Storage space is an elusive concept, and the “perfect” amount is often just a little more than we have. The right amount of storage is like a carrot always dangling before us. And no matter what we do, it seems impossible to reach it.

Love, Liz

Many of us equate “space”—such as closets—with storage. “If I just had one more closet,” we say, “then my storage needs would be covered.” Or we buy lots of plastic containers or other items traditionally associated with storage, thinking that if we buy enough of them, our problem just might be solved.

We believe the answer lies not in more plastic containers but in thinking about storage more creatively. Many of us believe that most of our things should be contained and hidden or, at the very least, put away. But you don’t really need to hide your belongings unless you want to. If you’re worried that storing things in plain view will look messy or cluttered, we assure you, there are many ways to avoid falling into that trap. Also, wouldn’t it be great not to have to hunt for your winter coat, your roller skates, or extra bed sheets when you need them? The key is this: You need to create inexpensive, accessible storage solutions. We like to call it smart storage.

Creative Containment

When you have items that you need to store, do you automatically reach for cardboard boxes and stuff them until they are overflowing? While cardboard boxes might be fine for storing some items, they are not a very attractive solution, and for this reason, things stored this way tend to get pushed to the back of a closet where no one can see them—not even you. But what happens when you need something that’s in the box? You’ll have to move all your shoes and other items that get piled up around the boxes, and dig through to find what you’re looking for. Does this sound like your system? But there are better ways to store things!

If you’ve never considered storing your belongings in style, perhaps it’s time! The type of creative containment you opt for depends on several factors. First, you’ll need to consider what you’re storing. Clothing, for instance, should be treated differently than garden tools. Second, consider the location and the environmental factors of that location. If you have an unused computer you’re storing, you’ll want a location that won’t get too cold or too damp, since these conditions could damage the computer. Third, you can begin thinking about the containers you’ll use. Although plastic bins and cardboard boxes can get the job done, consider these more creative alternatives:

For Long-Term Storage:

• Instead of banishing sweaters or off-season clothing to the back of your closet or stashing them in cardboard, try something different. Pick up old drawers at a flea market, paint or stain them to match or complement your bed, then add four rolling casters on the bottom so it can be moved around easily. Store each unit under your bed, and you’re putting a little-used space to a productive use.

• Tired of a linen closet that’s overflowing? Purchase an inexpensive wicker hamper and store off-season linens in a closet. Beach towels can occupy the hamper in the winter, and flannel sheets can hibernate there during the summer.

For Short-Term Storage:

• If you’re short on bathroom space, use decorative hooks to hold baskets or bags full of toiletries.

• Small shelves mounted over doorways or windows can hold items like books and collectibles.

• Shoe bags are versatile receptacles that can store a multitude of things, from Beanie Baby collections to craft supplies to correspondence.

• Small items (e.g., buttons, safety pins, etc.) can be stored in bulk easily. Purchase a few matching glass jars with screw-on lids. Glue the lids onto the bottom side of wall shelf, with the lids in a straight line with a few inches between them. Fill the jars with small items, and screw the jars on the lids. When you need a button, grab the jar and twist, retrieve it, then screw it back into place.

• Another idea for storing lots of small items: Remove the label from an old paint can, paint the can all one color and decorate it with decoupage or paint markers. Use the cans to store belts, game pieces like dominoes, small toys photos-anything! Glue several paint cans together for an interesting storage unit.

Some people set up complete, permanent cooking centers as the focus of their outdoor spaces. Others content themselves with a simple grill. In either case, practical planning makes outdoor cooking efficient and more enjoyable, whether it is for the family or a host of guests.

Decide exactly what features you want in the cooking area. Aside from the grill, do you want an elaborate setup with a sink or a refrigerator? Perhaps a dishwasher? If so, these appliances need to be protected from the elements; place the cooking center in a sheltered location. If you prefer to keep it simple with just a grill, this option still requires some decision making. Do you want a charcoal, liquid propane (LP), or natural-gas grill? Charcoal grills are the least expensive; natural gas ones are the most expensive. The number of burners and features, such as a push-button ignition, increase the cost, too. You can also choose from a number of accessories, such as rotisseries, side burners, smoke ovens, and warming racks.

Then choose a site for the cooking area. It can be placed either nearby or far away from the house. Both locations have their advantages. A cooking area that is near the house benefits from easy access to the indoor kitchen, but one that is positioned away from the house keeps heat and smoke from diners. Remember, elaborate outdoor kitchens need gas, electric, and plumbing lines; it is easier and less expensive to run lines when the cooking area is near the house.

