Recent research of 2,000 homeowners revealed that ample storage space is the feature most likely to create envy amongst friends and family. In fact, almost a third (32%) of homeowners say ample storage space is a ‘must have’ feature if they were purchasing a new home.
To help homeowners spring clean, we’ve teamed up with organisational expert and author Vicky Silverthorn to refresh tricky spaces and ‘hack’ your current storage to make it as efficient, and aesthetically pleasing as possible.
Redrow x Vicky Silverthorn’s Spring Cleaning Checklist:
- Music on, gym gear on, open windows, start at the top of house and work your way down.
- Start at the highest points in each room – dusting window treatments, light fittings and artwork.
- Wipe down all surfaces with the appropriate cleaner – don’t forget kitchen cupboards, cooker hoods, skirting boards, desk fronts, chair and table legs etc.
- Clean windows and mirrors with a glass cleaner. There are lots of recipes for homemade eco-safe cleaning fluids online.
- Vacuum soft furnishings like sofas and under the cushions too.
- Vacuum carpets or clean hard floors. Remember to clean underneath or behind furniture.
- Keep the space you’re cleaning well-ventilated to reduce allergens and allow fumes from cleaning products to escape.
Vicky says:
“A change in seasons is the perfect opportunity to organise, clearing yourself of unwanted items and ensuring those kept are stored sufficiently to avoid making your home feel cluttered. The most common mistake people make when reorganising their home is buying too much storage – specifically smaller items which make countertops cluttered or make large spaces look small.
Consider which areas help maximise the space and think about how to utilise the space you do have in a smarter way. It may seem easy to organise your home by adding more storage items but it’s important to look at the space you already have and make use of unused areas.”
Vicky Silverthorn’s Top Tips for Hacking Your Storage Space:
- Unpack and stay put: Make sure when you move home that you are never putting things away and saying you’ll come back and do it properly later, it never happens and five years later the items are still in the wrong place. It’s so hard to find that time again. Use your time to unpack properly so that there isn’t any rushing around and you don’t have to do it again doubling up in work.
- Before you do anything, declutter: Even if you decluttered before moving whilst packing, view unpacking as a secondary opportunity to declutter and take a hard view as to whether you really need it. If you need the space ask yourself the question Can I live without this in my life? Often it makes the decision more obvious.
- Embrace your utility room: Utility rooms are the crème de la crème of storage spaces, offering a dedicated space for organisation and with some small additions can double as a mudroom that benefits the whole family. Adding hooks at two different heights to allow children to hang coats and bags themselves helps reinforce tidiness from a young age and makes use of the vertical space available. Purchasing a bench that has a cubby holes for shoes can really elevate the space and offer a mixed-use piece of furniture that will stop shoes piling up by the front door. These areas always need decluttering seasonally.
Want to win a free 30 minute consultation with Vicky? Share your best home hack with us and why it’s the most effective over on our socials with #RedrowCompetition to be in with a chance of winning. T&C's apply. Head to our Competitions page to find out more.
