How to maximise your understairs cupboard storage

Awkwardly shaped and difficult to access, the area underneath the staircase is often a chaotic collection of coats, shoes and cleaning equipment which easily becomes cluttered if neglected. However, with the right care and attention, this space can be a valuable spot for storage. Discover how to maximise your understairs cupboard to enhance its functionality and give it a starring role in organising your home.

Assess the space

To get an idea of storage potential, you'll need to assess the available space. Measure the height, width and depth of the cupboard, taking into account any awkward angles such as a sloping ceiling or narrowed end. You can use these details to create a simple plan that optimises how your belongings are stacked inside.

Declutter and organise

Before you get stuck into looking at understairs storage solutions, take time to declutter and organise your possessions. This will help free up more space and make it easier to tailor your redesign to your needs.

Sort through your belongings and separate them into three piles: keep, donate and recycle. You can drill down further into the things you're keeping, highlighting priority pieces used often which should have pride of place in the space. You could also categorise your items, such as by type, to make it easier to find what you need.

Creative storage

Once you've pared down your possessions, get creative with custom-built understairs storage from Hammonds to effortlessly house the items in a way that works for you. These elements make organising and accessing your belongings easy no matter the size and shape of your cupboard.

Work with a designer to add strategically sized shelves at your preferred intervals. These can be adjustable, suitable for sloping ceilings, or floating to leave the space beneath clear for larger objects. Pull-out drawers are an effortless way to access belongings at the back of the space, while extendable wire racks keep shoes paired and protected off the cupboard floor.

You can also box off an area with thin but strong dividers to protect easily damaged items or separate bulky things you need to use regularly like your hoover and ironing board.

Use clever accessories

Complement your creative storage with clever accessories that save space and help compartmentalise your cupboard for flexible and lasting organisation.

Add a rail and introduce hooks and hangers to utilise vertical space, which is great for jackets and bags and long cleaning equipment like mops and feather dusters. Remember to include hooks inside the door and in narrow corners to take advantage of space that would otherwise be wasted.

Stackable baskets in the right sizes get around the issue of storing strangely shaped objects neatly and can be clearly labelled for clarity.

Maintenance tips

Even if you have an exceptional storage system, without consistent sorting and tidying, your cupboard under the stairs will soon become disorganised. Include this area in your regular cleaning routine and be rigorous in how it's used, avoiding the temptation to turn it into a dumping ground.

Our top tip is to schedule seasonal reorganisation sessions to bring the appropriate outerwear and footwear to the front. In spring and summer, you can move heavy coats into your wardrobe to free up more space in the cupboard for spring cleaning essentials and hot-weather accessories.

Get expert design advice from Hammonds

Ready to transform your understairs cupboard but wondering where to start? Contact us to book a free design visit with one of our experts to discuss understairs storage and other fitted furniture ideas for the home. We guarantee you're closer than you think to a clutter-free space which brings you calm.