Making the Most of Space under Stairs

Have you ever noticed that there is usually one area of most homes that have a tendency to go to waste? In most homes that have more than one floor, the area that is found under the stairs simply goes unused. Making the most of space under stairs isn't really all that difficult, though it will require a bit of effort and creativity on your part. Here are a few ideas that you can use to get started.

• Broom closet. One of the more traditional ways of making the most of space under stairs is to turn the area into a broom closet. Simply put, this location is the perfect place to store large, and often bulky, items such as mops, carpet shampooers, brooms, dust mops, and vacuum cleaners can all be easily stored under the stairs. Often times this can be done with a minimum amount of work on your part, and little or no real renovations.
• Storage. Another great way that you can use the space under your stairs is as a simple storage space. If you don't already have a door framed up, you can use something as simple as an extendable shower rod to hang a curtain or something else in order to hide what you are storing from view. Typically these areas are perfect for storing things like boxed, out of season clothes, books, and so on.
• Library. If you put up a few shelves and place a couple of bookshelves in that unused space under your stairs, you can easily create a small library area. This can often be done with little or no renovations on your part at all. On the other hand, if you want something a bit more elaborate, you will probably need to do a bit more actual renovating to make it really work.
• Work space. Similar to making a library, you can also make the space under your stairs the perfect working area. This space can be either a traditional office space, or possibly a craft area that you can use to work on your favorite hobbies. Often you can do this by simply installing a desk of some sort, usually similar in nature to some shelving.

Keep in mind that while these are only a few ideas, you are definitely free to use that unused space under your stairs in any manner that you wish. About the only limits that you will face is your own imagination and your budget. If you find yourself about to undertake a major renovation job (or even a minor one) in order to make the most of this space, then you may want to hire a professional to help you with that work. Finally, you should also remember that the more "specialized" you make the area, the more work it will take to get it that way.