Declutter Your Life

Find Storage Sweet Spots

Your Home Office

Run bracket shelving around the perimeter of a small room, about a foot below the ceiling, and use the space to display collections: Think books in an office, trophies in a kid's bedroom, and china in a dining room or breakfast nook. Paint the shelves the same color as the trim to create a built-in look.

Your Living Room

A storage ottoman or coffee table with a cabinet or drawers is a no-brainer for stashing video game equipment, DVDs, magazines, and the like, but you can make an open-design table functional, too, by placing a row of baskets beneath it.

Your Hallway

Carve out a closet or build in drawers or shelves under stairs, where there's often an open space. Another option? Finish off the area and place a desk or bench below the slope, creating an office or mudroom nook. (Unless you're pretty handy, these are jobs for a carpenter.)

Your Attic

Lay plywood planks between beams to create a surface for light boxes, hang off-season clothes (in bags) from beams, and (in tight spaces) install Attic Trac Plus ($60, homedepot.com), a platform that slides back and forth on a track.