Making the most of a small home’s storage
At an average of $650$909 per-square-foot, home space in the Bay Area is a precious commodity. Once the thrill of moving into a small home wears off, the question becomes how to use the space in the cleverest ways possible.
Rick Burgard, owner of RB Handyman Services in Oakley, has grown accustomed to clients requesting fixes for their storage and organization problems.
“We deal with it all the time. We live in the Bay Area,” Burgard said with a laugh.
According to Burgard, common requests include adding shelves that hang from the ceiling joists and cabinets in the garage. “We also get a lot of calls for sheds. Anything under 120 square feet and built 3 feet from the fence line doesn’t need a permit,” the longtime handyman said.
In Burgard’s estimation, the value of an outdoor shed is obvious. “It’s like having the space in an extra 10-by-12foot bedroom.” Even if the items stored in the shed, like lawnmowers and flower pots, would never have taken up room in the house, their absence from the garage can create extra space there.
Terri Vellios, a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty in Campbell, says that given the intense competition for Bay Area homes, storage is a luxury her buyers rarely discuss. When a buyer does ask for extra space it is for a specific reason.
“It depends upon the client themselves and the reason they’re buying,” she said. “For example, I’m current working with a buyer who needs and outdoor workshop.”
While that home with a workshop may or may not appear on the market soon, the 20 year real estate veteran frequently tries to help her clients visualize what a house can look like after they move in.
“I might have a buyer who doesn’t need a third bedroom but needs a walk-in closet. I can talk to them about converting that third bedroom into the closet they want,” Vellios said.
According to Vellios, the shortage of homes on the market has created a situation in which people may want a pantry but do not feel as though they can ask for it due to competition from other buyers.
It is after the purchase that a builder or handyman like Burgard comes in to help remedy the situation. He has transformed both hall closets and 70s-era wet bars into pantries.
Other storage fixes for homes lacking in space include:
Maximize cabinets — all of them. Burgard says that adding pull-out and turn-table shelves to cabinets throughout a home can make dead space usable.
Think vertically. Shelves hung high up along the perimeter of walls offers extra feet of space in every room of the house. While any style of shelf would be appropriate in a closet, shelves in communal spaces can be more carefully considered. Given the wide array of ready-made shelving available, that extra squarefootage can be chosen to match the existing molding and/or décor.
Look for pieces that serve double-duty. For example, an ottoman with a removable top is the perfect place to store blankets, while a small bookshelf behind the sofa will keep books and magazines off the floor and double as a sofa table. Stack vintage suitcases next to the bed and use it both as a nightstand and a place to keep out-of-season clothing.
Ask more of a bed. Buy a bed with built-in storage, including drawers and cabinets, or put the bed on risers and use the newly-increased space below to store bins filled with wrapping paper, craft supplies, or anything else there is simply no room for in existing areas .
Create your own storage unit. One of Burgard’s favorite small home hacks is to add plywood and electricity to the attic area, install an attic ladder, and use the space as storage. Even a small attic, measuring 12-by-15 feet, will provide 180-square-feet of storage space. Burgard points out that this relatively inexpensive project can pay for itself in a year if the homeowner is able to move items out of an actual storage unit and into their own home.
Look below the house. Crawl spaces can be cleaned, lined with shelves, and used to store those items that don’t see much use. A finished crawl space can even lower energy bills.
Capture space beneath the stairs. One project Burgard is sometimes asked to complete involves reconfiguring the area under a stairway. He either adds framing and a door so that it can be used purely as storage or installs sheetrock to hide any electrical and plumbing, finishes the floor, and adds shelves. By leaving the area open, homeowners are able to incorporate the extra footage into their existing décor.
Whether it’s mounting storage racks on the inside of every door in the house, transforming a hallway closet into a small office, or installing narrow shelves to make the most of a hidden nook, there are a multitude of ways to make even the smallest house work.