storage space day-to-day."
2. Off-Season Clothing
Rule 101 of closet organization is to switch out your seasonal clothes for optimum storage. "Off-season clothes are another category of items to store away out of sight," explains Barbara Brock, Founder & CEO of Barbara Brock Inc., For example, your winter jumpers, heavy jackets, and snowboots don't need to take up valuable closet space during the summer months, and vice versa.
The best thing you can do is commit to rearranging your closet biannually, relegating your off-season stuff to a high shelf or the very top of your wardrobe. "When the seasons change, I always recommend packing away things like big heavy coats, sweaters, and boots," says Di. "Vacuum-sealed bags or clear bins work great for this — and if they're up on a high shelf in your closet, it's no big deal because you only need them a few months out of the year."
3. Special Occasion and Rarely-Used Kitchenware
Kitchen storage is notoriously hard to organize, but one of the best things you can do is dedicate top shelves or upper cabinets to your less-used items. "Special plates, serving platters, and fancy glassware that you only use for big gatherings (like Thanksgiving or birthday parties) are perfect for those hard-to-reach shelves," says Di. "There's no need to have them crowding your everyday cabinets."
The same goes for bulky appliances you don't use daily. "Occasional use of kitchen appliances such as grills, Dutch ovens or stock pots can be placed up high, or even in pantries or closets," says Barbara. We think it's one of the best ways to enhance the "dead space" above kitchen cabinets (just be sure to opt for a beautiful storage basket for items that are on the unsightly side).
4. Suitcases and Travel Bags
Our bedrooms often become a storage hotspot. They're not the sort of space anyone else sees often, and there aren't really any rules on what you should and shouldn't keep here. They're also rife with hard-to-reach storage spots like the space atop your closet, which happens to be the perfect bedroom storage idea for suitcases.
"Hard to reach, high storage is a good place for luggage unless you are using it weekly," explains Barbara. "For the occasional trip, storing luggage in inaccessible areas is preferred and can be a space saver for things you need access to more frequently."
Di adds that the garage shelf can be a good option for your luggage, too. "You can even tuck smaller bags inside bigger ones to save space.' Di
5. Sentimental keepsakes
Decluttering sentimental items isn't easy. There are some things that we just can't let go of. Your kid's first painting, for example, or those family heirlooms that don't complement your home but you refuse to part with nonetheless. No one's forcing you to part with these keepsakes, but since they're not something you want frequent access to, they make great contenders for those hard-to-reach storage places.
"Keepsakes are something I encourage putting in the way, far back spots," suggests professional organizer, Melissa Gugni. "Fill up boxes, label them, and save them for when folks have more time to work through them."
"Memory boxes, kids' art projects, old yearbooks — all the stuff you can't part with but don't need to look at every day — can go up high," adds Di. "I like to use sturdy file bins with hanging folders divided by grade or school year and label them clearly so you can pull them down easily when you're feeling nostalgic." You could also fit them neatly within uniform storage baskets so they're decorative, too.
6. Seasonal Sports Gear
The key to good garage organization is to only use the top shelf or hatch for things you rarely use. A great case in point? Sports gear — the seasonal kind in particular.
"Things like skis, snowboards, sleds, or even camping gear take up a lot of space but only get used for part of the year," Di explains. "Stashing them up high or in the harder-to-reach corners of the garage, attic, or closet is a good use of your space."
The same ethos extends to other pastimes, too. "Hobbies that need to be temporarily shelved during busy seasons of life, such as sewing or knitting gear, should be reserved for high-up storage," says Melissa.
Our hard-to-reach storage shouldn't be redundant. Yes, you need to think more carefully about how you use it, but by reserving it for infrequently used items like the ones above, you can easily create storage that's more convenient and efficiently organized in next to no time.