In general, when arranging any outdoor cooking area, make sure that all accoutrements—including serving platters, a spatula, a knife, and a pair of tongs—are readily at hand for the cook by providing plenty of surfaces and shelving. You need to accommodate both raw food and the finished product; a roll-around cart may suffice. Keep the pathway clear from the kitchen to the cooking area. A fire extinguisher nearby is an excellent safety precaution.

Any countertop material should be able to withstand varying weather conditions. Rain, snow, and bright sunlight will fade, pit, and rot some surfaces, so choose carefully. Tile, concrete, or natural materials, such as stone or slate, are good options. (Seal porous stone to prevent grease stains.) Avoid using a laminate countertop, unless it’s in a well-protected area—an enclosed porch, for instance—because exposure to the weather may cause the subsurface to deteriorate. Solid surfacing is more durable, but may also need to be in a sheltered location. Think twice about using teak or other decay-resistant woods for a countertop, as they stain easily and may harbor bacteria.

Decay-resistant wood, such as redwood, cedar, teak, or mahogany, is the right choice for cabinetry, however. Other types of wood should be sealed and stained or painted. Oriented-strand board (OSB), which is made of bonded wood fiber, is also weatherproof enough for outdoor cabinetry.

A deck or patio is used most often as a fair-weather family room. Comfortable seating comes first, arranged for conversation as it would be in an indoor room.

Add to this an area for snacking and outdoor recreation. Consider the activities of your household, how and whom you entertain, what your hobbies are, the age of your family members, and other factors that define your needs. Remember that this is an outdoor room: the more components that can remain in place in inclement weather, the easier for you.

Decide up front whether you need shaded areas, as well as those exposed to the sun. Where you position your space in relation to the shade provided by your house, trees, or other buildings will determine how much sun it gets. Awnings, umbrellas, pergolas, and even built-in trellises are good choices for sun protection on decks and patios, which is an increasingly important consideration for many.

When the same space is used for large parties, it is likely that most of the furniture will be pushed to the perimeters and more furniture will be added so that guests can mingle. Replot your traffic patterns and do a walk-through before the party to make sure everything is convenient for you and your guests.

Provide storage. Make your own bin with a lift-up top large enough to contain the pillows and other nonwaterproof accessories you like to have on hand, or purchase a ready-made unit designed for this purpose. A bin can keep things dry during rainstorms, but don’t count on it to replace permanent storage during winter. It may not be weather resistant enough to protect outdoor furnishings. Keep ease of winter storage in mind when you are deciding on furniture, cushions, umbrellas, extra folding tables, and the like.

Invest in coverups. Vinyl slipcovers and protective cloths are available to place over large-sized pieces of cushioned furniture, and you will not have to move the cushions. They are not expensive and are easy to store.

Furniture for outdoor use spans the designs made popular through the centuries. You can select benches similar to those used in Versailles, Adirondack chairs, antebellum wrought iron inspired by Victorian New Orleans, and myriad other choices.

A word of caution: just as decorative birdhouses won’t last outdoors, some furniture with outdoor looks may not stand up to weather. Check warranties, and read directions on the furniture for care and maintenance. Then match your choices to the possible weather exposure of the furniture itself. It may be made of one or more materials.

Wood: Naturally weather-resistant woods, such as cypress, teak, or redwood, require little upkeep and don’t need staining or preservative coatings. Treated wood is decay resistant and may have a greenish-brown color; it can be painted, stained, or left natural and protected with a clear water-resistant finish. Other wood should be treated with a moisture-resistant preservative, either clear or pigmented.

Wicker and Rattan: Check that the frame is weather resistant, such as aluminum with a baked-on finish. If the location is protected, some bamboo frames are porch-suitable. Synthetic wicker and special finishes on natural wicker materials offer various levels of resistance to sun and rain.

Iron: Its weight makes iron a good choice for windy areas, but it is heavy and difficult to rearrange. Either cast or wrought iron will rust unless treated with special rust-retarding paint and touched up or repainted over the years.

Aluminum: From budget tubular furniture to wrought or cast frames, aluminum is rustproof and lightweight. Pieces designed to look like ironwork often have a baked-on enamel or textured finish. Look for finishing details such as smooth seams on welded parts. Cast-aluminum pieces and those of thick, heavy-gauge alloys are top of the line in aluminum.

Plastic and Fiberglass Furniture: Buy the best quality you can afford, because inexpensive polymer pieces that break easily will decorate the dump for decades to come. Warranties are a guide, but test pieces by sitting on them and rocking around. Tubular parts made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) can sometimes be disassembled for storage, depending upon how they are joined. Resin pieces are molded into a variety of shapes. Both come in a range of colored plastics; some are not able to withstand direct sunlight without discoloring.

