- Home
- > Knowledge of Interiors
- > Storage furniture, racks, dressers
Storage racks and dressers
Basic knowledge about storage
Frequency of access, and height
For efficient storage, you need to consider size, weight and frequency of access. As a rule of thumb, the heights of 60cm and 180cm are regarded as standard heights for determining storage space, because any storage lower than 60cm will make it necessary for you to crouch down to access the space, and any storage higher than 160 cm will make it necessary to use a footstool or ladder to access the space.
Floor space and storage space
It is said that about 15% of the floor space should be set aside for storage. A 180cm-wide oshiire (Japanese-style closet) is ideal for a six-mat room. However, storage space is so limited that you should come up with ideas to make your room more comfortable. For example, use dead spaces under stairways, the floor, the roof and the like.
“Putting things in order for better use” is fundamental.
At the back of your fridge, you’ve found some food that passed its use-by date. This commonly happens to most of the homemakers, right? It indicates that you frequently use the food placed at the front, while you neglect the food at the back. It’s important to put things in their right places so that you can take out them easily when you use next time. You can reduce the amount of food you waste by not putting perishables at the back and by putting perishables on shelves of their depth.
Boldly disposing of things is another shortcut to better storage.
It’s good to cherish things. But most of what you cherish may be unused if you squeeze it into a small place where it’s hard to get at. This is a big waste. Change your mindset and have the courage to dispose of unnecessary things. It’s essential that you make the best use of what you have now.
Store things safely, in case of emergencies.
Your room may look tidy and neat at first glance, but it can be very dangerous in an earthquake, when things tend to collapse, pop out or fall. Some people pile things on their bookshelves and in their cupboards. Plan very carefully about where and how to store things, with an eye to what could happen in the worst case.
Storage tips for each room
Living room
A living room is where family members relax and enjoy themselves. At times it’s used for welcoming guests. But various things tend to accumulate in this room.
Magazines, books and DVDs are useful items to make the living room look better. When you place them nicely, but odds and ends should be hidden. To improve the appearance of your living room, decide what to show and what to hide.
Dining room, Kitchen
These are the places housewives are most concerned about. Place infrequently used cooking utensils, large pots and bottles at the bottom (60-cm height), and place dishes at slightly higher than eye level (180-cm height) for easy access. It’s OK to place stocks of food slightly above eye level. Your rice cooker, microwave oven, other small electronics appliances and dishes can be neatly stored in a special shelf. Some storage racks are designed to hold trash bins whose smell might otherwise be unpleasant, and others are designated to fit in small, narrow spaces. Make wise use of them to make your room look neat and tidy.
Bed room
-
Bedroom storage is all about where to put your clothes, which can be hung up or folded. These days, built-in closets, such as clothes closets and walk-in closets are getting popular, the most important thing is to select the storage space that matches how much clothing you have. Since clothes change from one season to the next, you need a space to store off-season clothes. Make effective use of your oshiire (Japanese-style closet) by using special boxes designed for such closets.
In addition, since oshiire and other closets are prone to be damp, take measures to let air go through. Putting a wooden slat on the floor of an osiire or a closet is a good idea.
Every year fewer and fewer people are using traditional Japanese wedding chests - huge chests that a bride is expected to buy when she marries. But when it comes to kimonos, we recommend storing them in a paulownia chest of drawers or a paulownia case.
 |
|---|
Childrens’ room
It's hard to walk, when toys are scattered around. It’s the best to encourage your children to find fun in putting away toys after playing with them. Prepare some boxes to separate toys, and tell children which box is for blocks, which is for stuffed animals, etc. The boxes should be small enough for children to carry. Keep in mind that huge box can cause children to mix up their toys. It will be good to install a low bookshelf for picture books.
Utility room
A utility room contains various things, such as a lavatory, a washing machine, a vacuum cleaner, and bath goods. You need to find good ways to store all of them properly in such a small area. Since it’s a wet area, it tends to become moldy. Make sure this space is well ventilated. Storage spaces under a washstand or behind a mirror may already be full. In such case, prepare a specially-designed shelf to use these spaces effectively to keep things in order. If you don’t use a dryer, one idea is to set up a rack to use the space above the washing machine.
