Whole House Organization | Hidden Storage

The Vision: Hidden Storage

The goal for this home was to have hidden storage throughout without buying any new furniture. With a potential move in the future, it was important to group everything into tubs for easy relocation.

Priority

Master Closet
Office Closet
Kitchen Pantry

Master Closet

For every project, it’s important to group items into clear categories. In this master closet, we grouped long dresses together, blouses together, and work clothes together. All the comfy or workout clothes were hidden in drawers and bins.

To reduce visual chaos, we also ensured all the hangers were the same.

Bathroom Storage in Master Closet

On the other side of the master closet was a shelving system perfect for storing bathroom items such as large hair tools, travel accessories, bulk products, extra shower curtains, etc.

Office Closet

I have moved many times in my life, and I've found that moving with tubs is much easier than with boxes. There's no need to unpack tubs filled with items we don't use often.

We call these tubs "deep storage." They're clean and organized on the inside, and we don't need to touch them before or after moving—just store them neatly in a closet.

Bottom Left: Two tubs for sentimental items.
Bottom Right: A tub for gifts and another for gift bags and tissue paper.
Middle: Homework bins for current work and materials.
Top: Sentimental boxes for small memorabilia like pictures, ceremonial items, small baby items, tickets, etc.

The Kitchen

Storing all food in the pantry is common but can lead to visual chaos. For those who prefer hidden storage, organizing food items into smaller categories can be beneficial. Kitchen cabinets are ideally sectioned to display groups of food individually, reducing visual clutter.

For example:

One cabinet section can be designated for bulk goods.
Another for canned items, spices, nuts, and seeds.
Another one for oils and vinegars.

Everyday vs. Once in A While

The main idea is to keep all everyday ingredients, pots, pans, dishes, and other frequently used items in the main kitchen area. The pantry can then be designated for items used less frequently.

Micro Organization

The ingredients were already micro-organized into resin containers, making it easy to give them a designated home right next to the stove. Eliminating those extra trips to the pantry can save you a lot of unnecessary steps.

Everyday Dishes

We only keep everyday dishes in the cupboard located most conveniently to the dishwasher and the plating station. Now, everyday items are in the cupboards, while items used occasionally are stored in the pantry.

The Mudroom CLoset

Again we want to reduce visual clutter and make clear categories.

For example:

Baskets for batteries, vacuum equipment, lightbulbs, candles, and any other utilities you can group together.
The tubs up top are less frequently used items like home security and home decor that's not being used.
In the bottom fabric bins we have gloves, hats, scarves, socks, swimwear, shoe polish/cleaner and any other things that are needed to get ready and out the door.

Shoe Rack

I have used this show rack in many different houses. I love that you can build it perfectly for the space, in many different configurations. Find it here!

The Garage

We continued the hidden storage theme in the garage by adding a used filing cabinet for everyday or weekly items. It was the only piece of furniture worth the trouble. Each drawer was designated for a specific category:

Garden
Tools
Automobile
Pool Toys
Miscellaneous

The tubs were used for deep storage items like holiday decorations, winter gear, home goods, and moving blankets.

Incoming/Outgoing Station + Sports

Every garage or mudroom needs an area for incoming and outgoing items, whether it's a small bookcase or a large table. This space is perfect for items to donate, sell, or bring into the house, like mail or packages.

We also store all the sports gear in this area for easy access to and from the car

What a fun project!

This house just needed a bit of polishing. The furniture was already well-placed and the decor was beautiful. Our main task was to create a better macro-organizational system that was both visually appealing and more efficient.