Lofts are designed primarily for storage, and many people are put off converting their loft into a habitable room by the amount of storage space they’d be giving up. However, a total declutter isn’t entirely necessary, so long as you’re clever about storage.
Do you ever think about converting your loft, but then wonder just where you’d put all of your stuff? Well, you’re not alone! So many people are put off of a loft conversion by the thought of losing their storage space in the attic. But this doesn’t have to be the case; you can come to a compromise between having a new room and having enough storage space. There are ways and means around the loss of storage.
Does clever storage and a new, usable room sound like the ideal solution? If so, read on to find out how you can rearrange your clutter, create more storage and gain an extra room in your home. Here are a few loft conversion ideas to get your stuff sorted!
Keep some storage space
Yes it’s true, you don’t need to turn your whole loft over to a new habitable room if you don’t want to! You can keep some of the floor space for storage of seasonal or bulky items that need to stay within the attic.
Often, the edges of the loft space, where the eaves reach to their lowest point, are good areas to leave as storage space, because they can be seen as dead space otherwise. If you’re not using the space for anything else, you may as well turn it over to storage.
If this is what you plan to do, speak to your loft conversion specialist about the creation of bespoke storage space. By having the eaves space made into a bespoke space to store your bits and pieces, you can create it to fit your needs. If you have particularly bulky items to store, or seasonal items such as Christmas decorations, speak to your loft conversion specialist about the optimum size required in order to accommodate your items.
Store relevant items in your new loft conversion
Think about the items that are currently being stored in your loft. Can some of them be easily stored as part of your new loft room? You never know, when decluttering your loft for the new loft build, you may find some items which will fit right in when at the fun stage of decorating your loft! Here are some examples:
- Books can easily be stored in large, purpose built bookcases. You could create your very own library in your loft conversion.
- If you store seasonal clothes in your loft, or even fancy dress, why not turn a small area of your new loft conversion over to a designated dressing room?
- Prints and photos can be framed and hung on the walls to help fill the space.
- Ornaments and china can be stored on built-in shelving. Yes it may look a little eclectic to display different types of ornaments together, but that’s the beauty of a blank canvas of a new room: you can make it whatever you want it to be!
Of course, not everything can be on display all the time, but by thinking creatively, there are definitely some items that can be incorporated into your new loft room, and these can really help to create a unique sense of style within your loft conversion, too.
Incorporate new built-in storage
One of the best ways to make use of the awkward nooks and crannies within your loft conversion is to incorporate built-in storage as part of your overall design. Open shelving, cupboards and fitted wardrobes can all be created to fit the space you have. In fact, open shelving can really help to make the space your own…and it may be perfect for those aforementioned ornaments you found whilst decluttering the space!
A specialist loft conversion company will be able to advise on what sort of storage to use where, such as open shelves within the alcove space either side of a chimney breast.
Create a walk-in wardrobe
If you have lots of clothes to store, why not create a walk-in wardrobe? In fact, many a person has been known to create a basic loft conversion for storage / walk-in wardrobe purposes. A simple skylight loft conversion with built-in clothes rails is perfect for this type of basic loft conversion which has been created simply as a walk-in wardrobe, and is usually a relatively budget-friendly option.
However, you can also create a plusher, more luxurious walk-in wardrobe. This is especially lovely if you are using the main part of the loft conversion space as a master bedroom. It’s also a great way to store clothes and shoes, and may free up space on the floors below for this type of storage.
Consider the rest of your home
We’d be lying if we said that you won’t need to declutter at all. It’s likely that you will have to get rid of some unneeded stuff that’s in your loft before your build begins. However, have you looked at the rest of your home in terms of storage?
Aside from the usual garage and shed options, think about utilising the space under the stairs, and if necessary look upwards: purpose-built shelving units are often a forgotten type of storage, using space up high which would otherwise be a waste. Yes, the items stored up high might be more difficult to reach, but they’re probably not everyday items anyway, as otherwise why would you have been storing them in the loft?
Don’t be put off by having to declutter; there are still plenty of storage options available to you as you embark on your loft conversion project.
Worried you still have too much clutter for a loft conversion? Speak to Bespoke Lofts.
Still not sure what your options are? Speak to a specialist loft conversion company, such as Bespoke Lofts, for a free quote. This can include storage options ready to help declutter your clutter! There are plenty of options available for storage, so don’t be put off by the thought of having too much stuff. Get in touch today to see how Bespoke Lofts can help.