Small Space Living: Where to Stash the Cleaning Supplies
Although essential, a home cleaning kit can be bulky and cumbersome in a small home. Be inspired by these clever space-savers
No matter how strict we are with our possessions, there are some items we simply have to own. Bulky cleaning kit – think buckets, mops and brooms – is essential, but it can also take up some serious space, which is not good news in a small home. So how can you keep your place clean and tidy without tripping over buckets all day long? Here are some clever solutions…
Seek out wasted storage cupboards
Reassess your kitchen, looking out for wasted storage spaces. Often, narrow cupboards are installed to hold spice jars, and corner cupboards added for pots and pans, but you might opt to put these items on display instead and make use of the hidden storage space to hide away your visually-unappealing-but-essential cleaning products.
More: How to Organise Your Kitchen Cupboards
Reassess your kitchen, looking out for wasted storage spaces. Often, narrow cupboards are installed to hold spice jars, and corner cupboards added for pots and pans, but you might opt to put these items on display instead and make use of the hidden storage space to hide away your visually-unappealing-but-essential cleaning products.
More: How to Organise Your Kitchen Cupboards
Hang up your kit
Keep cleaning essentials neatly stored with a wall-mounted storage system to keep floor space free. This is a great solution for a narrow cupboard or behind a kitchen door. If you have no choice but to hang it in plain sight, save this rack for your prettiest feather dusters!
Keep cleaning essentials neatly stored with a wall-mounted storage system to keep floor space free. This is a great solution for a narrow cupboard or behind a kitchen door. If you have no choice but to hang it in plain sight, save this rack for your prettiest feather dusters!
Build up
When floor space is lacking, use the tried and trusted trick of building up. Simply install shelves up high – whether it’s in a narrow broom cupboard, a small laundry or above the downstairs toilet – and store cleaning products in neat baskets. Baskets will bring order to your cleaning supplies, can be easier (and safer) to grab from up high and will prevent bottles and cloths from toppling off the shelf, too.
When floor space is lacking, use the tried and trusted trick of building up. Simply install shelves up high – whether it’s in a narrow broom cupboard, a small laundry or above the downstairs toilet – and store cleaning products in neat baskets. Baskets will bring order to your cleaning supplies, can be easier (and safer) to grab from up high and will prevent bottles and cloths from toppling off the shelf, too.
Use super-narrow spaces
Storage for all those essential mops, brooms and brushes does not need to be wide: a space as narrow as 20cm can be enough. Exploit forgotten corners, too. A narrow space down the side of a tall cupboard or fridge can become accessible and useful if you install pull-out storage, like this sliding set of hooks.
Storage for all those essential mops, brooms and brushes does not need to be wide: a space as narrow as 20cm can be enough. Exploit forgotten corners, too. A narrow space down the side of a tall cupboard or fridge can become accessible and useful if you install pull-out storage, like this sliding set of hooks.
Team beauty and utility
We all need a mop, an iron and numerous other utilitarian items in our home, but if you purposefully choose good-looking pieces that combine attractive design with practical purpose, you can keep them on show. Arrange the appealing stuff on a neat trolley that can sit in your kitchen or tucked into a corner or corridor, and keep the unsightly buckets and bottles in any concealed storage space you have.
Be inspired by these cheerful laundries
We all need a mop, an iron and numerous other utilitarian items in our home, but if you purposefully choose good-looking pieces that combine attractive design with practical purpose, you can keep them on show. Arrange the appealing stuff on a neat trolley that can sit in your kitchen or tucked into a corner or corridor, and keep the unsightly buckets and bottles in any concealed storage space you have.
Be inspired by these cheerful laundries
Choose vintage items
If you are going to display a lot of utility items you could source vintage alternatives instead. Zinc buckets work just as well as plastic ones and look good enough to leave on display. In addition, look for simple string mops and handsome brooms and brushes made from natural materials, to build up a kit that teams a vintage vibe with no-nonsense functionality.
If you are going to display a lot of utility items you could source vintage alternatives instead. Zinc buckets work just as well as plastic ones and look good enough to leave on display. In addition, look for simple string mops and handsome brooms and brushes made from natural materials, to build up a kit that teams a vintage vibe with no-nonsense functionality.
Cover with a curtain
Bulky buckets and cleaning paraphernalia can be tricky to contain within a conventional cupboard, so look for spare space under the stairs or under a benchtop. Hang a fabric curtain to make unappealing items such as old vacuum cleaners and plastic buckets disappear. This bespoke solution can be made to fit even the tiniest space, and only basic sewing skills are needed to fashion a simple curtain, strung on a wire, for the front.
SHOW US
How do you keep your ugly cleaning supplies out of sight?
MORE CLEANING TRICKS
Quick Housework Strategies for People on the Go
10 Clever Tricks to Hide Garbage in the Kitchen
How to Get an Unbelievably Clean and Tidy Kitchen in Just 7 Days
Bulky buckets and cleaning paraphernalia can be tricky to contain within a conventional cupboard, so look for spare space under the stairs or under a benchtop. Hang a fabric curtain to make unappealing items such as old vacuum cleaners and plastic buckets disappear. This bespoke solution can be made to fit even the tiniest space, and only basic sewing skills are needed to fashion a simple curtain, strung on a wire, for the front.
SHOW US
How do you keep your ugly cleaning supplies out of sight?
MORE CLEANING TRICKS
Quick Housework Strategies for People on the Go
10 Clever Tricks to Hide Garbage in the Kitchen
How to Get an Unbelievably Clean and Tidy Kitchen in Just 7 Days
In a small kitchen, installing open shelving has many benefits. It helps the room feel wider (wall units can encroach on precious space) and looks attractive, too. Also, by storing all your china and glass on open shelves, and hanging your pans on a rail, your base units will be free for the cleaning kit.
See more space-enhancing tips for small kitchens