Author: Colleen

Storage solutions are a good exercise in creativity.

At this point you’ve finished peeking around to find where all your kitchen appliance goodies are behind those cabinet doors (it’s like a large-scale Advent calendar of sorts, without the chocolates, unfortunately).  One thing, however, you can just keep on looking for but will rarely find is…*drumroll*…the CLOSET.  It’s a crying shame the Victorians did not utilise the concept of a built-in closet, using instead separate furniture pieces to house their clothing.  Any closets to be found in these period buildings will have been built OUT from the wall to occupy even more of your dear bedroom space or in the form of a free-standing wardrobe (if you’re renting furnished).  I therefore pray for those of you with WALK-IN closets at home, as you may suffer a stroke upon seeing the utter lack of equivalent here.

Relax.  It’s really not all that bad.  As mentioned, modern-day landlords recognise the need for additional storage space, so many have incorporated that priority into their renovations, building out decently-sized closets and making the most of the taller than usual vertical height of ceilings to build UP in the form of cabinets where you can stow items you don’t need to access  on a daily basis (luggage, out-of-season clothing…snow-shoes…I could have kicked my husband for bringing those!  It doesn’t even snow here!).  If you don’t have cabinets built in, as you can see from the photo, those wardrobes or built-out closets provide “shelving” space for additional storage containers.  As you can also see in the photo, when the furniture is not enough to accommodate all your clothing needs, many home furnishing/storage solution stores like IKEA or Homebase sell temporary clothes racks, with or without fitted coverings.  Further, people often have an erroneously negative perception of garden flats (they are no less safe than any other type of flat), which very often have more storage than their higher-floor counterparts in their front entryways.

Needless to say, whether it’s buying storage containers for above the shelf or below the bed and/or getting one of those handy vacuum bags to shrink your stored clothing down, you’ll figure it out.  Everything will find it’s place.  And with London Relocation‘s help, you’ll find YOUR place!  Take care, and we’ll see in you Part V of our series.