Whether you currently own a mobile home or you’re considering one, finding effective uses of storage space will serve you well. Everyone can appreciate a tidy home. But if you don’t have a ton of excess room to work with, keeping things organized and decluttered is important.
You will enjoy your home much more when it’s less crowded, and it may open up new design or decor ideas for you.
A clean space is a happy space!
So, we thought we would share some tips that might be useful to manufactured home owners. Here are eight smart storage solutions for mobile homes.
1. Kitchen Storage
Kitchens are one place where people are always looking for more storage, especially in manufactured homes. We need space for small appliances, pots and pans, utensils, and so much more that may or may not be necessary.
Here are some solutions for you.
- Slide-out storage units are great for small spice jars and condiments. Stay organized and make the best use of every square inch your kitchen gives you.
- Cabinet organizer sets. There are approximately 10-11″ between shelves in a kitchen cabinet, but a stack of plates are only a couple of inches. Fill that unused space with wire shelves.
- Pot and pan lid organizers. How frustrating is it to misplace a lid? Solve that problem with inexpensive lid organizers.
- Stackable can organizers are the best! Keep canned goods in order and never forget where you put the chicken noodle soup come cold and flu season.
2. Hidden Storage
You can get storage boxes in every shape and size but, problem is, where the heck are you going to put them?
One idea is to create an outdoor seating arrangement, foot stools, or other exterior furniture from plain plastic storage boxes you can buy at Walmart or Dollar General. They’re only a few dollars each. Fill ‘em up and done. Stuff is out of sight and (mostly) out of mind. You can also cover the storage boxes with fabric or other décor if you don’t like the look of plain plastic.
Get creative and look at every space you have. Can something be placed inside, under, on or above it without adding clutter? You’d be surprised how much free space you really have.
3. Under the Bed Storage
Another great storage idea for your mobile home is to use plastic storage bins under your bed. You can buy sliding containers or make them yourself from old dresser drawers. Just look at all that unused space down there! Fill it up and get rid of your clutter. Holy cow! You can walk in a straight line.
Rolling wire storage containers are perfect to store stuff under your bed, and they’re easy to access and allow easy viewing of your items.
Have a low bed? Easy fix! Add risers to create additional storage space and, at the same time, make your bed easier to get in and out. This is a trick many college students use in dormitories and it works just as well in your mobile home.
4. Bathroom Storage Solutions
Make the most out of your bathroom area. This is especially important if you have children. All of that limited space goes fast, so organize smart!
Over-the-toilet space saving cabinets give you private storage and open shelving in an often unused area of the bathroom. You can put hooks on the side to hold towels, robes and other items.
Take advantage of the space behind your door with towel racks and over the door hooks. Whenever possible, use vertical space in small areas like mobile homes. You can use over-the-door hooks for so many things that usually end up on the floor: clothes, towels, washcloths, belts, jackets, purses, satchels…you name it.
5. Shelves
Adding shelves to any room will help you keep things organized and make the most of the limited space you have in your mobile home.
Complete closet shelving systems, like the popular white wire type, are a smart way to increase your storage space. Get creative and use several configurations to create better storage in pantries and closets of all sizes.
6. Hooks
As mentioned in #4, adding hooks under a wood shelf or to a wall is always a popular and easy storage solution. Keys love hooks and are used to hanging out on them. Hook pots, pans, and other oft-used items in your kitchen. Hook brooms and rakes out of the way outside.
Ikea’s bar and S-hook storage system is very popular. They’ve created a complete system that includes boxes, cups, and wire shelves that hang from bars with S-hooks. Voila, organization done in minutes.
7. Exterior Storage Ideas
Always think of the exterior of your mobile home when searching for extra storage space. Storage sheds and the space under your mobile home are great places to store items you only need outside or only occasionally inside.
Purchasing additional storage space by installing an exterior shed on your property may be the easiest and best answer. Pre-built metal buildings are affordable, as are easy-to-build Rubbermaid sheds. Once it’s up, boom, you have a bunch of extra storage space. And storage sheds are a much better option than monthly rental storage because they’re much more convenient and cost-effective. No driving. No monthly rental bill.
8. Under the Home
Many mobile home owners keep holiday decorations and yard tools under their porches. Skirting for mobile homes must have an opening that allows for easy access and you can use the extra space for storage. But be careful what you stick under your house. Use airtight and waterproof storage containers, be careful with valuable items and, of course, never store anything perishable.
A little money and creativity can go a long way as you find new ways to store items in and around your mobile home. So get up and take a trip around your home right now. How can you save space in your bedroom? How can you make your kitchen more user-friendly and organized? How can your living area be less cluttered? How can all that stuff in the yard look a little more orderly?
Just a few simple changes here and there can make a big difference and make daily life easier and more livable.
Check out more of our manufactured home lifestyle tips and insights from our consumer resource center.
