The Most Wasted Spaces in Your Northern New Jersey Home — And How to Use Them | Clozetivity New Jersey

Northern New Jersey homes have plenty of personality.

They also have some interesting storage decisions.

Older homes may have smaller closets and unusual dimensions. Newer homes may offer more square footage but still rely on basic builder-grade shelving. Condos and townhomes can make every available inch especially important.

And almost every home has at least one space that makes you wonder:

What exactly were we supposed to do with this?

Maybe it’s an awkward corner.

Maybe it’s the empty four feet above a closet shelf.

Maybe it’s the area underneath the stairs currently occupied by a vacuum, a broom and a box nobody has opened since the last move.

Before deciding your home doesn’t have enough storage, take another look.

You might already have the space you need.

You just aren’t using all of it.

1. The Empty Space Above Your Closet Rod

Start with your closet.

Look above the clothes.

A typical basic closet might have one hanging rod and one shelf.

Then there’s several feet of wall doing absolutely nothing.

Meanwhile, everything below is crowded.

Shoes cover the floor. Clothes get squeezed together. Folded items get stacked wherever they'll fit.

A professionally designed custom closet in Northern New Jersey can use much more of the available height.

Double-hang sections can provide additional room for shirts and pants.

Upper shelving can store seasonal clothing and less frequently used belongings.

Drawers can organize folded clothes and accessories.

Dedicated shoe storage can get footwear off the floor.

And the layout can be designed around your actual wardrobe.

That matters because someone with a large shoe collection doesn't need the same closet as someone who owns more dresses, suits or handbags.

The closet should fit you.

2. Small Reach-In Closets

Older homes throughout Northern New Jersey can have plenty of charm.

Huge closets?

Not always.

But a smaller closet doesn't automatically mean poor storage.

A custom reach-in closet can make significantly better use of a limited footprint.

Double hanging can increase clothing capacity.

Adjustable shelves can provide storage for folded items.

Drawers can reduce the need for additional bedroom furniture.

Dedicated shoe shelving can use lower areas that would otherwise become cluttered.

When the closet is small, wasting even a foot matters.

That's where thoughtful design can make a noticeable difference.

3. Under the Stairs

The area underneath a staircase tends to have a very predictable future.

First, someone puts a vacuum there.

Then a broom.

Then a few boxes.

Eventually it becomes a tiny storage cave where household items go to disappear.

But under-stair areas can have considerably more potential.

Depending on the home's layout and construction, they may be suitable for custom drawers, cabinetry, shelving, pantry storage or general household storage.

The challenge is the shape.

Standard furniture doesn't work particularly well with angled ceilings and changing heights.

Custom cabinetry can be designed around those exact dimensions.

Instead of ignoring the awkward shape, you use it.

4. The Mudroom or Entryway

Northern New Jersey weather makes entryway storage important.

Coats.

Boots.

Hats.

Umbrellas.

Backpacks.

Shoes.

Sports equipment.

And during certain parts of the year, approximately 37 jackets per person.

Without designated storage, all of that ends up near the door.

A custom mudroom or entryway system can create specific places for everyday belongings.

Hooks can keep jackets and bags off the floor.

Cubbies can give family members individual storage.

A bench can provide seating with shoe storage underneath.

Drawers can contain smaller items.

Closed cabinetry can hide seasonal gear.

The result isn't just a cleaner entryway.

It can make getting everyone out of the house considerably easier.

5. Blank Walls

One of the biggest storage opportunities in a home may not be inside a closet at all.

It may be a completely empty wall.

Custom built-ins can transform that wall into functional storage.

In a living room, cabinetry can create an entertainment center with closed storage and display shelving.

In a dining room, built-ins can hold dishes, serving pieces and glassware.

In a bedroom, cabinetry can provide additional wardrobe space.

In a home office, built-ins can create file storage, drawers, shelving and cabinets.

Because the storage is designed around the dimensions of the room, it can look like part of the home's architecture instead of another piece of furniture.

6. The Pantry

Pantries have a strange ability to be completely full while simultaneously making everything impossible to find.

Deep shelves are usually responsible.

Smaller items disappear behind larger ones.

Shelf openings are too tall.

Bags get stacked.

Boxes get pushed toward the back.

Eventually you buy another box of something you already own because the original hasn't been seen in six months.

A custom pantry in Northern New Jersey can organize storage around the items your household actually uses.

Adjustable shelving can reduce wasted vertical space.

Frequently used foods can remain accessible.

Bulk items can have designated areas.

Small appliances can move off the kitchen counter.

Different sections can be created for snacks, baking supplies, canned goods and breakfast items.

