9 Doors That Multi-Task With Hidden Extras
Maximise your space with these nifty ideas on how to make full use of your doors
Hannah Young
8 December 2016
Professional Organiser in Yorkshire and a member of APDO (Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers). You can find me online at www.ReviveYourSpace.co.uk or in person helping others to declutter, organise and restyle their homes. I believe it's important to make the most of what we already have and love to share the benefits of being organised and efficient, creating more physical and emotional space for the things that are most important to us.
Professional Organiser in Yorkshire and a member of APDO (Association of Professional... More
Doors can do more than just open and close. With some clever planning, you can use them to store those things you don’t have room for elsewhere. Follow these tips to find out how to make the most of yours.
1. Spice up your kitchen cabinets
For super-easy access to small items, such as herbs, spices and sauces, fit shallow racks inside your cupboard doors. For ease of use, choose the cabinets nearest to the hob, so the ingredients are close at hand when you’re cooking.
If you’re retrofitting narrow shelves inside your cabinets, you may need to make the cupboard shelves less deep to enable the rack to fit. This is pretty simple to do and well worthwhile.
For super-easy access to small items, such as herbs, spices and sauces, fit shallow racks inside your cupboard doors. For ease of use, choose the cabinets nearest to the hob, so the ingredients are close at hand when you’re cooking.
If you’re retrofitting narrow shelves inside your cabinets, you may need to make the cupboard shelves less deep to enable the rack to fit. This is pretty simple to do and well worthwhile.
2. Keep toys in order
Children need lots of storage, so if you’ve used up all the wall space, try the door instead. These attractive hooks are the ideal place to hang strong, labelled bags full of toys. The beauty of this idea is that the storage is portable, too.
Children need lots of storage, so if you’ve used up all the wall space, try the door instead. These attractive hooks are the ideal place to hang strong, labelled bags full of toys. The beauty of this idea is that the storage is portable, too.
3. Incorporate a bookcase
Sometimes, there isn’t enough room for wall shelves, so consider using the back of a door instead. This clever door holds enough shelves to store plenty of books, plus games and even shoes. A good joiner should be able to construct a bookcase to perfectly fit your door frame.
Discover innovative designs to maximise a small space
Sometimes, there isn’t enough room for wall shelves, so consider using the back of a door instead. This clever door holds enough shelves to store plenty of books, plus games and even shoes. A good joiner should be able to construct a bookcase to perfectly fit your door frame.
Discover innovative designs to maximise a small space
4. Reflect a little
This slimline cupboard opens up to reveal a mirror. Rather than storing toiletries on shelves inside the cupboard, the designers have fitted narrow shelves on the door instead. It’s a great way to utilise the space, allowing for a full-length mirror as well as storage.
Another great tip to keep little necessities in order is to fix a self-adhesive magnetic sheet inside your cabinet door and add little magnetic hooks or containers for your most-used items.
This slimline cupboard opens up to reveal a mirror. Rather than storing toiletries on shelves inside the cupboard, the designers have fitted narrow shelves on the door instead. It’s a great way to utilise the space, allowing for a full-length mirror as well as storage.
Another great tip to keep little necessities in order is to fix a self-adhesive magnetic sheet inside your cabinet door and add little magnetic hooks or containers for your most-used items.
5. Treasure your jewels
This is a reversal of the previous idea – perfect if a shallow cupboard can be recessed into a wall. A full-length mirror opens up to reveal a jewellery cupboard and additional mirror. It’s a simple idea that provides a great place for storing little items.
Ask a carpenter to construct something similar in a shallow wall recess, or hunt for a slim cabinet to which you could fix a mirror.
This is a reversal of the previous idea – perfect if a shallow cupboard can be recessed into a wall. A full-length mirror opens up to reveal a jewellery cupboard and additional mirror. It’s a simple idea that provides a great place for storing little items.
Ask a carpenter to construct something similar in a shallow wall recess, or hunt for a slim cabinet to which you could fix a mirror.
6. Put your best foot forward
These under-stairs doors pull out to reveal secret shoe storage. The space under the staircase can be an awkward place to access and is prone to becoming messy. By turning the cupboard into drawers, you’ll utilise the space much more efficiently and never lose your shoes again!
These under-stairs doors pull out to reveal secret shoe storage. The space under the staircase can be an awkward place to access and is prone to becoming messy. By turning the cupboard into drawers, you’ll utilise the space much more efficiently and never lose your shoes again!
7. Whisk away cleaning kit
Add baskets or pockets to the back of your utility cupboard door and provide neat storage for washing and cleaning products. As you can utilise the full height of the door, this is a handy way to keep chemicals out of reach of little hands.
For brooms and mops, consider investing in some utility hooks fitted to the back of your cupboard door. This way, you’ll keep all your long implements off the floor and in one place.
Find out how to squeeze a utility space into any size of home
Add baskets or pockets to the back of your utility cupboard door and provide neat storage for washing and cleaning products. As you can utilise the full height of the door, this is a handy way to keep chemicals out of reach of little hands.
For brooms and mops, consider investing in some utility hooks fitted to the back of your cupboard door. This way, you’ll keep all your long implements off the floor and in one place.
Find out how to squeeze a utility space into any size of home
8. Draw on your doors
If you can’t find somewhere for a noticeboard, your door might provide the solution. This front door has been covered with blackboard paint and is the perfect spot for writing reminders, shopping lists and inspiring quotes.
Alternatively, attach cork boards to a door and pin up drawings and notes.
If you can’t find somewhere for a noticeboard, your door might provide the solution. This front door has been covered with blackboard paint and is the perfect spot for writing reminders, shopping lists and inspiring quotes.
Alternatively, attach cork boards to a door and pin up drawings and notes.
9. Tuck away towels
Avoid a mass of towels piled up on a radiator by installing some useful hooks and rails on the back of your bathroom door. This works particularly well in a small bathroom or cloakroom where there’s limited wall space. A few hooks and a rail can go a long way to keeping your towels neat, aired and dry.
TELL US
Have you made use of your doors? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Avoid a mass of towels piled up on a radiator by installing some useful hooks and rails on the back of your bathroom door. This works particularly well in a small bathroom or cloakroom where there’s limited wall space. A few hooks and a rail can go a long way to keeping your towels neat, aired and dry.
TELL US
Have you made use of your doors? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
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Had a kitchen cupboard like the first photo and couldn't wait to get rid of it. Looks great but from a practical aspect it cut the bench space and meant I had to walk around the doors if I needed to "spread" along the bench top. They totally disrupted work flow.
Great roundup love the under stairs cupboard, brilliant use of space. we use hidden storage quite alot in our kitchen designs
more examples http://bit.ly/2faGHnX