Help me please! Not enough cupboards - moved house

brunettegirl

I will admit that yes I am a hoarder of a kind but I have been good and sold/given away/binned a lot since we moved house however,

this house is a lot smaller and there is a lack of cupboards/shelves /anything.
please help/suggest - sorry it's long!

Kitchen - I have a larder in the kitchen it is a decent size I think but only has 3 shelves not very wide and we have been told by the landlord not to put up other shelves. so i have all this floor space and not sure how to use it the best and cheapest I'm thinking those plastic drawers that you can get and leaving tinns on shelves?

Bathroom - OMG there is nothing and no room I have a window sill and thats it, ther eis no space next to toilet or bath or sink we have a stool for toddler to stand on and a bin i bought one of theose chrome free standing things, hardly holds anything suggestions?

bedroom - we have 2 drawers, 1 wardrobe and no room for anything else, I might manage a box at the end of the bed but a very narrow one - do they exsist? i did get some baskets to put cosmetics in on top of drawers - again we are not allowed to drill holes and put up shelves.

hallway - there is a space next to the stairs not to wide but maybe a tall cupboard could go there...

living room we put the tv on the wall but still need some kind of long table or something to store stuff in but I don't know what

Utility room - we stacked the tumble drier on top of the washing machine to keep space and my old sideboard is currently in there full of bath towels and other stuff, but it can't stay takes up too much room...

Its all a mess and I just have visions of those god awful and stupidly expensive plastic drawers everywhere, the only room thats ok is my toddlers!
I have already bought some xmas pressies under the bed at the mo and god knows how i managed it there is no more room
we are already collecting firewood and newspapers for winter for our open fire but i need somewhere suitable to store the cupboard under the stairs is fulll of tools and oh stuff
I can't really downsize more than i have so help please......

LittleMissAspie

Why did you move somewhere that doesn't have enough space? More decluttering may have to be done. I think it's reasonable to ask the landlord if he'll put up a bathroom cupboard, it's weird not to have one.

Ikea is very good for storage ideas.

Kitchen - plastic drawers or any kind of cheap shelving/cupboard unit.

Bathroom - Chrome stands that go around the basin leg, boxes on top of cupboard if you get one, chrome stands to go in the corner of the bath (make sure you clean behind it regularly).

Bedroom - taller drawer units, boxes on top of wardrobe, underbed pull-out drawers.

Hallway - tall cupboard like you've said or coat stand and slimline shoe boxes from Ikea

Living room - coffee tables with built-in storage plus the usual living room shelves and cupboards

Utility room - well it's good that you have one of these, you can get all sorts of cheap customisable storage, make sure the units are tall to get more on.

Do you really need the tools under the stairs if you are renting?
Do you have any outside space, you could get a small shed or store to keep the fire materials.

brunettegirl

LittleMissAspie wrote: »

Why did you move somewhere that doesn't have enough space? More decluttering may have to be done. I think it's reasonable to ask the landlord if he'll put up a bathroom cupboard, it's weird not to have one.
We liked the house and needed to find somewhere else within budget
there is no space to put up a cupboard in the bathroom
Ikea is very good for storage ideas.
too expensive for us

Kitchen - plastic drawers or any kind of cheap shelving/cupboard unit.

Bathroom - Chrome stands that go around the basin leg, boxes on top of cupboard if you get one, chrome stands to go in the corner of the bath (make sure you clean behind it regularly).
the chrome stands that go round the sink we tried one but it was too big and you smacked it with your legs everytime you brush your teeth/used the sink there isn't a lit of leg room really

Bedroom - taller drawer units, boxes on top of wardrobe, underbed pull-out drawers.
Already have boxes on top of wardrobe and extra bed up there
Hallway - tall cupboard like you've said or coat stand and slimline shoe boxes from Ikea

Living room - coffee tables with built-in storage plus the usual living room shelves and cupboards

Utility room - well it's good that you have one of these, you can get all sorts of cheap customisable storage, make sure the units are tall to get more on.

Do you really need the tools under the stairs if you are renting?
Do you have any outside space, you could get a small shed or store to keep the fire materials.

only got 2 tool boxes, hoover, mop and bucket, some paint, his box of it stuff - he won't part with it, car seat, step ladders - not the biggest cupbaord as thats where the boiler is

We have a greenhouse but it has no door - was in the garden when we got here, i have no idea how secure it is, we are due to put up a fence/gate once that is up and people can't see into the garden i am more likely to use it but only fire stuff and gardening stuff in there really.

