Hollie Bowden’s storage ideas for a bank holiday clear-out, from modular systems to curtains on cupboards

These canny space hacks and smart pieces will help you crack your home storage. They might even make your Easter clear-out feel like fun
Solid wood cabinets with horsehair doors
Hollie Bowden
Hollie Bowden6 April 2023

There’s nothing like a stubborn layer of rubbish to hold your house back. Before you sling it all in a storage unit this weekend, consider whether you’re making the best of the space you’ve got — or whether these tried-and-tested hacks could restore order.

1. Define your hierarchy of stuff

How often do you dig for your suitcases, or the Christmas tree stand for that matter? If you’ve got one main catch-all cupboard, layer it strategically.

For simplicity’s sake, divide the contents into two camps — deep storage and day-to-day — and vacuum pack those winter coats and jumpers to magic up even more space.

2. Think vertical

Sometimes we can’t see the space right in front of us.

The hoover in the cupboard-under-the-stairs is a classic offender in the space-hogging stakes, as is the ironing board leaning diagonally. Simple shelves and internal dividers can be seriously inexpensive.

Ditto cool vintage hooks on the back of doors. It’s basic stuff, but half of us aren’t doing it.

3. Capitalise on dead space

An ottoman is the ultimate lift-and-shove solution when you’ve got guests coming over in five minutes — and you’d probably be using that square footage for a coffee table anyway.

Lift-up beds, like Gervasoni’s “Brick” designs, look far cooler than a divan with drawers; go hydraulic-assisted so you don’t pull a muscle trying to get at your spare bed linen.

Antique furniture is often seriously undervalued. One of my biggest interiors regrets is selling my beautiful Biedermeier chest with its cavernous drawers. Cabinets from this period are as pretty as they are practical.

A Biedermeier burl wood chest
Hollie Bowden

4. Commission with confidence

Some of my clients will happily spend thousands on an Eames lounge chair, but then balk at the cost of a built-in wardrobe.

Bespoke joinery is pricey, and you’ll probably want to know you’re staying put for a while, but you can’t put a price on that level of customisation. It may seem counterintuitive, but the smaller the space the better the investment.

A good carpenter can steer you towards the right materials, dimensions and timelines — spoiler, it’s often months, not weeks — but the internal configuration is all you. Take realistic stock of your clothes and shoes before committing.

5. Swap doors for a curtain

If you want to slash the cost of a wall of storage, hang a curtain instead of doors. We did just that for a recent client, who was keen on something bespoke but didn’t have the budget for the full monty.

A more ambitious take on the modish sink curtain, it’s a great way to incorporate a gorgeous fabric and it’ll simultaneously soften the space and give it a sense of theatre. It could be as simple as a hanging rail with a curtain track.

6. Go modular

There’s a reason those classic storage systems from the Fifties and Sixties have stuck around. Few require tools for adjustments, and you can divide and downsize them as well as add.

I’m a huge fan of Vitsoe and the punchy colours of USM, but Elfa is easier on the bank account. Go and have a look at these systems in a showroom — you would for a sofa, so why not investment storage?

7. Conceal and reveal

Storage shouldn’t be a byword for hiding your old junk. A thorough sort is likely to turn out old favourites or unexpected groupings that deserve to see the light of day, so break up open cabinets with moments of display.

Modular systems always combine closed andopen elements. Maybe you’ve got an awkward niche that you could run a couple of shelves across, or some existing built-in storage that could do with a door or two removed?

Bookshelves make brilliant room partitions, but don’t feel restricted to a big rectangle. Ron Arad’s snaking “Bookworm” shelf for Kartell, which can flex into different forms, is a beautiful piece of collectible design.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in

MORE ABOUT