14 Home Storage Hacks That Only Make Your Space Look Messier
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A well organized home is nice. It’s fresh, easy to figure out, and just… peaceful, and most people would say it’s all about certain hacks. You’ve probably seen a ton of these hacks if you’ve been scrolling through social media or flipping through home decor magazines. They look perfect, but when you try to make them at home the results aren’t always Instagram worthy.
Not all storage solutions work as planned, as you may have found out at one time or another. Some of these hacks actually leave you more disorganized, more frazzled than ever. Here are some storage solutions that sound tempting, but could actually create even more clutter.
Clear Plastic Containers stacked
Clear containers are supposed to make finding things easy, but when they’re piled high, you’re playing Container Jenga with every trip to the bottom. And let’s not forget, these stacks can visually take up too much space in your space, making it look like an inventory warehouse, not a cozy home.
The Infamous Catch-All Drawer
It’s a great idea for a designated ‘catch all’ drawer, but it’s too easy for it to become a junk abyss. It begins with a hodgepodge of random things you didn’t want to work on, and then it expands into a chaotic mess of things you should have organized ‘later.’ Before you know it, you are fishing through tangled cables, old receipts, and random keys, which make it all the more frustrating to find anything, because everything doesn’t have its own spot.
Over-the-Door Shoe Organizers
Using vertical space, shoe organizers on the back of doors seem like a great way to use up space, especially for small items. Yet, when you begin to fill every pocket with random knick knacks, it starts to look cluttered and bulky. There’s also the fact that when you close the door things shift around, and before you know it, your things seem to have been through a mini tornado.
Pantry Staples in Jars
Pasta, grains, spices all look great in jars, but unless you keep it up, it’s just one more thing to deal with. As soon as they are half empty, they stop looking charming. Then there’s the extra step every time you restock, and who has time for that every week?
Fridge Organizers
It’s like organizers in the fridge are the key to keeping food visible and accessible, but many compartments can be too restricting, and items that don’t fit well break things up. If your fridge looks like a Tetris game of bins, then it might be time to think again.
Bathroom Toiletries Floating Shelves
Floating shelves in the bathroom to store toiletries and towels seems functional and stylish, but the idea can quickly devolve into chaos if everything isn’t artfully arranged. It also takes away from the clean, spa like vibe you’re probably going for with every extra bottle, lotion or razor on display in your medicine cabinet.
Appliance Garage on the Counter
The idea of storing toasters, blenders and other small appliances in an “appliance garage” sounds pretty good until you find out it’s taking up all your counter space and making your kitchen look cluttered. Instead of giving you a tidy look, it can visually overcrowd the space you need to prep work.
Lids Stacked on Top of Pots and Pans
Stacking lids on top of your pots and pans seems like a good idea using every inch of cabinet space. When it’s time to grab one though, you’re stuck playing a balancing act. Plus, the stacks are cluttered every time you open the cabinet, and it’s anything but visually appealing.
Organizing Books By Color
It’s a pretty cute idea on social media where you can organize your books by color, but for avid readers, it’s not a practical hack. Not only will it make it tough to locate a particular title, but a large collection can also make your shelves look like a rainbow mishmash of chaos. Instead, what you have is a bright and messy display that is not a streamlined library.
Under-Bed Storage Bins
According to Consumer Reports, storing off season clothes or bulky items under the bed seems like an ideal solution. Yet the reality is that things under the bed get dusty and get forgotten. It eventually just becomes another forgotten storage area that’s too much hassle to get to on a regular basis.
Overfilled Entryway Hooks
Coats, bags and hats hooks by the door are a logical addition to any entryway, but it gets cluttered as soon as it starts to get overloaded. At the entrance, you’re not met with a welcoming, organized drop zone, instead you’re faced with a wall of items that can feel more like an obstacle course than a tidy drop zone.
Open Shelving Everywhere
Minimalist photo spreads can make open shelves look trendy, but they take a lot of work. Open shelves are great when you’re willing to keep everything in perfect order all the time or they become a mess of mismatched items. You’d have mismatched coffee mugs and a lonely cereal box on full display for everyone to see. It’s much easier for most of us to tuck things behind closed doors and keep the mystery alive.
Overusing Storage Baskets
According to Homes & Gardens, storage baskets seem like a great way to add style and organization. The problem is when you start using baskets for everything, it leads to a pile of baskets that make a lot of visual noise. Now, things are scattered, but instead of being scattered, you have baskets scattered all over the place, and if you don’t put labels on them or have discipline, you’ll end up with a place to ‘store’ things, but never find them again.
Random Things Repurposed in Jars
Old jars to store pens, paper clips, bathroom cotton balls can all look mismatched and messy in a hurry. They can be distracting unless they’re all the same size and neatly labeled, the different shapes and heights can make for a cluttered look that’s less cohesive than it is distracting.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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