Storage Suggestions that Expand Your Space

As you plan your new home, it’s important to think about including the storage space you need to keep your home tidy. While some storage solutions are a part of your furniture choices, Broadview also offers several options for built-in storage. Our clients love the way these choices have simplified their lives. Some of these options can be done at any point after you move in while others are floor plan layout options that need to be determined when starting your new home purchase process. Consider some of these suggestions, then see them in action at one of our show homes.

Deep Kitchen Drawers

In the past, kitchens were mostly designed with cabinet doors underneath the counters. This offers places to store pots and pans, but it can be hard to keep things organized. Instead, opt for deep drawers in your kitchen design. These could hold pots and pans, spatulas and wooden spoons, and even some of those smaller kitchen devices you don’t use every day. Some people are even installing drawer microwaves to free up counter space. Once you see how convenient these drawers can be, you’ll never go back.

A Well-Organized Mudroom

The entryway to your home can quickly devolve into chaos, especially if you have kids kicking off muddy boots and dropping backpacks on the floor. You can keep things more organized with built-in mudroom storage. Some families choose to put lockers in the mudroom so that each family member has a place to keep their own belongings. Others simply like having a bench in the hallway, with storage underneath for shoes. Even a few shelves in the entryway closet can make a big difference for your busy family's needs.

Built-In Shelving

Shelving is no longer just for books and knick-knacks. A lot of people are using attractive baskets and boxes on the shelves for essential storage space. The downside to this is that many large shelves take up valuable real estate in the room. Their “footprint” can make a room seem smaller. Combat this by looking for ways the builder can include built-in shelving in your new home. These will be inset into walls to save space. 

A Walk-In Pantry

Whether you have a large family or just a few teenagers in the house, you need a large space to store all of your extra food or small kitchen appliances. A simple closet might work for a couple, but many families prefer and need something quite a bit bigger. Many of Broadview’s floor plans feature oversized corner or walk-through pantries. In most cases, walk-through pantries allow for a direct path from the kitchen to the garage, which are incredibly convenient when it comes to putting groceries away.

Closet Shelving

Closets are the perfect place to stash things you don’t want to be seen, but  shelving in the closet does a better job of keeping things organized. This is especially true when it comes to things like stacking large boxes. On shelves, you can easily slide the bottom box out, but if they were stacked on top of each other in the back of your closet, you’d have to remove all the boxes just to get something out of the bottom one. There is a very wide array of shelving options in the market place today from convenient and cost efficient wire shelving to fully complete custom shelving units.  

Look Up

When considering all the possible storage spaces, people often forget to think of the areas above their heads. A loft space in the garage, for instance, could be the perfect place to stash holiday decorations or out-of-season clothing. Even if you don’t want to go so far as to build a loft, you might think about installing hooks from the rafters that you can use to hang bicycles or other seasonal items.

Use Every Inch of Space

One of the best things about newly-built homes is that they usually make good use of the available space. It’s not as common to have dead areas that don’t really make sense. However, you still may want to seek out additional storage space, especially if you're trying to create the ideal floor plan for your multigenerational family. You might add a shelf or two above the toilet or a roll-out shelf if there’s a small nook between your refrigerator and the counter. Every little bit helps keep your home tidy.

When you choose to build your home with Broadview, you’ll find there are many ways you can incorporate storage space into the design of the home. Come take a tour of our show homes to see what some of these solutions look like in action. We think you’re going to like the way the extra storage can help you keep clutter at bay.