There’s a pretty good chance your Denver home has storage space you aren’t actually using.
Not because there’s a secret room hiding behind a bookshelf — although that would be considerably more exciting.
We’re talking about the everyday spaces that get overlooked.
The empty wall above a closet shelf. The awkward corner underneath the stairs. The garage wall behind the mountain of bikes. The entryway currently holding enough shoes to open a small store.
When storage starts getting tight, homeowners naturally start thinking they need more room.
But before adding square footage, moving things into the garage or buying another collection of plastic bins, take a closer look at the home you already have.
You may not need more space.
You may simply need to stop wasting the space that’s already there.
1. Look Up Inside Your Closet
One of the easiest places to find wasted space is directly above your clothes.
Many standard closets have one hanging rod with a shelf above it.
And then?
Nothing.
Several feet of perfectly usable vertical space can remain completely empty while the lower half of the closet gets increasingly crowded.
A professionally designed custom closet in Denver can use much more of the available height.
Double-hang sections can create additional room for shirts and pants. Upper shelving can store seasonal clothing and less frequently used items. Drawers can provide organized storage for folded clothing and accessories.
Shoes can get dedicated shelving instead of slowly taking over the floor.
The design can also account for your actual wardrobe.
Someone who owns mostly casual clothing has different storage needs than someone with suits, long dresses, handbags or 47 pairs of shoes.
The closet should be designed around those differences.
2. The Entryway and Mudroom
Denver homeowners know how quickly an entryway can become crowded.
Shoes.
Boots.
Coats.
Backpacks.
Hats.
Outdoor gear.
Dog leashes.
And the reusable water bottle somebody left there three days ago.
When everything enters the house through the same area, clutter doesn’t take long.
A custom mudroom or entryway system can create designated storage for all of it.
Hooks can keep jackets and backpacks off the floor. Cubbies can give family members individual storage areas. Benches can provide seating with shoe storage underneath. Closed cabinetry can hide seasonal gear and less attractive household items.
For active Colorado households, this can be especially useful.
Hiking gear, ski accessories, helmets, boots and other outdoor equipment need somewhere to go when they aren’t being used.
Preferably somewhere other than directly in front of the door.
3. Under the Stairs
The space beneath a staircase is one of those areas everyone knows exists but nobody quite knows what to do with.
So the vacuum moves in.
Then a broom.
Then some boxes.
Eventually the vacuum has an entire apartment.
Depending on the layout and construction of your home, under-stair space may be suitable for custom drawers, cabinetry, shelving, pantry storage or general household storage.
The unusual shape is usually what makes this area difficult to use.
That’s also what makes custom storage particularly useful.
Instead of forcing standard furniture into an angled space, cabinetry can be designed around the dimensions that are actually there.
4. The Garage Walls
If there is one area where Denver homeowners can find serious storage potential, it’s the garage.
Outdoor lifestyles come with stuff.
Bikes.
Skis.
Snowboards.
Camping equipment.
Golf clubs.
Tools.
Coolers.
Holiday decorations.
Eventually the garage becomes less of a garage and more of a sporting goods warehouse that happens to have a garage door.
But while the floor gets crowded, the walls often remain underused.
Custom garage storage can move a significant amount of that equipment vertically through cabinetry and shelving.
Frequently used gear can remain accessible while seasonal items move higher.
Tools can have designated storage.
Household overflow can be organized rather than stacked.
And perhaps most importantly, you may actually be able to park the car inside again before the next Denver snowstorm.
5. Blank Walls
A blank wall is often treated as decoration space.
But it can also become storage.
Custom built-ins can transform unused walls into cabinetry and shelving without requiring another room.
In a living room, that might mean an entertainment center with closed storage.
In a dining area, cabinetry can hold serving pieces, dishes and glassware.
In a bedroom, built-ins can provide additional wardrobe storage.
In a home office, they can create shelving, drawers and file storage.
Because the cabinetry is designed around the room, it can look intentional rather than like another piece of furniture squeezed into the space.
6. The Pantry
A pantry can be surprisingly large and still function terribly.
Deep shelves hide smaller items.
Tall shelves leave empty space above short containers.
Bags get stacked wherever they’ll fit.
Eventually you’re standing in the grocery store wondering whether you have pasta sauce at home.
You do.
You have five jars.
They’re just hiding.
A custom pantry in Denver can create storage around the types of food, appliances and household items you actually keep.
Adjustable shelving can eliminate unnecessary gaps.
Different sections can be created for canned goods, snacks, baking supplies and bulk items.
Small appliances can have dedicated areas instead of consuming valuable kitchen counter space.
Better organization doesn’t necessarily mean putting more things in the pantry.
Sometimes it simply means being able to find them.
