It’s easy to overlook the importance of storage solutions when deciding on your new home. At the time, choosing floor plans, picking upgrades, colours and finishes – these all become a priority. However, once you’ve moved in, the amount of available storage space is sure to take centre stage.
In order to keep your new home feeling as spacious as ever, talk to your builder about ways storage can be incorporated into the build. This will help you keep the clutter at bay so you can maintain an open and functional living space.
1. A Bigger Garage
Garages are used for more than just parking cars. Most families use their garage set-up to store bicycles, outside toys, patio furniture, holiday decorations and much more. In fact, many people owning a single car garage end up parking their cars in the driveway because they need the storage space. For this reason, it’s easy to see how a two or three car garage can make sense, even if you don’t have that many vehicles. Alternatively, many people choose to add a 2′ or 4′ garage extension, which will increase storage space without any wasted space. When you choose a floor plan that has a large garage, you’ll be sure to have enough room for your vehicles and anything else you need to store.
2. Ample Cabinet Space
You know that you want a lot of space in the bedroom closets, but don’t overlook the importance of cabinet space in other areas throughout the home. For instance, extra kitchen cabinets could be a good place to store kitchen gadgets that you only use on occasion. Look at the size of the cabinets and measure your belongings to be sure that you have enough space.
3. Mudroom Lockers
Mudrooms are the perfect entryway into the home, allowing you and (more importantly) the kids to take off muddy shoes and wet jackets so they don’t get the house dirty. Incorporate storage right into the room with lockers for each member of the family. This means everyone will have a separate place to store all of their things. Consider adding an extra locker or two to accommodate guests. You’ll be happier with how tidy this makes the room.
4. Walk-In Closets
If you haven’t had one before, a walk-in closet can seem like an unnecessary luxury. However, once you have them, you’ll see what a convenient place they can be for storage. With a walk-in closet, you may not have to pack away clothes at the end of the season, and you can use the space to store other belongings. If it’s off-limits to the kids, it’s also a great place to stash Christmas and birthday presents until the big day. Having walk-in closets can even add to the resale value of your home, which can be one of the best reasons to include them in your plan.
5. Walk-In, Walk-Through & Built-In Kitchen Pantry
Meals get made faster when you can quickly find all the ingredients. A kitchen pantry is the perfect solution putting lots of food right at your fingertips. Whether you choose a walk-in, walk-through, or the increasingly popular built-in cabinet pantry, you’ll easily be able to store everything you need to make mealtimes easier. All this space also helps you save money on groceries by allowing you to buy in bulk or stock up when there’s a big sale on your favourite items. Tip: If getting the groceries to the kitchen always seems to be a struggle, then a walk-through pantry built near the garage entry makes unloading so much easier!
6. Kitchen Island
Kitchen islands are popular because they offer a lot of extra space for food prep, but they also provide you with added storage space. Built into the island, there will be cupboards or drawers that work well for storing pots and pans, serving utensils, or holiday dishes. You could also have your builder put in a separate storage section for wine and glasses.
7. Built-In Storage
When you’re building your home, you have the advantage of being able to add a few little convenient extras. Built-in shelves and other storage solutions are the perfect way to make use of the space. Since they’re built right into the wall – which would otherwise be ‘dead space’ – you’ll be able to make full use of the space that you have in the room. For example, a built-in entertainment unit in the living room or built-in shelving in the bathroom. Ask your builder about the various ways they can incorporate this type of storage into your new home build.
As you look at floor plans and start dreaming about your perfect home, don’t forget to think about storage. When you have ample storage space, you’re guaranteed to benefit from added functionality. And when you have a tidy home, you’ll be glad you thought about it when you did.
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