Mobile Home Living: Creating Extra Space
Touch lights can brighten some closets enough to where you can see and store stuff but even that doesn’t help much when the shelves are barely a few inches wide and a couple feet long. Store what you can in the small closets and storage spots then create some new places of your own.
Milk crates are great, if you can get them, because they stack well and hold quite a bit of things. They can be painted or even upholstered. They’re perfect in a child’s room to use as “cubbies” where kids can store shoes, books, toys and more. Actually, they work in any bedroom for storing seasonal clothing and other items. Ask at local grocery stores to see if you can get some of the crates; often they will give them to you or tell you where you can find them. A similar, yet smaller crate, can be found at many dollar-oriented stores.
Find something similar to the crate, made of wood, at department or home improvement stores. Stack the crates and secure them to the wall. Align many crates on one long wall to make a complete entertainment center with places for books, lamp, pictures, collectibles, movies and cd’s.
In the bathroom you may have trouble finding places to put extra towels and toiletries. Look at any department store for a set of shelves that goes over the toilet. They come in various models that have small cabinets or several shelves. This is a big help in small bathrooms. If the shower is separate from the tub consider installing shelves over one end of the tub.
Kitchens in mobile homes generally have lots of cabinets but they’re usually small and not too deep. This presents a problem because after you’ve stored dishes, pots and pans, food and glassware, there’s rarely room left over for spices, wraps, and other kitchen accessories. Purchase the over-the-sink shelf that is found at most any department store. The shelf stands on tall legs and sets perfectly over the sink to hold soaps and scrubbers. Purchase another to go over the top of the electric can opener and other small gadgets to hold spices and wraps. Still another can be placed beside the microwave to hold cups, coffee filters, stirrers and other needs. If the stand needs to be slightly taller you can upholster bricks to put under it or glue dowels to the underneath of the existing legs to extend them. The dowels will need to attach to a flat base.
Bookcases are great in the living room because they can hold not only books, but photos, nick-knacks, small stereo, or silk plants. Most mobile homes don’t have huge living rooms so look for bookcases that stand tall rather than wide.
Love plants but just don’t have the room for many? Hang them in room corners, or purchase a pole lamp and hang them on it. They get plenty of light that way and it’s a unique way to show off your green thumb.
If you’re pretty good at working with wood consider window boxes in some rooms. They’re basically just a rectangular form with a seat but can be hinged to give you lots of storage room for blankets, toys, shoes, and other things. You can also purchase large wooden boxes and place them in front of a window, or along a wall, to act as a window box. They can even be used to store wood if you have a fireplace. Consider building a similar set of seats in the kitchen. Replace table and chair with table and booth seats. The seats can be made to lift up for extra storage of large, little-used pots, griddle, and extra food supply.
Another thing to keep in mind is that when you have little floor space – look up. Think of putting shelves around the room, up by the ceiling, to hold train sets, collectibles, or even pictures. Build the shelves yourself or find them at home improvement stores. You’ll think of plenty of things to put on your new shelves and you’ll have a much neater place.
