Storage Solutions

You don't have to make closets and other storage spaces bigger to make them better. A little planning and a wide variety of affordable, easy-to-install products can put every square inch of space to work throughout your house.

Begin with a quick inventory of the items you want to store. Then choose the accessories that accommodate those items. Here we'll broaden the scope to include a variety of storage products for every room in the house.

When buying storage products on your own, be sure to check on installation hardware; sometimes it's included with the product, though often you must buy it separately. And, before making a decision, find out whether a storage product is easy to assemble and can be expanded to hold added items.

The storage areas in the kitchen are prime candidates for organizing. Try to create dedicated storage for each work area in this room. A cooking area, for example, should have cookware and utensils nearby. If you do a lot of baking, store bowls, mixers and cookie and cake pans near where you work.

You can make kitchen base cabinets more efficient and items easier to find by outfitting cabinets with pull-out shelves or drawers. Finally, store frequently used items where they're easiest to reach — between your eyes and waist, in most cases.

Don't forget to include sports and exercise equipment in your storage plans. Getting bikes and other items off the floor and onto racks or shelves will protect them while keeping them out of the way.

The garage is another storage trouble spot for many homeowners. Here, locate shelves and cabinets where they won't interfere with opening and closing car doors.

If your garage is attached to the house, put a table or waist-high shelf near the door. You'll find it a handy spot for setting down packages when you unlock the door.

The right products put everything from frying pans to mountain bikes at your fingertips when you need them — and out of the way when you don't.

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