What Do I Need To Know Before Shopping For A House?

There are plenty of resources on the internet to walk you through getting financially, separating your “Nice-To-Have” list from your “Must-Have” list, structural considerations and more. Our guess is that you have probably read them all. What those resources won’t tell you is that no matter the house you tour, there will always be a need to customize your storage options. That’s where we come in.

Take a good hard look at the features of your current home and survey which areas could be more functional with customization. Is your laundry or mudroom a constant pain point? Could you get more use out of your garage? Does your master closet streamline your busy schedule or add to the stress? Most times, you’ll find a house with great bones, but the storage and organizational spaces aren’t exactly what you need. That’s okay! Seeing the potential for customization is actually a silver lining because it offers you the opportunity to create a space that is perfect for your needs, your lifestyle, and your future plans.

What Should I Focus On During Each Home Tour? 

You’ve done the pre-planning and now it’s time to start touring potential homes. Here are the spaces that offer up the biggest opportunities to customize your lifestyle—helping you get the most out of your new home. 

Your day starts and ends with your closet. Having an efficient custom closet design for all your clothes, shoes and accessories are not only vital for a tidy and organized bedroom, but to get a good start to your day. Digging through overstuffed drawers and trying to track down your second shoe is no way to get into a good headspace as your day begins. Additionally, investing in custom closet organization—with room for everything and everything in its place—makes for a relaxed and calm space to come home to after a long day.

Keep all your clothes, shoes and accessories looking brand new with our thoughtful storage solutions. The Shoe Shrine^®, for example, keeps all your shoes together and in perfect condition. The best part?  The shelves are totally adjustable to fit boots, heels, and sneakers, allowing organization to evolve as much as your shoe collection. Keep your necklaces and bracelets from becoming a tangled mess with our pull-out jewelry dividers. Or choose a sleek, velvet-lined drawer to elevate your décor while offering additional customization when you add velvet or acrylic dividers. Finally, integrate a hamper right into your master closet design and keep your space completely decluttered with a hideaway hamper.

Your bedroom should be a place of personal refuge and peace, free of clutter and piling clothes. We offer numerous tailored solutions. From cabinets and finishes to the type of closet you’re looking for, our custom closets will fit seamlessly into your space, complement your décor, and be right-sized for your needs. Find out more about our custom closets here.

The laundry room is a dynamic space that changes with your household. The more your household grows, the more your laundry loads grow as well. Bulky things like sports uniforms, pet supplies and linens can quickly fill what little space you have. Without a thoughtfully designed laundry room organization solution, the stress can add up too. Investing in a custom laundry room that’s tailored to your life will give you the space you need to get this daily chore done in no time at all.

Our custom laundry room designs offer smart solutions to help keep laundry day stress-free and efficient. Adding shelving, drawers and cabinets can help organize all your essentials like detergents, dryer sheets, and hampers so you can start laundry day prepared. Incorporate hanging rods for clothes that need a little extra time to dry. And finally, a pull-out ironing board is there when you need it, neatly tucked away when you don’t, keeping your favorite clothes neatly pressed and ready to go.

The laundry room is often overlooked, but it’s important that this room is can work as hard as possible for you, no matter the size. The key is designing the right solution, from small-space laundry closets to full-sized laundry rooms. Check out our laundry idea gallery here.

One of the most neglected opportunities for custom storage is the garage. Beyond knowing how much space you’ll need for your vehicle, the garage has excellent potential for building out additional storage. The garage is great for storing sporting equipment, surplus groceries, and home goods while having plenty of room for your tools. Inspired Closets offers different garage storage inspiration to build out the most useful space for your needs.

Durable cabinets are built to withstand the harsher garage temperatures, keeping your belongings in their best condition, while our heavy-duty shelves hold up all your gear and bright interiors finish the look. You can make the most of your space with our customizable slatwall options. Personalized organization allows your needs to grow with you, never holding you back.

Even though you cook in the kitchen, the pantry stores all the magic that makes it happen. The most important thing to take note of in the kitchen is storage. Think about how much precious counter space is used by things that should be in the pantry, not to mention how cluttered it can get. Having adequate pantry storage is the key to a tidy kitchen, regardless of counter space. On your home tour, pay attention to how much pantry space there is and how much more functionality you could get out of the kitchen with a little more pantry customization.

Perhaps no room best symbolizes “the little things count” than the kitchen. With so much kitchenware, it can be easy to let it pile up and close the pantry door. What most homeowners don’t realize is that what is just as simple and effective in the long run is organizing it with the right solutions.

Pantry organization is a breeze with our vertical dividers to store items like cutting boards and baking trays. Pull-out pantry drawers and shelves hide those small appliances like your favorite mixer, food processor, or smoothie machine. And of course, stemware storage keeps your fine glassware safely out of the way. All that said, take a minute to envision yourself living in your new kitchen. If you can see the space best serving you, then you’ve found a kitchen with potential. With tailored pantry design options at various price points, you can find your dream pantry solution here.

The entryway bookends your school and workday. As you walk through each front door, imagine that you’re coming home at the end of the day. Take a second to visualize what that looks like for you and compare it to the entryway you’re standing in. What does the space need to make that moment as easy as possible? Chances are, it’s proper entryway storage. Building out your entryway with custom storage (like hooks and cubbies) to keep all your essentials organized and right where you can grab them on your way out saves you time and energy throughout your busy days.

Installing hooks keeps you from looking for your keys, bags, and scarves at the last minute. Our pull-out baskets keep things like mittens, hats and dog toys organized and out of sight. The Shoe Shrine keeps everyone’s go-to footwear right where they need them and protected from being stepped on…or tripped over. An integrated bench gives you a place to sit while getting all your gear on and together before taking on the day.

With an array of entryway organization options, it’s easy to create a custom solution that works for you.

You know that feeling of stepping into a room and everything just feels right? Think about a room that feels fresh and airy. Now imagine that same room feeling warm and cozy. The difference there was lighting, and the same room can be completely transformed by adjusting how it’s incorporated into the space.

Most people don’t think about the effects of lighting, but it’s incredibly important. Poor lighting has been linked to headaches, neck soreness and eye fatigue, whereas, proper lighting is one of the unsung heroes in home design. Having the right lighting paired with your custom organization can significantly improve your mood and energy level by helping you navigate your surroundings and creating a welcoming ambiance any time of day.

Just like organization, lighting is a reflection of how you use a space and can further elevate the spaces you’ve taken the time to curate and customize. With a layered lighting plan from Inspired Closets, we can take your home customization to the next level.