Just de-coaled coal cupboard under stairs and painted white. What to put in it?

[ATourchOfInsanity]

I have a house full of odds and ends (old crockery/wrapping paper/vases/boxes of material etc) so have a good idea of about 101 things but want to maximize the space.

Cupboard is about 3mts long and 1.5 wide. Going to have 3 shelves on the right as you walk in (about 1mt long so you don't walk into them) and was thinking of putting boxes of material etc at the back on the floor. There is a small square window on the left wall that I don't want to block for light - about half a meter from back wall.

Was thinking of having a couple of hooks from the step backs for present bags (also full of wrapping paper/bows).

Just feel like it may look messy or not used properly and wanted to ask before I just dump things in there!

What would you do with it? I bet most of you are more organised than me!

[betterwhenthesunshines]

Camping stuff, christmas decorations, DIY stuff (all paint and tools). It's a big space for wrapping paper!

I'd be a bit careful about boxes of material, especially on the floor - they may go mouldy if it's a bit damp?

Massive shoe cupboard and can put all the sports kit in there?

Whatever you put in fix some adjustable shelves to the wall and label whatever's in the boxes. Also a good idea to fix a list to the inside of the door so you can write on what's inside that cupboard. (This is do as I say, not do as I do as we have no attic, but eaves cupboards and things are in various places around the house.)

[ATourchOfInsanity]

Oh yes, I think I may have found somewhere to put the blackboard I never use (had good intentions of shopping lists on it, but only used it twice!) so I could have that on the back of the door with what is in there every time I put something in :)

Was wondering about material as it is currently living in my unusable dining room and making the dining room, erm, unusable!

I have a shed for tools but think a selection of a hammer and picture hooks would be handy so I don't have to traipse to the bottom of the garden! Thank you.

[Indith]

My understars cupboard has shelves ont he right as you go in. the lowest shelf has the iron, boxes of hoover bags etc. The top one has alcohol. The ones in the middle have big bags of pasta, cereals etc (I do infrequent tesco shops so bulk buy the dry stuff and store in there with jsut the box in use in the kitchen cupboard). Under those shelves on the floor are the tool kit and a box with stuff like electric pump, bike repair kit and other odds and sods. Against the back wall of the cupboard is a set of drawers with all teh dc's craft stuff in and another next to it with light bulbs, wires and cables for all teh various crap in our house and probabl several cables for stuff we don't have any more and instruction manuals for everything. At the bottom right under the end of the stairs in the really low bit we have the Vax, cool box, folding chairs for when we need extra etc.

[CiderwithBuda]

Have a look at Iheartorganizing. It's a blog by an American who loves organising! I have gotten lots of inspiration from her. She also links to other people.

Look at my profile and you will see a pic of my wrapping paper storage which was an idea I got from her blog.

Adjustable shelving is great. One thing I have taken on board from my endless browsing of books and magazines is to keep your storage boxes as streamlined as possible. Same sizes where possible. Same colours. Label them so you can easily see what is inside rather than having to move everything. If you can keep the floor as clear as possible as it looks much tidier and makes you less likely to just throwing things in randomly. A place for everything and everything in it's place!

[ATourchOfInsanity]

Oh excellent - love new sites to look at, thank you!
Will get onto that once DD is in bed :)

Great list of things to put in there too (much liking of the top shelf in your cupboard Indith).

[MoreBeta]

We have a cupboard just like that.

You need a set of hooks on the back of the door to put labelled sets of keys and gardening clothes.

In the cupboard you put ironing board, step ladders, DIY tools, camping/pinic stuff, spare kitchen equipment, batteries, light bulbs, plugs, shoe polish, bulky household cleaners, kitchen paper, toiletries, mineral water bottles.

[Indith]

I like that blog. It all looks so pretty

[ATourchOfInsanity]

Oh yes! I can put the picnic hamper away! It has almost become a feature in my kitchen tbh!
And the hoover finally gets a home
Hooks are so useful, can already think of a million things to put on them - currently have coat hooks next to it and have tied string onto the hoops of brooms/dustpan and brush etc and hang them up - will be nice to get them out of sight too. Ahhh it's all coming together!