Organizing the Home Maximizes Space and Simplifies Life

It's really easy to do!

Almost every homeowner has called on their local handyman to take care of the little irritants around the house — a squeaky door, a dripping faucet, replacing the now non functioning ceiling fan.

While these jobs certainly improve quality of life for a time, Handyman Connection suggests there are a few things a competent home improvement contractor can do that will enhance your quality of life long-term.

"Organizing the home is an often overlooked home improvement project, because it doesn't necessarily silence a squeak, halt a drip or light a room," says Bruce McKenzie, President of Handyman Connection in Canada. "Still, the benefit of really taking a hard look around the house and getting things organized can be phenomenal and lasting; it's essentially a matter of simplifying a homeowner's life."

The subject of home organization frequently emerges when children enter the picture, says McKenzie. For new families, adult-sized closets can offer a trove of storage options. Simple built-in wooden shelves offer the perfect hideaway for toys until children are old enough to hang their clothes. Cabinets, baskets or shelving built under beds or built into corners also helps keep toys, books, shoes and other items off the floor and out of the way.

Throughout the rest of the home, look for storage spaces that could benefit from a few design enhancements. Deep kitchen cabinets, for example, frequently become black holes. Installing a lazy Susan or slide-out shelving keeps everything at arm's reach and enables homeowners to reclaim lost space. Do you have a cabinet that is unnecessarily tall? Adding a shelf can double the amount of usable space. How about that junk drawer that every house has? Using well-designed dividers can separate the clutter and help you find it when it's needed.

Tired of tripping over tools and boxes in the garage? Installing peg-board with heavy-duty hooks can be the perfect option for garden hoses, shovels and rakes. Metal shelving, readily available at most home improvement stores, will get paint cans, household chemicals and smaller tools off the floor. Sturdy hooks hanging from the ceiling get bicycles and other large items out of the way.

"Take a three-dimensional view of the home," McKenzie suggests. "Don't just look at floors, closets and shelves as they currently exist. Instead, look at the whole space, floor-to-ceiling; wasted space is everywhere, and a clever home improvement contractor can help you make the most of it."