7. Corners in Walk-In Closets
A large walk-in closet isn’t automatically an efficient walk-in closet.
Corners can waste a surprising amount of space.
Hanging sections can overlap.
Shelving can become too deep to reach comfortably.
Entire corners can essentially become decorative air.
A properly planned custom walk-in closet takes those areas into consideration.
Shelving can wrap around corners.
Hanging sections can transition appropriately.
Cabinet depths can be adjusted to keep everything accessible.
Those seemingly small design choices can add up to significantly more usable storage without making the closet any larger.
8. The Laundry Room
Your washer and dryer take up floor space.
But the walls above them?
That’s where the opportunity is.
Laundry rooms often have large areas of unused vertical space.
Custom cabinetry can provide storage for detergent, cleaning products, linens and household supplies.
Open shelving can keep frequently used items accessible.
Depending on the room, you may also be able to incorporate pull-out hampers, drawers and folding space.
Will any of this make you excited about laundry?
No.
We’re going to manage expectations here.
But it can make the room considerably easier to use.
9. The Guest Room Closet
Guest room closets have a predictable life cycle.
At first, they’re empty.
Then a suitcase gets stored inside.
Then some winter clothing.
Then holiday decorations.
Then extra blankets.
Eventually a guest arrives and discovers that their designated closet space is approximately the width of one hanger.
A custom reach-in closet can allow the space to serve both purposes.
Upper shelving can hold seasonal items and household overflow while hanging areas remain available for visitors.
Drawers and adjustable shelves can create additional storage without consuming the entire closet.
Your guests get a closet.
You keep the storage.
Everybody wins.
10. The Home Office
A home office can become cluttered even when almost everything you do is digital.
Printers, paperwork, cables, chargers, notebooks and office supplies somehow still appear.
Then they take over the desk.
Custom home office cabinetry can create designated storage around the workspace.
Files can stay organized and out of sight.
Equipment can have dedicated areas.
Shelving can provide room for books and display pieces.
Drawers can keep smaller supplies from covering every available surface.
The goal is to make the office feel like somewhere you can work rather than somewhere paperwork goes when nobody knows what else to do with it.
11. That Random Hall Closet
Every house has one closet whose job description is simply:
Stuff.
Cleaning supplies.
Paper towels.
Tools.
Batteries.
Extra towels.
Board games.
Pet supplies.
Things you haven’t identified yet.
The closet may actually have plenty of room.
The problem is that it wasn’t designed for any of those things.
Adjustable shelving and designated storage zones can dramatically improve how efficiently a hall or utility closet functions.
Frequently used items can remain easy to reach while bulk supplies and less frequently used items move higher.
And opening the door no longer becomes an extreme sport.
Your Home May Have More Space Than You Think
When a house starts feeling cluttered, it’s easy to assume you need more room.
Before reaching that conclusion, look around differently.
Look above the closet rod.
Look underneath the stairs.
Look at the garage walls.
Look at the empty wall in the office.
Look inside the pantry.
There may already be plenty of usable square footage.
It’s simply not being used very well.
Good custom storage isn’t about covering every wall with cabinets or trying to fit as much stuff as humanly possible into a room.
It’s about creating storage where it makes sense and designing it around the way your household actually lives.
Custom Storage Solutions in Denver, CO
Clozetivity of Denver designs custom storage solutions for homeowners throughout Denver and surrounding Colorado communities.
That includes custom closets, walk-in closets, reach-in closets, pantries, mudrooms, laundry rooms, garage storage, home offices and custom built-ins designed specifically for the available space.
Whether you’re trying to create more room for outdoor gear, improve a small closet, organize a pantry or finally reclaim the garage, custom storage can help you get more from the square footage you already own.
Because sometimes you don’t need a bigger home.
You just need the home you already have to work a whole lot harder.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Mudrooms, entryway storage and garage systems can provide designated areas for items such as jackets, boots, helmets, hiking equipment, skis and other outdoor gear.
Absolutely. Smaller closets can benefit significantly from double hanging areas, adjustable shelving, drawers, shoe storage and better use of vertical space.
Yes. Garage cabinetry and shelving can help organize tools, sports equipment, seasonal items, outdoor gear and household overflow while freeing up floor space.
Yes. Custom storage solutions can include pantries, laundry rooms, mudrooms, garages, home offices, built-ins and other areas throughout the home.
Depending on the construction and dimensions, custom cabinetry and shelving can often be designed around corners, angled ceilings and other areas where standard storage products may not fit efficiently.
Yes. Better pantry organization can create dedicated storage for food, small appliances and household supplies, which can also help free up cabinets and countertop space in the kitchen.
Written by
Clozetivity Colorado