Attached outdoor spaces that provide total or partial shelter should be considered an extension of the home’s interior design. In most cases these areas embrace an entrance or serve to join two interior areas—a breezeway, for example. Traffic patterns figure importantly in overall furniture arrangements, as does the selection of furniture, durable fabrics, and other elements.

Document your ideas. Keep a folder full of your inspirations and any ideas you may have. Photograph the area you want to decorate from both inside the house and facing toward it from the outside. Keep clippings of similar spaces and furnishings, shades, and lighting that you like from magazines and product brochures; collect paint color chips and samples of fabric and flooring, too. Don’t forget plantings, including window boxes and potted plants, and anything else influencing the design. Consider all the seasons the space is used. Will you want to add curtains to a sunroom for insulation come winter so that you can continue to use it longer into the cold weather? Will blinds or curtains add to a porch’s comfort by blocking spring and fall winds?

Make a floor plan. Add special features unique to your space, such as notations indicating good and bad views. You will want to arrange furniture to take advantage of a good view or to face away from an ugly one.

Indicate the sun’s exposure throughout the day, and note whether it should influence furniture placement. For example, you may need shades for the southern side of a porch, or you may want to group furniture to face fabulous sunsets in the west.

Make furniture templates. Make templates of the furniture you plan to use, as well as of other elements, that require clearance space, such as planters, window boxes, or blinds. Group them on the floor plan; try different configurations to see which is best.

Factor in traffic patterns. Indicate pathways to and from the house. Take into account the swing of each door because you cannot place furniture in those spaces. For sliding glass doors, indicate which side is the entrance.

Arrange furniture so that conversation areas are not interrupted by traffic to and from the house. For instance, a common problem is a porch with a central door and a stepped entrance directly opposite the door. Rather than arranging furniture in one big grouping, create smaller areas at each end of: the porch. Suggestions include a table with chairs on one side and a conversational grouping on the other. A table just outside the door can double as a buffet table. Plot any other traffic aisles, and make sure that you have not blocked passages to the cords for adjusting blinds or for watering plants.

Pillows, upholstery, slipcovers, shades and blinds, lighting, flooring, and rugs all make a sunroom or a porch lush and comfortable. What you can use depends on how rigorous the weather is on the furnishings.

In a relatively moisture-free hot climate, for instance, sun resistance is the quality you want to look for, but mildew resistance is not essential. In other areas, both sun and moisture (caused by dew at night) can damage the goods. Select products specifically resistant to mold and mildew and ultraviolet rays. Choices abound for products that work well in a protected outdoor environment. Here’s some guidance on which are suitable for the outdoors.

Shades and Blinds: Simple matchstick or rattan rollups can protect furnishings from some rain and sun. Other treatments might include fabulous see-through screens and blinds that block ultraviolet rays while allowing breezes to waft through the space. Shower curtains or simply made fabric curtains are decorative solutions that add privacy as well as beauty. (Bed sheets are an inexpensive alternative to fabric.) Remember, however, if the fabric isn’t sun resistant, the curtains will fade over time.

Flooring and Rugs: Tile, slate, concrete, and weatherproof painted wood are floor choices that require minimal care. Soften the look and the feeling underfoot with natural-fiber rugs, such as sisal or hemp, which by nature resist moisture damage; this type of floor covering works best in sheltered outdoor spaces. Another possibility is indoor-outdoor carpeting, which can be left outside all year long.

Fabrics: Cushions and pillows with fillings that allow water to drain through them take very little care. Add to this a wide range of new fabrics—acrylics, woven vinyl-coated polyester, laminated cotton that feels like uncoated fabric—and almost anything is possible. Look for these fabrics at tent, awning, or fabric stores, as well as the porch and patio sections of department stores and pool-supply stores. Don’t overlook clear plastic to protect some fabrics, and go ahead and use conventional fabrics that catch your fancy if the area is protected. Store pillows when the weather turns foul. Fabrics treated for stain resistance are more expensive but wear better.

Lighting: Outdoor ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs), built-in lighting, and fans make all the difference for nighttime use of porches and sunrooms. Avoid conventional indoor lighting unless your space is attached to the house. And be kind to your neighbors: be sure lighting does not encroach on their space. (The same goes for any noise you create, such as from a television, radio, or stereo system.) Don’t over-light, but do provide adequate transitional lighting from inside to outside, allowing eyes to adjust.

It can be irritating to have to circumvent a deck rail or hedge to get to a frequently used destination, such as the potting shed or the barbecue grill. Figuring out potential trouble spots in advance will save you time and aggravation.

