4 Clever DIY Storage Hacks For Your Living Room

When you have a living room used by the whole family, keeping everything organized can be tough without a lot of storage space. Plenty of folks stack up cheap storage: Hello IKEA! But there are also a lot of DIY storage options that aren’t too tough to build and are surprisingly low cost. It can even be a little rewarding to see your living room transform. Here we highlight four of our fave DIY storage hacks for your living room.

1. Refashion Vintage Furniture

If you need extra space for books or games in the living room, you can often find it at flea market, thrift store or even by the side of the road. Flipping furniture is not only fun, it also makes for unique pieces that are conversation starters. An old dining room breakfront can be used for board games. Restyle a dresser as a TV cabinet and store blankets, pillows, and other items in the drawers. Wood pallets can be turned into just about anything you want, as long as you have a good plan.

2. Customize Stock Bookcases or Shelving

If you want the look of custom bookcases, but aren’t confident enough to install a complete set, you can refashion stock bookcases to look custom. This approach usually requires finding stock pieces that will fit into your available space and then filling in gaps with faceframes that improve the look. Gaps at the floor and ceiling can be filled in with moulding so they connect seamlessly with the room decor. You may need to pry moulding away from the wall to install the shelves and then latter attach new pieces to the bookcases. The stock pieces are then attached to the wall studs. Some fillers and shivs may be necessary to ensure gaps are closed. Alcoves can often be utilized for storage either with bookcases or floating shelves.

2. Baskets, Tubs, Bins

Don’t be afraid to curate your space with a handful of baskets. If the first thought that comes to mind when you hear the word basket is handmade wicker container with handle, you’re not alone. Depending on the style of your interior decor, they can be a great choice. Yet there are many other options. You know those rectangular cloth containers you find at home goods store? You can sew your own. You may think: They’re so cheap - why bother making them? You can customize them to your style, make sure the material quality is high and turn them into statement decor. 

4. Stackable Storage Containers

If you have a lot of stuff, then you might want to consider using stackable storage containers. These are great for holding books, magazines, blankets and pillows. For people who don’t have a huge budget, you can often find containers at the dollar store that can be turned into stackable items. Woodworkers who are comfortable nailing and gluing together plywood can create four of these with one large plywood sheet and the instructions from BuildersSA in the video above. You’ll also need some standard woodworking tools, like a drill, sander and jigsaw.