Taken from the Economic Voice December 2015
The kids have finally flown the nest but they have still left behind all their childhood souvenirs. These are old toys they couldn’t bear to part with, boxes of cd’s, books and who knows what else. You don;t want to throw away their old items, but you are ready to downsize your home. So how do you make space? Here are some stroage solutions.
Rent a storage locker:
This really makes you think about what you are storing, remind your kids of what this costs.
Put it away:
Ottoman chests are great for storing items and many come with padded lids so can double up as attractive seats that fit well under windows.
Under the bed:
Many beds now come with plenty of storage underneath, some have drawers built in under the bed frame to keep everything neat and tidy.
Vacuum pack:
If you have lots of clothes cushions or bedding but no space to store it-have a look at vacuum packing. With large bags you can quickly reduce a pile of clothes into a quarter of the size by popping them into the bag, then using the nozzle on your vacuum claner to suck out the air. Then seal the bag and you are done.
Under stair storage;
Most of us have space under our stairs that could easily be converted to store items. Consider putting up shelving in the space, or smart storage boxes. The space could be converted into a cupboard for putting things away neatly.
Hang it up;
If you have a garage,loft or shed that you use for storage but its filled to the brim, have a look at attaching hooks to walls which can use used to mount items which frees up floor space.