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task master
Where do I keep the hoover and the mops (if I don't have a utility room)?
Smart storage solutions for a home that’s tight on space.
THE HOOVER, MOP and broom are staple cleaning tools found in most households.
We can’t really live without them, but if you don’t have a utility room, how can they be organized and stored so that you don’t end up tripping over them all the time – but can still get at them easily when you need them?
Here are some smart tips to get you started…
1. Designate one space and make the most of it
While many homes may not have a utility room, almost all will have some sort of an enclosed storage space, whether it’s a cupboard under the stairs, or a hot press, or a bit of spare space in one of the wardrobes.
Set aside whatever space you can and kit it out with appropriate storage for your cleaning tools. If you are very stuck for storage, install a low or mid height shelf that a compact hoover could tuck beneath, and hooks on the inside of the door where the broom and mop could hang.
Clever storage solutions such as these mop hooks will save space and make it easier to access things when you need them.
2. Think small
If storage space really is at a premium, then consider downsizing your cleaning equipment. With wooden floors and tiles being popular floor finishes in many homes, is a full-sized hoover really necessary?
A handheld vacuum cleaner can be wall mounted behind a door or inside a storage unit to save space. With mops, look for one with a telescopic or collapsible handle, or choose a compact short-handled broom.
3. Install a slim storage unit
A top tip for finding slim storage is to look for cabinets intended for bathrooms – these are often slim and narrow and especially designed to fit in compact areas. You’ll want something at least 30cm wide and 120cm high to accommodate an average broom.
The IKEA Lillangen is an excellent size – at only 21cm deep it would fit in a very compact space. Just leave out some of the internal shelves when it’s assembled so that a broom or mop can fit upright inside and you’ll have an ideal broom closet.
4. Hang it up
A pegboard can be picked up easily in most hardware stores and allows you to customize a wall mounted storage solution. By placing hooks at different heights intermingled with small shelves (all of which can be rearranged as often as you like) you can treat your cleaning equipment storage as a display area, and decorate it with plants, pictures, and knick knacks.
Cut notches in a shelf to slot broom and mop handles into, or install a selection of unique hooks as hanging storage.
5. Screen it off
Another simple solution would be to screen off your storage area with a simple rail and a piece of fabric. A curtain might be a little bulky if your space is small, so I’d recommend cutting a piece of lightweight cotton fabric to size and loosely hemming to thread the rail through. If you want it nice and taut for extra neatness, you could hem at both ends and install a rail at both the top and bottom, then simply slide the curtain open when you need something and slide it back across as a tidy screen when you’re done.
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