Author Topic: Under-stair storage options  (Read 3939 times)

Under-stair storage options
« on: 22 December, 2017, 07:20:01 pm »
My house is very short of storage space. About the only place we can bung stuff is a cupboard under the stairs that would make Harry Potter's place look tiny. It is dog-legged, so I am resigned to losing the bit under the lower run of stairs, but I'm sure the cupboard that runs under the upper run of stairs could be put to better use (at the moment it is just a space, so things get bunged in there on top of each other).

So, my thoughts were to have kitchen-type wire mesh drawers fitted to runners. The space goes back about a metre, so these drawers could hold a lot of stuff. The gap is 700-800mm wide. There is currently a pair of louvre doors on frames that could easily be removed to make things wider.

I was hoping the panel could advise on whether this is the best use of the space and/or if there are any alternative solutions.

FWIW the space is 7-800mm wide; 1050mm high and at least 1000mm deep.
Haggerty F, Haggerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Robson, Crapper, Dewhurst, Macintyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #1 on: 22 December, 2017, 07:38:13 pm »
We have dog-leg stairs. Our downstairs loo is under the upper run so it's only used to store the odd broom etc.

Can you get a rotating carousel to use for the lower part?

Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #2 on: 22 December, 2017, 07:50:27 pm »
A carousel would be useful, but would limit the use I could put the much larger space to.

With drawers on runners there is the option to remove them to access the space from time to time, so we could put stuff in there that hardly ever gets used. Xmas decorations and the like.
Haggerty F, Haggerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Robson, Crapper, Dewhurst, Macintyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

Clare

  • Is in NZ
Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #3 on: 22 December, 2017, 07:57:42 pm »
Are your stairs carpeted?

Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #4 on: 22 December, 2017, 07:58:52 pm »
Yes, they are.
Haggerty F, Haggerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Robson, Crapper, Dewhurst, Macintyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

Clare

  • Is in NZ
Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #5 on: 22 December, 2017, 08:05:02 pm »
OK, I was going to suggest you could turn the dogleg bit into drawers using the stair risers as the drawer fronts. But with carpet that wouldn't really be an option.

You drawer idea sounds sensible, I don't think I would remove the doors as it sounds like it is all stuff that you want to hide away.

Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #6 on: 22 December, 2017, 08:12:30 pm »
In the loft I installed shop-style shelves on castooeers bought off ebay.  Made it easier to get at stuff on rather deep shelves. 
Move Faster and Bake Things

robgul

  • Cycle:End-to-End webmaster
  • cyclist, Cytech accredited mechanic & woodworker
    • Cycle:End-to-End
Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #7 on: 22 December, 2017, 08:26:29 pm »
Why not just screw the rails for slotted shelf brackets to the wall and get melamine chipboard to make shelves - with flexibility on shelf position.

If you recall from your visits - the back of my garage has just that arrangement.

Rob

Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #8 on: 22 December, 2017, 08:56:24 pm »
The complication with the drawer runners is that one side is a void. I can rig up wood braces to attach the runners to, but the other side is a wall and that can be used.

I will probably have to ditch the doors, as they are attached to 50mm thick battens, so I lose 100mm straight away. Shame, as yes, the stuff in there isn't for display!
Haggerty F, Haggerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Robson, Crapper, Dewhurst, Macintyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

Mrs Pingu

  • Who ate all the pies? Me
    • Twitter
Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #9 on: 22 December, 2017, 09:29:50 pm »
How about a photo of the space?
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

robgul

  • Cycle:End-to-End webmaster
  • cyclist, Cytech accredited mechanic & woodworker
    • Cycle:End-to-End
Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #10 on: 23 December, 2017, 07:04:25 am »
Storage boxes that stack, with the bottom box(es) on castors?

The clear plastic boxes from IKEA have lids available and they stack very well - and in a several sizes (we have about 8 in our loft with all sorts of stuff - seasonal note : including the Christmas decorations)

Rob

Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #11 on: 23 December, 2017, 07:08:12 am »
If you go for a kitchen style carousel, I don't see why the top set of drawers could not be as you describe but the bottom two shelves that rotate out on a pivot with fancy hinges.  only for lightish objects but the one in our kitchen easily takes a load of vegetable and a slow cooker.
https://www.howdens.com/kitchen-collection/kitchen-accessories/storage-solutions/full-extension-corner-storage-accessory/ this sort of thing

But the boxes are a good idea as well!

Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #12 on: 23 December, 2017, 09:10:32 am »
I thought of storage boxes, but the main use will be for shoes and we'll need to be able to see them at a glance. They would, however, do for the less accessible part of the area.
Haggerty F, Haggerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Robson, Crapper, Dewhurst, Macintyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #13 on: 23 December, 2017, 11:14:04 am »
What height do you have above your stairs? We have very limited storage so built a cupboard above our stairs you access from one of the bedrooms. Can send pictures if you're interested just pm me your email as don't use any picture hosting to post on here

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #14 on: 23 December, 2017, 12:37:01 pm »
I don't know about CAMRAman but my dog-leg stairs have a sloping roof above the upper run so that would not be an option here.

Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #15 on: 24 December, 2017, 08:47:39 pm »
Mine have a slight dog leg but have high ceilings in my house which unfortunately makes an attic conversion impractical

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
  • Custard Wallah
    • Mr Larrington's Automatic Diary
Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #16 on: 25 December, 2017, 10:14:48 am »
It's just occurred to me that the space under the lower flight of the Grand Escalier is completely bricked up on both sides, and is therefore almost certainly concealing a gateway to Heck, portal to another dimension or entrance to a subterranean oubliette.
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

Mrs Pingu

  • Who ate all the pies? Me
    • Twitter
Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #17 on: 25 December, 2017, 10:17:40 am »
It's just occurred to me that the space under the lower flight of the Grand Escalier is completely bricked up on both sides, and is therefore almost certainly concealing a gateway to Heck, portal to another dimension or entrance to a subterranean oubliette.

All round to yours with demolishing tools, a hat and a whip, then?  :demon:
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Aunt Maud

  • Le Flâneur.
Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #18 on: 25 December, 2017, 12:48:32 pm »
A whip, eh.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #19 on: 25 December, 2017, 12:54:42 pm »
Some of the space under our staircase is a cupboard containing a fuseboard which is only accessible from a small door in the porch.

Though I never saw the meeces, they chewed up rolls of loo paper stored there.

Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #20 on: 25 December, 2017, 04:49:44 pm »
What about something like this?


I dunno what the arrangement of your stairs is like, but this is what mine is like and reflects what I've been wanting to do ever since I moved in here.
The problem with mine is I've  a step-up to the threshold, and then a step-down beyond it - which kinda scuppers the use of anything on castors.
You could screw a couple of battens inboard of the castors to the floor under the stairs, to ensure the trolley doesn't crash into the sides.

Frequently required stuff is on the front edges of the wall-mounted shelves on the right.
Less frequently required stuff on the trolley.
Archived stuffs on the in depth wall mounted shelves.

Mine comes as close to that as poss - with the exception that all the stuff where I've shown the trolley, has to be hand-balled in or out.

Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #21 on: 25 December, 2017, 11:17:18 pm »
Use back of door for shoe storage?  Many fabric "hang on door" accessories exist. 

Valiant

  • aka Sam
    • Radiance Audio
Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #22 on: 28 December, 2017, 08:17:25 pm »
What about something like this?


I dunno what the arrangement of your stairs is like, but this is what mine is like and reflects what I've been wanting to do ever since I moved in here.
The problem with mine is I've  a step-up to the threshold, and then a step-down beyond it - which kinda scuppers the use of anything on castors.
You could screw a couple of battens inboard of the castors to the floor under the stairs, to ensure the trolley doesn't crash into the sides.

Frequently required stuff is on the front edges of the wall-mounted shelves on the right.
Less frequently required stuff on the trolley.
Archived stuffs on the in depth wall mounted shelves.

Mine comes as close to that as poss - with the exception that all the stuff where I've shown the trolley, has to be hand-balled in or out.

Level off the inside and ramp up the front?
You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted, then used against you.

Support Equilibrium

Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #23 on: 28 December, 2017, 08:30:33 pm »
Yeah.
Levelling off the inside would be easy enough.
Dealing with the 18cm drop on the other side of it delivers a host of complexities....

fruitcake

  • some kind of fruitcake
Re: Under-stair storage options
« Reply #24 on: 28 December, 2017, 08:47:07 pm »
I reckon shelving is more space efficient than cupboards or stacking boxes in almost all cases. You can always store clear boxes on shelves anyway. If the shelving needs to be hidden from view, you could fit a curtain.