Does this happen when you go about your spring cleaning? You get ready to tackle the floor and furniture in the living room, so you pick up all the books, curios and knickknacks and move them to the den. Next, when you go to clean the den, it’s full of all that stuff. You carry some back to the living room and you distribute the rest between the bedrooms and the hallway.

It’s kind of like whack-a-mole. Straighten up one part of the house and an excess builds up elsewhere. What you need is more places to put things. More storage space.

Springtime is the right time not only for cleaning but also for getting organized. What could be better than some bookcases and shelves to provide homes for all those miscellaneous treasures? And why stop with shelving? In addition, consider the benefits of storage furniture, those handy pieces that do “double duty.” They’re beds, ottomans and tables, and they also keep toys, bedding, books and other odds and ends handy but out of sight.

Bookcases and Shelving Units

Shelves can be metal and wood, formal and utilitarian. Wooden bookcases are stylish and timeless. They can match the other furniture in the room or provide a contrast. Short, broad ones have a rich and homey feel. Tall, narrow bookcases take minimal floor space and are especially effective for organizing a small room.

But don’t forget about metal shelves and open bookcases. These days, they don’t have to be relegated to the utility room. The clean and simple lines are at home not only in an industrial style space but also fit right in with many modern and contemporary settings.

For the best of both worlds, how about a ladder bookcase? These wall-leaners have the subtlety to grace a formal room as well as the whimsicality to provide just the right note in a more updated area.

Storage Baskets and Bins

No, we’re not talking about the plastic laundry hamper. Think instead of handsomely crafted wicker baskets that look like part of the furnishings when they stand in the corner. Imagine color-coordinated bins that line up on low bookcases and other shelving units. If miscellaneous items seem to multiply and spread on floors and shelves, bring them under control with a supply of attractive storage containers.

Tables with Storage

If you’re going to have coffee tables and end tables in your living room, why not choose those with extra storage space? Many of these units provide extra shelving under the tabletop. Even better, some have drawers. This gives you options: house a few attractive objects on the lower shelves, but keep other items out of sight behind the door of a drawer.

There are also dining room tables that provide storage underneath. They come in several clever configurations: shallow drawers directly under the tabletop, one or more open shelves, even a closed compartment with doors. For more extra space, pull a dining storage bench up to one side of the table. The top flips to reveal a hold underneath.

Storage Ottomans and Storage Benches

Here’s a way to have extra storage hidden in plain sight. Consider the storage ottoman. Your guests will think they’re resting their legs on an ordinary footstool, but with a flip of the top you can stash away a few favored possessions, especially those you want to have handy but don’t want to have sitting out in the open.

To make a hallway or bedroom even more functional, position a storage bench near your entryway or at the foot of a bed. Some have shelves for shoes and bedroom toys, and some have storage space revealed by lifting the top. Some have both! Or how about that old standby, the chest at the foot of a bed. Its looks are classic and its capacity for storage is a lifesaver.

Storage Beds

In both adult or youth bedrooms, there can never be too much storage space. Fortunately, there are storage beds available in tasteful styles for grown-ups and more playful approaches for the younger set. How do these beds provide extra storage? Let’s count the ways. Some have drawers at the foot. Others have underbed pullout drawers along the side. Still others have shelving built into the headboards.

What better place to keep spare sheets and blankets than right there under the bed. What a prime spot for extra clothes and toys. And keep your bedtime reading and a few curios handy in the multipurpose headboard.

Different Kinds of Storage for Your Home

If you’re thinking about how to get better organized this spring, think of all the ways extra storage will help you, not only now but all through the year. Remember, supplementary storage comes in many different forms. Some of it looks like living room furniture, some of it looks like beds, and, lo and behold, some actually comes in the form of bookcases and shelving.