Homeowners get creative to find storage in tight spaces like Philly’s rowhouses and trinities

When Melanie and Javier Bermudez bought their home in Point Breeze in 2021, they weren’t thrilled with their shared primary bedroom closet, but other expenditures were more pressing. Having only one shelf, they kept many of their clothes in storage bins and stashed other items in rooms around the house.

This past December, they finally upgraded their closet.

“It’s a beautiful system that allows for a lot more organization of our clothing and shoes,” Melanie said of the new setup in her 5-foot-by-7-foot closet. “There’s space for hanging long dresses and suits, drawers for things we don’t want to be shown, and a ton of shelving that utilizes all of the wasted space we had previously.”

The couple worked with Closet Factory and spent about $3,000 on their white wooden system with matte black handles. Rods, drawers, shelves, and bins keep everything organized.

The Bermudezes are among the 72% of Americans who reorganized or renovated two or more rooms in their home — the couple also reorganized their first floor — since the pandemic began, according to a 2021 survey by OnePoll on behalf of mDesign, a home organization company.

While storage is important for every homeowner, city dwellers tend to face the greatest challenges. Rowhouses and trinities typically have less square footage than suburban single-family houses and may not have a garage, attic, or basement.

“In a house from the 1880s, a lot of closets are 12 or 14 inches deep,” said Kenny Grono, president of home remodeler Buckminster Green in Kensington. “It’s a closet where you can’t hang a coat hanger.”

When the closets are too small or too few, homeowners can find creative alternatives. Areas such as the vestibule just inside the front door or the cubby under the stairs can be turned into storage areas for shoes, seasonal items, coats, and sports equipment.

If there isn’t enough space to build a closet, try fitting a bench into the vestibule as a place to sit to remove your shoes. A drawer or cabinet under the bench can store those shoes, and hooks above the bench can hold coats and scarves. For one client, Grono installed a pole into a vestibule to hang two bicycles.

Though small and oddly shaped, space under the stairs is often wasted. Grono has created storage areas under staircases that are accessed through a bookcase or a hidden wall.

As the Bermudezes experienced, a lack of bedroom storage is another frustrating reality for many city dwellers. In a small closet, careful organization can free up space and make items easier to find.

Closet space can be maximized by adding shelving, accessories such as tie, belt, or hat racks, dedicated drawers for sweaters, and sections to divide types of clothing.

Before diving in, live in the space long enough to understand what your needs are, Grono said. If you have kids, think about what might be coming up. Will you be done with the stroller sitting in the vestibule in a couple of years? Will your children’s needs change from dolls and blocks to bats and balls?

Consider seasonal changes, as well. You may not have enough room for four seasons worth of clothing and gear to be readily accessible, but you can store out-of-season items in a less convenient location and then rotate them accordingly.

“It’s a good opportunity to go through your belongings and purge what you don’t need,” said Brittany Palko-Harris, director of corporate development for Closet Factory in Mount Laurel. “From there, organize the belongings that are important.”

Costs vary greatly depending on the solution. Closet Factory’s custom units start at $1,500 and can reach $70,000 for large jobs. DIY organization products can range from a few dollars for storage bins to several thousand dollars for walk-in closet units.

Kitchens in older city homes weren’t designed for modern conveniences. Finding places to keep even the essentials is a challenge without a pantry or closet and limited cabinet space.

“It’s not just about organizing, tidying up, and stashing items away,” said Jeppe Christensen, CEO and founder of Reform, a Danish design company specializing in kitchens and wardrobes with a Fishtown location. “It’s about integrating storage seamlessly into the overall design aesthetic. In a small kitchen, every square inch counts.”

The company specializes in modular cabinet systems with drawers outfitted to fit every utensil, spice, and cleaning product. Plan ahead, Christensen said. Thoroughly think through the best use of space, what you are going to put in every cabinet, and how you want the storage space to function.

“Really look into your current kitchen/working space, what you use on a daily basis and what is forgotten or non-prioritized,” he said. “That way you can make room for what matters most in your kitchen routines and focus on fitting those fully in the future kitchen design.”

Laundry and mudrooms are great spaces for additional storage. Cabinets on casters can sit in front of the water heater or HVAC unit and be easily rolled away when you need to access the equipment.

Storage can be especially challenging for renters who don’t want to make a large financial investment or put holes in the wall. Storage bins or bags under the bed or in the laundry room can hold seasonal items or items like wrapping paper that you don’t use regularly.

Organizational accessories holding shoes, belts, and stacked hangers are available on hooks that slide over a closet door, and stacked shelving can fit over the toilet to hold bathroom items. In addition to stick-on hooks and shelves, magnetic shelves can adhere to the refrigerator or washing machine.

Pieces of furniture, including armoires and bookshelves, can also solve storage problems and will move with you.

Finally getting the closet they dreamed of has made a big difference for Melanie and Javier Bermudez.

“It’s easier to find things and now I’m able to store things I had on a different floor in the house,” Melanie said. “It all fits.”