3 Great Ideas to Eliminate Wasted Space in Your Home

November 4, 2021

Have you ever been in someone’s home and noticed an area that feels like it could be used instead of standing empty? Wasted space isn’t just something exclusive to large homes – it happens in smaller homes too, and you can avoid it in your custom home design by considering how to best use all available space. Here are a few great ideas to eliminate wasted space in your home:

1. Add Extra Seating

Extra seating doesn’t necessarily mean adding another sofa or loveseat. Rather, think of a piece of furniture with dual functionality. Ottomans with storage offer extra seating when needed but also give you another place to hide things like extra blankets or tech accessories.

Do you have extra space by the windows? If you have built-in space in the window well, consider making it an extra seating area. Cozy it up with some cushions. No room to sit in the window? Bring in a free-standing bench! This is a great way to add extra seating and it can double as a reading nook!

2. Figure Out How to Use it For Storage

A great way to eliminate wasted space is to figure out how to use it for storage. Look at places in your home where added storage is helpful, like in the kitchen or living room. The areas around doorways are often good places to add extra shelving. If you have a bay window, one of the bay window ideas is to include some shelving to maximize storage space.

In the kitchen, these areas offer a good place to store dishware or cookbooks. In living rooms, it can offer a place to show family photos or treasured items. They also can double as bookshelves to give your living room a home library feel.

Another commonly wasted space is the area above your cabinets. There are plenty of vertical storage ideas for your kitchen to help you take advantage of this unused space. This is a great place to store appliances or cookware you don’t use frequently. If you want to hide things, ask for cabinets that extend to the ceiling.

3. Consider Creating a Home Office Space

Another area where space is often wasted is under stairways. If you don’t have a dedicated home office in your custom home design, this can be a sneaky place to add either a home office space or homework station if you have children.

It’s one of several staircase storage ideas you can use to make the most of this often-overlooked space during the design process. Ask for a built-in counter or find a desk to fit in the space you have. Add lighting and a chair to create a workspace that works for your lifestyle.

If you don’t have space under your stairwell, or no stairwell at all, look for an area of your home that’s out of the way or has an awkward alcove. This could be a great place to put a desk and create a home office.

Another option is to mount a large shelf for desk space, or ask for a built-in desk. Corner it off with a storage cabinet if you have the room for it. It will help create a small office and give you another place to store work-related material.

These are just a few great ideas to eliminate wasted space in your home. Keeping these design ideas in mind as you design your custom home will help you avoid awkward empty spaces. If you’re ready to get started on your own custom home, contact Custom Home Group at 717-284-4090. We can help bring your dream home to life!