7 Ways to Make Your Home More Functional in the New Year
Updated: Jan. 06, 2023
Functionality is key to a convenient and clutter-free home. Try these ideas to improve your home in the new year.
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A brand new year means it’s time to reorganize and reprioritize the spaces around your house. The good news is, there are simple ways to gain more storage in the most important rooms in your house without remodeling. Here are seven ways to welcome the new year with less clutter and chaos.
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Maximize Closet Space
For economy and quick installation, you can’t beat wire shelving systems; you can outfit a typical closet in an afternoon. Home centers have everything you need. For a more elegant “furniture grade” look, be prepared to spend hundreds more—or build your own closet organizer.
Add More Shower Shelves
The trouble with those shower caddies that hang from the showerhead pipe is that you only have one showerhead. To double the bathroom storage in your shower, hang another caddy on a cabinet knob mounted inside the shower. Choose a knob that won’t be damaged by water, and drill a ¼-in. hole in the tile and insert a plastic anchor. Then screw in a No. 8-32 hanger screw and twist on the knob.
Mount Mini Bins
Electrical junction boxes can hold a lot more than wiring. You can nail or screw them to just about anything anywhere. In the shop, they’re great for storing tools that can’t hang on hooks—tape measures, markers, chisels, etc.
Optimize Cabinet Space
Lower cabinets offer the biggest storage spaces in your kitchen. But the back half of cabinets is usually wasted—it’s filled with forgotten stuff or left empty because it’s out of sight and out of reach. Rollout shelves reclaim that space. You can buy or build your own kitchen rollout shelves.
Corral Your Curling Irons
Hate the messy look of curling irons lying on the vanity or the toilet tank? Use hook-and-loop tape to attach 5-in. lengths of 2-in.-diameter PVC pipe to the vanity door to hold the curling irons. Do the same thing with 3-in. pieces of 1-1/2-in.-diameter pipe to hold the cords. Just measure your curling irons to see how long your “holsters” need to be. Let your curling irons cool before you stow them away.
Fill Those Cavities
An unfinished wall or ceiling isn’t an eyesore; it’s a storage opportunity. In a weekend you can turn ceiling joist space into storage space with wire shelving.
Store Tools and Equipment on Closet Rod Brackets
Shelf brackets designed to support clothes hanger rods aren’t just for closets. The rod-holding hook on these brackets comes in handy in the garage and workshop, too. You can bend the hook to suit long tools or cords.