A better pantry doesn't necessarily hold more.

It simply stops hiding everything from you.

7. The Laundry Room

Laundry rooms are often full of storage potential.

Most of it is several feet above the washer and dryer.

The appliances take up the floor while the walls remain underused.

Custom laundry room cabinetry can provide storage for detergents, cleaning products, linens and household supplies.

Open shelving can keep frequently used items accessible.

Drawers can organize smaller products.

Depending on the available space, pull-out hampers and folding surfaces may also be incorporated.

In homes where closet space is limited, the laundry room can even provide useful overflow storage.

It won't make anyone excited about folding laundry.

We're good, but we're not that good.

8. Corners in Walk-In Closets

A large walk-in closet can still waste a surprising amount of space.

Corners are often the problem.

Hanging sections overlap.

Shelves become too deep.

Some areas are difficult to reach.

Others simply get ignored.

A properly designed custom walk-in closet can account for those transitions from the beginning.

Shelving can wrap around corners where appropriate.

Hanging areas can stop and start strategically.

Cabinet depths can be adjusted based on accessibility.

The closet doesn't get any larger.

It just starts using more of the space it already has.

9. The Garage Walls

Garages tend to follow a predictable pattern.

At first, cars go inside.

Then come the bicycles.

Tools.

Sports equipment.

Lawn supplies.

Holiday decorations.

Coolers.

Boxes.

Eventually the cars are outside wondering what happened.

But the problem isn't always the size of the garage.

It's often how the storage is distributed.

Everything spreads across the floor while the walls remain mostly unused.

Custom garage cabinetry and shelving can move storage vertically.

Tools can have designated areas.

Seasonal belongings can move higher.

Sports equipment can stay organized.

Frequently used items can remain accessible.

And there might even be room for the car again.

Imagine that.

10. The Guest Room Closet

Guest room closets almost never remain guest room closets.

They become household overflow.

Suitcases go inside.

Then extra bedding.

Then seasonal clothes.

Then holiday decorations.

Eventually a guest arrives and gets one hanger and a heartfelt apology.

A custom reach-in closet can divide the available space more effectively.

Upper shelving can provide household storage.

Drawers and adjustable shelves can organize smaller items.

A dedicated hanging section can remain available for visitors.

One closet can serve two purposes without becoming a disaster.

11. The Home Office

Home offices collect clutter quickly.

Even if most of your work happens on a computer, there are still printers, chargers, paperwork, files, notebooks and supplies.

Without dedicated storage, everything ends up on the desk.

Then you spend half the day moving things around so you can actually work.

Custom home office cabinetry can create storage around the workspace.

Files can stay organized.

Equipment can be hidden inside cabinetry.

Drawers can hold smaller supplies.

Shelving can provide room for books and display pieces.

The goal is pretty straightforward:

Let the desk be a desk.

12. Hall and Utility Closets

There is usually one closet in every house whose purpose is simply:

Everything else.

Cleaning supplies.

Paper towels.

Batteries.

Light bulbs.

Tools.

Extra towels.

Pet supplies.

Board games.

And at least one mystery object nobody remembers purchasing.

These closets may have plenty of space.

They're just not configured well.

Adjustable shelving can divide the closet according to what you're actually storing.

Frequently used items can remain easy to reach.

Bulk supplies can move higher.

Smaller items can have designated sections instead of disappearing behind larger ones.

Suddenly, opening the closet door doesn't require protective equipment.

You May Already Have More Storage Than You Think

When a home feels cluttered, the obvious conclusion is that you need more room.

Sometimes that's true.

But before deciding your Northern New Jersey home is too small, look at the spaces you're already paying for.

Look above your closet rod.

Look underneath the stairs.

Look at the blank walls.

Look inside the pantry.

Look at the garage walls.

There may already be plenty of usable storage.

It just needs to be designed better.

Good custom storage isn't about filling every possible inch with cabinetry.

It's about identifying spaces that can solve actual problems and designing them around the home and the people who live there.

Custom Storage Solutions in Northern New Jersey

Clozetivity of Northern New Jersey designs custom storage solutions for homeowners throughout Northern New Jersey.

That includes custom closets, walk-in closets, reach-in closets, custom pantries, laundry rooms, mudrooms, home offices, garage storage and custom built-ins designed around the individual space.

Whether you're working with a smaller closet in an older home, a large walk-in that isn't using its space efficiently or an empty wall that could become valuable storage, custom design can help you get considerably more from the square footage you already have.

Because the answer isn't always a bigger home.

Sometimes your current home just needs to get better at storing your stuff.

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