Use HGTV's Jenn Todryk's Clever Idea From No Demo Reno To Take Advantage Of Wasted Space In Your Home

When decorating your home, there's always a new place to fill so that it doesn't look awkward or empty. Trying to figure out what to put in a small corner or massive bare wall without making it look cluttered is challenging. According to HGTV star Jenn Todryk, it's best to take advantage of wasted space in your home with proper planning and coordination. In HGTV's "No Demo Reno" season 2 episode 2, "Out of the Gray," Todryk helps transform a family's home from a cluttered space to a functional, high-storage-filled place. One of the most significant changes was adding a built-in valet into the side room next to the kitchen.

The space held a round table and multi-shelf unit that stored random items. Todryk turned the unused space into a personal coffee station for her client with an attached built-in valet for her client's sons. Installing a valet is the ideal way to occupy wasted space. Todryk states, " A valet is essentially a mother's grab-and-go. You could put your keys, you could put your purse, you could put your kid's backpacks, anything that's going to junk up space, you throw it on the valet," via YouTube. The best thing about valets is that you can put them in any area that needs sprucing and additional storage.

Valets are more practical when installed near an entryway or the kitchen, with a door leading to the backyard or garage. They're functional for storing things as you walk into the house without having to take them to various rooms. HGTV's Jenn Todryk had her client's valet designed to be built with multiple cubbies, a small bench, and hooks. The top cubbies can be used for additional storage or decoration, while the bottom cubbies are ideal for shoes. 

In addition, valets can be entirely customizable to tailor your needs. For instance, if you have a massive wall in your kitchen near the door that leads to the backyard, you can turn it into a long storage unit with multiple different-sized cubbies. Todryk had her client's valet attached to a coffee station that gave her extra storage space for her coffee items, baking appliances, and other kitchen essentials. It helps expand the kitchen to make it appear bigger without cluttering it. However, you can change the layout by implementing extra shelves or hooks if you have a larger family, especially if you install one in the entryway. Or, incorporate a storage bench with a liftable top instead of having exposed cubbies lining the bottom. You'll be able to throw shoes or backpacks in there as you walk in the door.

If you're not ready to spend thousands on a custom built-in valet, there are various creative storage ideas that will make good use of a vacant wall. You can hang hooks or add an entryway table with a shelf to hold baskets for additional storage, giving the illusion of a valet. Or, you can purchase a pre-built valet or a storage tower from retail stores. 

Walmart has a 5-in-1 Hall Tree Coat Rack with a Storage Bench for $139.98. It has two storage racks on the bottom for shoes and a drawer to hold smaller items like keys or purses. The coat-hanging section has nine hooks and a small seating bench you can use while putting your shoes on. The storage tower measures more than 5 feet tall and 3 feet wide. When purchasing pre-built storage units, measuring the space you want to put it before buying it is best.

Another storage tower option slightly smaller than the one from Walmart is Amazon's entryway hall tree. It has a coat hanger with four hooks, a storage bench with a couple of drawers, one shoe shelving rack, and two small cubbies above the hook for $200.69. It measures more than 5 ½-feet tall and 2 ½-feet wide. You save about an inch of width space if you have a tighter wall in your entryway. Any option will give you extra storage and occupy wasted space in your home.