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Affordable storage solutions that are both decorative and functional
Life admin comes with an astonishing amount of stuff. Post, chargers, laundry products, shopping bags and all the small, practical things that tend to collect on worktops and consoles all need somewhere to live, especially when square footage is in short supply.
The high street is full of affordable storage solutions that are both decorative and functional, from woven baskets and wall-mounted cabinets to upholstered pouffes with hidden compartments. The most useful buys make smart use of height, awkward corners or furniture you already need, while materials such as rattan, mango wood and stripy upholstery sit happily within the rest of a room.
Ahead are 10 of our favourite high-street storage buys, and yes, M&S Home has come out on top again.
Storage that is just as unsightly as the clutter you want to hide defeats the purpose entirely. Choose something with flair like this scalloped rattan basket from M&S that is lovely enough to sit on open shelving.
At 40cm in length, there’s room for the less photogenic bits of daily life, from post and notebooks to chargers and cables.
Talk about hiding mess in plain sight. This upholstered pouffe from Dusk – available in this chocolate stripe and a choice of three plain colours – conceals a sizeable storage compartment, with plenty of room for bulky throws, spare cushions or board games.
At 90cm across, it's substantial enough to take the place of a coffee table or footstool.
HAY's stackable little crates measure just 26cm in width and 10cm in height, which makes them particularly adept at organising the bits and pieces stored inside cupboards and deeper drawers.
If, like us, you find them too cute to hide away, you can assemble a few in a rainbow of colours on your desk, bathroom shelves or kitchen worktops.
Laundry essentials can create an impressive amount of visual clutter – all of it brightly coloured and plastic too – so smart ceramic containers are useful, especially if your washing machine lives in your kitchen.
Zara Home has a whole range of these cream ceramic jars designed to hold laundry detergent, capsules, softener and so on, that can be lined up on a shelf without detracting from your design scheme.
A laundry basket that sits in your bedroom, bathroom or kitchen should never be an eyesore. We love this Gabe laundry basket from Westwing that has a metal frame wrapped in a colourful rope weave.
At around 58cm in width and 60cm in height, it has generous capacity and it's divided into two sections to instantly sort your whites from your colours.
This tiered tray from H&M is a novel option for corralling small everyday items that always seem to get lost.
Pop it in a bathroom or bedroom to hold hair ties, jewellery or reading glasses, or use it on a kitchen countertop for those condiments you reach for on a daily basis. The powder-coated iron is easy to wipe down, so it will withstand splashes and staining.
Wall-mounted storage is a gift in small hallways where it frees up limited floor space. This Kivalina design from Sklum gives you two proper drawers for post, keys, dog collars and other small administrative debris that tends to accumulate near the front door.
At 100cm in width and 20cm in height, its proportions are streamlined, but its dark mango wood shell and green Udaipur marble handles make a big statement.
Hooks and peg rails offer a great storage opportunity and hanging baskets make the most of them. This rustic trio from Next – £18 for all three – would look great in a hallway, kitchen or utility room. They're a handy size for all your winter scarves and gloves, reusable shopping bags and dog-walking bits.
Mustard Made is a one-stop shop for fabulous, candy-coloured storage. The Kit is a shallow, wall-mounted cabinet available in 12 colours with an adjustable shelf and colour-matched lock and key. The fluted glass doors make the whole thing feel light and less bulky while obscuring whatever clutter sits inside.
While this is officially a condiment carrier, it is lovely enough to sit elsewhere in the home, dividing stationery in a home office or lotions and potions in a bathroom. At 20 x 20cm, there’s space for pens, scissors, envelopes, charging cables and the inevitable assortment of batteries and stamps.
The handwoven brown rattan also screens any brightly coloured plastic packaging inside while adding a natural texture to a shelf or console.
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