Evil small houses

vivaladiva

For the kitchen, can you put a telescopic rail across your window to hang things on. I've had to do this in a tiny kitchen and it can take quite a lot. Won't take heavy items though. I shamelessly nicked this idea from my neighbour who has an even smaller kitchen. This might work for the bathroom too?

maman

My DD was in your position. We talked to the landlord and were allowed to put up shelves and extra kitchen cupboards provided we agreed to remove them and make good the walls when she moved out. In the event, the next tenant was happy to have them so they stayed.

It might be worth speaking to the landlord again if you intend to stay a while. If not then I'd go for the tallest units possible (Ikea Billy bookcases are good and you can get doors to enclose the shelving) then you can move them with you. For the garden, you can buy these sort of free standing sheds

(this one's from Tesco) that would take all the tools, stuff for the fire, spare toys.

In the kitchen you could just keep one of everything foodwise, that's what I do. I then have an overflow cupboard (in the bedroom) for all spare tins and packets that I've got as offers.

I've also got a couple of chest/toybox/ottoman type things which double up as seating/coffee tables.

Do you have any family/friends nearby who might store things for you like the Christmas presents?

Good luck.

Hazy_days

Suggestion for bathroom - not especially pretty but one of those over the door shoe holder/pocket type things which could store toiletries?

annie123

Bathroom: you need an over the door tidy like this one:
http://www.dunelm-mill.com/shop/over-door-organiser-215401?utm_source=google&utm_medium=googleshopping&utm_campaign=gshopping
and if there's space http://www.dunelm-mill.com/shop/utility-room-5-bar-radiator-indoor-clothes-airer-195451 to put hand towels, flannels etc to air or http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/White-Rubber-Suction-Tea-Towel-Cloth-Holder-Pack-3-/290579327243?pt=UK_Kitchen_Accessories&hash=item43a7e0a90b#ht_2498wt_1177 suction holders, might be useful elsewhere too.

Kitchen: Some kitchen units have the plinths attached by pop on and off clips, look to see if yours are the same. There is loads of space under then which takes extra tins, hidden xmas pressies etc.

Panty: is there room for a unit like this: http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/7000663/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CGarden+and+DIY%7C14418702/Trail/searchtext%3ESHELF+UNIT.htm you can get smaller and cheaper ones.

firewood etc http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/7204500/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CGarden+and+DIY%7C14418702/Trail/searchtext%3EPLASTIC+STORAGE+BOX.htm waterproof, so maybe 2 and store other stuff like extra tins of food for winter?


If the sofa is up against a wall, could it be pulled forward to allow storage box, bags of clothes etc behind it? may not even notice, mine doesn't due to the angle of the back of the sofa.

There are lots of storage tables for living rooms available, http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/6109156/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CHome+and+furniture%7C14417894/c_2/2%7C14417894%7CLiving+room+furniture%7C14418122/c_3/3%7Ccat_14418122%7CCoffee+tables+with+storage%7C14418131.htm
My son got a nice ethnic style one about 4' long free from freecycle.

Try freecycle for everything first and have a look on ebay too.

PipneyJane

Hi. I haven't read anyone else's response - haven't had time, but I'd like to suggest IKEA's Ivar shelving units. They are my kitchen cabinets at the moment (we ran out of money during renovations).

Don't be put off by the units pictured. Ivar is cheap and modular: you buy two uprights and a cross-brace, then purchase as many shelves as you need (or cupboards). Ivar comes in three heights, two depths and two widths. I have the 179cm uprights in both depths and they hold a lot! They're tough, too - my shelfs hold multiple 5kg boxes of flour and rice and aren't bowing. If you're worried about lack of drawers, the thick, heavy-cardboard fruit boxes from the supermarkets work beautifully, although they do stick out of the 30cm deep shelves a bit (mine hold multiple 2kg bags of dried pulses).

Hope this helps.

vivaladiva

Another idea for the kitchen...
I saw some over the door hooks in Dunelm at the weekend. These were for kitchen cabinet doors and I thought thery looked really useful. You could probably hang some plastic containers/baskets on them. A lot of space is wasted on the backs of doors. Don't know why I didn't pick some up.
(Apart from using them as an excuse for another mosey around .)

annie123

Another thought, can you use the loft?

brunettegirl

annie123 wrote: »

Another thought, can you use the loft?

Alas no, no head room and to be honest doubt either me or my oh would get through the hatch tis tiny!