Storage and organization projects range in average cost from under $400 to move a piano and $480 to hire a professional organizer to more than $3,810 to move across the country. Storage solutions like building a closet or built-in bookshelves range between $2,000 and $2,500. Check out these and more moving, organization, and storage project costs in the guides below.
Updated February 22, 2022
Written by HomeAdvisor.A homeowner can organize on a shoe string or spend a lot of money depending on how they approach the task. On the inexpensive side, they install cross beams or plywood shelving across the rafters in a garage, place beds on cinder blocks to create space underneath for plastic bins and boxes, install shelving in their attic and so on. On the expensive side, increased storage can involve anything from removing walls to hiring a professional organizer.
In addition to holding the household vehicle, the garage usually is the first space for household storage. Whether it's leftover moving boxes or items that don't fit anywhere else in the house, the garage is where homeowners find extra room for storing personal belongings. The best way to optimize this space for storage is to organize it with shelving. Whether it's hanging plywood shelves on the walls or buying plastic or wired standalone shelves, you can make the most of your garage storage space and fit everything you want to keep in this extra room. The cost of shelving will depend on what kind of shelving you buy or the materials you invest in to build the shelves yourself.
Another often used space for storage is the attic. Since many of these spaces are too small for another room, people throw boxes up in this room and forget about them until the next move. Do not do this! Make the most of this storage space. If it's only small enough to fit cardboard boxes, then make sure you can fit as many boxes up there as possible. If it can hold some shelves, then install a few up there so you can put some more storage up there than just boxes. Find out the best way you can organize and optimize this space for storage. The money you put into the investment will depend on how much you spend on items like shelving.
There are usually one or two of these in a home that homeowners don't put their clothes in. They're usually located near the front door or in a hallway. These could be great places for storing a few boxes or some items of value that cannot fit in a bedroom closet. Even if they're a closet where you put coats or linens, there is a way to optimize that space for a box or a few items by organizing it. If it's a coat closet, there's usually a shelf above where you can fit a few things or a space below on the floor for some storage. If it's a linen closet, put the linens in the middle or up top and store some items on the lower shelves. Do the same with your bedroom closets, if you can. There's got to be some extra space on the shelves in them for you to store some items of value. You don't need the boxes your shoes came in, unless you need something for storage. If you do not have enough closet space but would like more, you could always build closets, though it will be a costly investment.
Many homes have a lot of open wall space, whether it's in the living room, kitchen, dining room or basement. Depending on how you want to design your home, there's a lot of chance to put up shelving and use it for organization and storage. If you have a basement that you use for storage rather than as an extra bedroom or entertainment space, that could be a great area for shelving and storage. You could hang plywood shelving or buy some plastic standing shelves and store some boxes. If in the dining room you have some extra space for shelving, you could put up your good china for display. Make the most of your space and what you have. Just know when your house begins to look a little cluttered and learn to balance between the two.
If you do not have a basement or little space in your garage for everything you need to store, you can always invest in a shed. While it might be a bit of a costly investment, it is a great space for storage. There are pre-made ones that you can usually buy and then install in your backyard, or you can make your own. What you decide to make it from will decide how much you spend. It might be best to consult a professional contractor to determine the best materials for your area's weather conditions. Then when it's built you can store what you need in it and access it when you need something.
Keep in mind with all this storage that, if you move, it might have to move with you. Moving companies will either charge by the hour or by the truck. It might be a good idea for you to go through your storage items before hiring a moving company to take your items to your next home.
