Hidden Storage Solutions

Part of the secret to appearing organized is hiding clutter. At the last minute, most people end up sweeping knick-knacks, junk mail and loose papers into drawers just before company arrives. We tell ourselves we’ll go back and look through all of that stuff later, but later rarely comes.

So, why not have a place to sweep all of your junk, or keep all of your junk, out in the open without being seen? It’s easier than you think with some of these hidden storage solution products.

Ikea Cabinets: For the longest time, Ikea has always carried these Skar cabinets. White, simple with clean lines, this item has been featured in countless home and fashion magazines since it first came to stores. The cabinets, think cubbies for adults, can be mounted to the wall in any room, but it works best probably in hallways where it can function as a catchall for shoes, magazines and mail.

If you don’t have a hallway where a piece of furniture like this can be utilized, try buying two or three of these fixtures and mount them against a larger wall next to each other for even more storage and visually appealing effect (from a design aesthetic since multiples are oftentimes more appealing to the eye). And at $90 each, it’s definitely doable. The only problem is that it only comes in one color: white.

Visit www.ikea.com for more information.

The Clock: Another brilliant idea from Ikea, and cheap too (at $30), is the steel clock the company sells. Bright red, it can be mounted to any wall. Pull on the face, and the front opens to be a cabinet for concealing small items, such as keys. This is another great item for hallways, kitchens, bathrooms or family rooms for small items that tend to be misplaced but are often needed.

For Fun: If you like your storage solutions to be full of fun and a little bit kitschy, try Spy Yard’s creative safe solutions. Buy a $7 7UP can that can safely store jewelry or money, or try a Ray Lube motor oil can or Barbasol shaving cream can that can also be used to stow away valuables. At under $20, it’s a fun way of concealing treasures, while also keeping it out in the open for you to remember where they are.

Visit www.spyyard.com for more information.

Medicine Cabinets: Most people have medicine cabinets in their bathrooms. They are great for neatly holding toothpaste, lotion, jewelry, medicine – just about anything, but what about keeping some of that stuff in the living room or family room. While no one wants their prescription drugs out in the open for all to see, let’s face it, a lot of the stuff we keep in our bathroom sometimes ends up creeping out into the more public areas of our homes. So, why not keep it there, but just keep it hidden?

Concealed Cabinets, a Los Angeles-based company, creates medicine cabinets. However, instead of a mirror for a face, their medicine cabinets look like framed pictures from the outside. If you want to put something away, you just pull on what looks like the frame, and you’ve got a medicine cabinet with shelving. Prices are $270 and up and can be found at www.concealedcabinet.com.

The site www.shopgetorganized.com also sells a photo frame/medicine cabinet, but the price is lower at $60.

Storage Books: The old, romantic idea of tucking something away in a hollow book comes alive with the Book Box Co.’s secret storage books. The company recycles old books that cannot be resold and hollows out a portion of it to create a nice hiding place for just about anything. You can stack a few of these books on a coffee table and then hide the small junk that normally finds its way onto a coffee table inside these books. It’s a great idea that’s also green (the ground up pages are recycled too)!

Visit www.secretstoragebooks.com for more information.