Many of us live in homes with only a modest amount of closets or cabinets, and we wish we had more space to store our possessions. Your wish has been granted! Most people have untapped storage space in their homes that they’re not utilizing…it’s called vertical space.

I recently returned from vacation in Vietnam. There, most storefronts are extremely narrow since property taxes are based on the width of a store or a home. In the picture, you can see how this merchant capitalized on every single bit of available vertical space to maximize product display.

In older homes, the typical closet configuration consists of one hanging bar and a shelf above it. In many cases, there is anywhere from one to three feet of space above that shelf that’s not being utilized. By adding a second shelf or stacking storage bins, you can garner a lot more storage capacity.

In the typical bathroom vanity, there is a lot of vertical space between the base of the cabinet and the bottom of the sink. Using stacking bins or shoe boxes allows you to capture the height of the space under the cabinet to maximize storage.

When it comes to finding hidden storage, look up!