Ended up tucking a bench with storage near the door...not fancy, but it works.
That’s pretty much what I did too. I grabbed a cheap shoe rack and stuck it under a narrow console table—nothing Pinterest-worthy, but it keeps the mess down. Tried those “minimal” open spaces for a while, but baskets and hidden storage just make life easier. Real homes need places to stash stuff, no matter what the magazines say.
- 100% agree with this:
Real homes need places to stash stuff, no matter what the magazines say.
- Open concept sounds great in theory, but in practice, I need spots to tuck away all the random things that come with daily life.
- In my old house, there are barely any closets, so every piece of storage furniture is doing double duty.
- I’ve tried the “minimal” look too, but it just meant more piles on surfaces. Baskets, benches with lids, even old trunks—anything that hides the clutter helps.
- One thing I’ve noticed: too much hidden storage and I forget what I own. Every few months I have to dig through baskets and bins just to remind myself what’s actually in there.
- The magazines always show those spotless, open rooms... but where do they put their mail and muddy boots?
- I guess it’s about finding a balance between looking tidy and actually living in the space. For me, function wins out every time.
The magazines always show those spotless, open rooms... but where do they put their mail and muddy boots?
This made me laugh because I once staged a house for sale with an open concept living area, and the owners had to literally move their “real life” stuff into the garage for photos. In my own place, I knocked out a wall between the kitchen and living room, thinking it’d feel so airy. It did, but suddenly there was nowhere to hide backpacks, shoes, or even the dog’s toys. I ended up building a bench with cubbies just to keep the chaos in check. Open spaces are nice, but yeah, real life needs hiding spots.
Title: Knocking down walls: living with one big space
Yeah, those magazine rooms are a total fantasy. I’ve flipped a few houses and every time we go open concept, the first thing people ask is, “Where do I put my stuff?” Here’s what I’ve learned: you need to plan for storage before you even pick up the sledgehammer. Built-ins, benches with baskets, hooks behind doors—otherwise your beautiful open space just turns into a dumping ground. It’s not as glamorous as the photos, but it works. And honestly, sometimes I miss having a spot to just close a door on the mess...
- Totally get this. First time I knocked out a wall, I didn’t even think about where the vacuum or board games would go—ended up with piles in every corner.
- Now I always sketch out storage before demo.
- Still, sometimes I miss having a spot to just shove stuff and pretend it’s not there... open concept is great until you want to hide the chaos.