Strategies for Storage

by Cindy Siwecki, CMP

It’s no secret that homes are getting smaller and recently published articles have blasted Americans for being such large consumers of just about everything. The question is, "In smaller homes, where are they going to put all of the 'stuff'?"

While it may be impractical for families to live in “high density housing on transportation corridors,” we do need to face the reality that not all families will be able to afford a big home like the one they grew up in. Consumerism is part of the American culture and regardless of the economically-driven trend to purchase function rather than luxury, re-cycled vs. newly created, or vintage rather than the latest trend, it all needs to be stored somewhere and the average closet has its size limits.

Builders have an opportunity to differentiate their smaller-sized product by offering storage spaces that no one else has or rather no one else takes advantage of. There are many “dead” spaces in a home that can be turned into special places to store treasures or junk, it’s all in the eye of the beholder.

The self-storage industry estimates that 10 million households (approximately 9 percent) in the U.S. rent outside storage space, which is a 6 percent increase over the past 10 years. Renters state the reason as the ability to be mobile and home owners state that they do not have enough space in their primary residence. In these difficult economic times, many owners are cleaning out off-site storage units rather than continue to pay up to $500 per month for them. Self-storage developers count on the fact that once a home owner’s box is stored, it rarely gets re-visited.

According to the Self-Storage Association, the most prevalent renters are in the $20,000-30,000 income-bracket and the second and third largest groups are from $60,000-75,000 and $75,000-125,000. The latter two groups are the target audience for most home builders.

In price-sensitive markets, builders need to demonstrate how potential buyers can live in smaller square footages and remain clutter-free. The following are a few ideas that can be done inexpensively with cabinets or just the cabinet doors from Home Depot or Lowe’s and may need to be modified based on local building codes.

1.In tight garages, add high, horizontal cabinets in the garage for items that need to be out of children’s reach or that are rarely needed. For example, above a two-car garage door, there is enough room for a bank of cabinets. Three double door cabinets can fit on each side of the garage door opener. The garage door needs to be closed in order to access them but they are great extra storage.

2.Add another bank on the opposite wall above the door into the home. They can be slightly larger as there is more room above the door on this wall vs. the garage door wall.

3.If the garage is finished and too narrow for a surface-mounted cabinet, select an interior wall and leave out the sheetrock one side between the studs. Add a 2 x 4 to make a 6-7 inch deep space and paint it the color of the garage. Buy a pre-made cabinet door and hardware and mount it directly to the wood. For long spaces, use a pantry door plus a cabinet door. Standard pre-made cabinet doors are sized such that two areas can be created side by side and the doors will meet in the middle and rest on the stud. Shelves can be purchased for the appropriate depth and just need to be cut for the width. The whole inside of the garage wall can turn into storage and by leaving the area around the base in its original state; the garage can be swept out or hosed without damage to the cabinets.

4.Fireplace framing is often oversized relative to the pre-fab box or unit that is installed. There is usually dead space that can be utilized for storage and still meet necessary code requirements. If it is on an interior wall, check to see if the wall behind it can be used for storage. For example, the lower area behind the firebox could be shallow shelves behind doors and the area above the box can be deeper shelving that is either open or behind doors. On raised fireplaces that offer a hearth for seating, add cabinets under the seating area.

5.Stairs offer great storage spaces. If they are near the kitchen, make a deep pantry. Owners need places to store large kitchen items such as over-sized bowls, chafing dishes, etc. Leave a foot between the shelf and the doorway inside to create space on the inside for a broom and mop. On the inside wall spaces on either side of the door, add pegboard with various attachments. This is a great place for home owners to have their own mini-hardware store with space to hang batteries, picture hangers, and all those little items that get thrown in a drawer that no one can find again. Small items can be put in a sandwich bag and hung on the pegboard. Add a plug for chargers so battery operated appliances (i.e. mini-vac) can be charging while hidden from view.

6.For accessing tight spaces under stairs, install a door that fits between the studs. Many door manufacturers offer half-width doors so they will match the rest of the doors in the home. Sheetrock the individual stairs underneath so the buyer can have full access to all of the space. They can store over-sized items that do not require tall clearance such as sports equipment or car seats. Add a plug for chargers.

7.Stairs that curve typically have one side that includes a curved sheetrock wall. The curve in the sheetrock lends itself to an art niche, which is often included. At the top of the stairs, there is dead space where the curved wall joins the straight wall. This is a great place to add a deep sheetrock floor to ceiling cabinet even though the interior may be an odd shape due to the curve. The cabinet door will fit between the studs and open into a wider space. This is a great space for linens or you can leave the interior open for large items.

8.Heat/AC duct walls provide opportunities for bookshelves and or cabinet spaces. Home owners appreciate even shallow shelf spaces for books, accessory displays, children’s toys or DVDs.

9.In narrow halls, create mini-cabinet space by accessing the space between the studs, add shallow shelves, and put on a cabinet door. Keep the doors a light color and it can really dress up a tight space and make it seem larger. The inside shelves are shallow and offer great places to store home-office supplies, soft drinks, mugs or other small items. These can be added to any room.

10.Attic space offers a huge opportunity for storage and, if possible, can demonstrate the space and offer some finish options. Builders often hesitate to offer convenient access to the space due to building code restrictions and concerns about excess weight on the structure. Create access with a pull-down stair, an area of plywood at the top where someone could stand or kneel, and a light. Buyers will get a sense of the space, which will add value to the home.

Smaller homes are a compromise for many buyers and floor space is at a premium. By utilizing dead spaces behind walls, the home can “live” much larger. If a potential buyer believes that the new home can handle their need for storage, they will pay more. Eliminating and/or reducing the need for off-site storage can save home owners several hundred dollars per month, which makes a new home more affordable.

Cindy Siwecki, CMP, is the senior vice president for Accelerated Marketing Partners. Her areas of expertise include research, marketing and sales, land acquisition evaluation, product development, floor plans, merchandising, pricing and absorption. She works with all types of homes, including highrise, midrise, conversion, SFD-high density in-fill and luxury suburban. Previously, Siwecki worked with the Reiser Group and the Ryness Company, creating The Ryness Report for the latter, which is now an industry benchmark for tracking sales activity in the West. She is also involved with NAHB, as a member of the 2010 IRM Board of Governors, a presenter for IBS and a CSP instructor. Siwecki is has also served as president for her local SMC and as a member of her SMC's Board of Directors. She has won numerous awards, including The Nationals' Marketing Director of the Year and Marketing Director of the Year for the Northern California SMC's MAME Awards. You can reach Siwecki at csiwecki@acceleratedmp.com.

For more information about this item, please contact Tamsin Ayre at 800-368-5242 x8673 or via e-mail at tayre@nahb.org.