8 Clever Storage Ideas to Steal from the Real Simple Home
Photography by Christopher Testani / Styling by Sara Smart / Flowers by Livia Cetti
If months of stay-at-home orders taught us anything, it's that we have a lot of stuff to declutter around our houses. But even once we purged the paper pile and curated our closets, many of us found that, despite our best efforts, there simply wasn't enough space to stash everything. That's where brilliant storage solutions step in. The 2020 Real Simple Home has no shortage of storage ideas, and the designers have sourced the best organizers from around the web. Here are just a few of our favorites for every room of your house.
A Playful Pegboard
In the tween bedroom, designer Joy Cho made remote learning seem much more fun by decking out the desk with a mustard yellow pegboard and matching arc shelf. The pegboard even has baskets for notebooks and a cup to hold pens.
Pantry Bins and Baskets
The organizing pros at Horderly created our dream pantry, complete with woven storage bins to corral snacks, a turntable for bars, and clear bins so you can quickly grab what you're searching for.
Durable Drawer Dividers
It's easy for bathroom drawers to devolve into a jumble of products. Horderly's solution: invest in modular drawer organizers to sort everything. Their pro tip: store products on their sides with the labels showing so you can quickly spot what you're looking for.
The Most Stylish Shelves (and Side Table!)
The best way to integrate storage into your home is to work it seamlessly into your design plan. In the home office, Etsy trend expert Dayna Isom Johnson installed stunning custom shelves along one wall for books, art, and knickknacks.
When shopping for furniture, look for pieces with built-in storage, like this side table that has a ledge for books or magazines.
Mid-Century Modern Credenza
In the hybrid living room-dining room space, designer Max Humphrey chose a stylish sideboard to conceal essentials out of sight. With three drawers and a spacious cabinet, there's plenty of room to hide table linens, board games, and spare blankets.
The Ultimate Storage Bench
Calling all small-space dwellers: this is the entryway storage bench you've been waiting for. It's less than 3 feet long, has a bench for shoes and baskets, plus the top lifts up to reveal another compartment. It also comes in a darker brown color option, so you can choose the one that matches your decor.
Complete the look with a custom wooden peg rail and the cutest mail organizer ever.
Chic Storage Baskets
Designers Rebecca Atwood and Kate Hamilton Gray created this soothing bedroom with the parents of young kids in mind. On the side of the room, a handwoven floor basket corrals toys, yet maintains the sophisticated look of this grown-up space. Use the same principle to store everything from blocks to video games.
A Woven Tray
At Real Simple, our editors swear by trays and platters to contain the clutter on everything from the kitchen counter to a bedside table. In the reading nook at the Real Simple Home, a beautiful handwoven platter holds reading materials, and would make a safe landing spot for a cup of tea. Each platter is hand-crafted by an artisan in Cambodia, helping to provide a sustainable income for these artisans and their families.