To figure out traffic patterns, think about how you will enter this outdoor room. Will it be mostly from the house? Is the approach a path from the house or porch? Are there other areas, such as garden beds, potting sheds, bird baths, or lawn seating, that should determine exits from the patio or deck?

Most open spaces look best when they are defined by either hedges or fencing. Low plantings provide definition without impeding the view. Choices are nearly endless, ranging from clipped boxwood and privet hedges to low-growing junipers to a flower border of perennials or annuals. Consider what colors and fragrances you would like to have.

For even greater privacy—or to formalize the boundaries of a deck or patio—opt for fencing. Height depends upon your situation. A low slatted fence is a good choice for containing small children without blocking the view or interfering with the flow of air. Taller options that also allow air to flow and only partially block the view include lattice panels and alternating-board fences. Deck railing and fencing are often designed with built-in seating, consisting of attached uprights, rails, and benches that may contain storage underneath.

Lighting defines spaces at night. It is also a safety factor. Both on-deck and in-ground systems with low voltage can be easily installed by a do-it-yourselfer. Other systems can be intricate and costly and may require a licensed electrician. Features may include fixtures for highlighting plantings or other yard features and timed sequencing that turns on and off automatically or when triggered by motion.

Free-standing outdoor spaces, such as gazebos or other garden structures, differ from sheltered spaces in several ways.

Generally, they are not seen from the front of the house and are usually integrated with the landscape. Gazebos provide a wonderful opportunity to let loose a little and give in to your more fanciful side.

First, consider how you will use your outdoor room. Will it be for dining and barbecues? As a place for the kids to muck about in a wading pool and sandbox? As a quiet spot to read and relax? For warm-weather parties? Or will it be all of these things? Also consider how much privacy you want.

Decks, patios, and terraces usually exist next to a wall of the house or adjoin a porch. Attached areas call for making the most efficient use of existing doors, windows, and steps. A deck or patio might also be a short walk from the protection of the dwelling or alongside a pool, pond, or playground area. In that case, you have the luxury of developing your own entrances and traffic patterns.

Make a plan before you start work on your patio or deck. Creating workable traffic patterns is important, as you will sometimes be carrying trays full of food, entertainment equipment, and games and toys through the space. You have to organize furnishings so that access is easy, trips to and from the house are no longer than necessary, and you can maneuver easily through the space.

In most instances, you will want to make the patio or deck as large as possible so that it can function as a combination outdoor family room, cooking and dining area, and even a play area for kids. If space is restricted, you might consider creating an intimate area, with a small table and a pair of bistro chairs, that serves as a breakfast nook or even as a place to do paperwork in the sun.

. While both balance and harmony are used to achieve unity, too much unity can be, well, boring. That’s where variety and contrast come in handy.

Add interest. By varying the size, shape, color, material, texture, and detail, you can introduce a note of interest or a focal point into the total composition. For instance, placing a round wooden planter onto a square-patterned patio will provide a pleasing contrast of both shape and material. The contrasting object (the round wooden planter) will draw attention to itself and provide visual relief and interest to the total setting.

Establish visual rhythm. In design terms, rhythm—or how elements are spaced relative to similar elements—can create another type of unity in a composition. Rhythm helps to establish a visually satisfying progression or sequence to a site design. For example, you can create a regular rhythm on a walkway if you place a band of decorative brick at 4-foot intervals. On the other hand, a song composed of only one sequence of notes is boring. Vary such things as the interval, color, size, shape, texture, or material of the elements.

Emphasize an element. This point assumes that within your site some of the elements have more significance than the rest and that these special elements should be emphasized. This is probably starting to sound familiar to you by now, but a special element is given its due emphasis by making it larger; by giving it a different shape (round versus square); by using a singular color, texture, or material; by shifting or rotating its orientation; by centering it within a circle or at the end of walkway; or by lighting it at night. However, if you emphasize too much, you may end up with a visually confusing design.

Let simplicity be your guide. Simplicity is one of the hardest things to achieve in a design because there is a tendency to use all available tools and elements. The most elegant site designs are those that begin and end with simplicity as their guiding design principle. The Zen rock gardens of Japan are a good example.

Savvy homeowners don’t end their decorating at the door, they keep going to include the decks, porches, sunrooms, and patios that surround their homes.

They treat these spaces as outdoor “rooms” that deserve the attention the other rooms in their homes receive. They choose the best furnishings, colors, textures, and lighting for the space. The result is additional living area that is often the favorite “room” in the house.

There are two types of outdoor spaces: those totally or partially protected from the elements, such as sunrooms, porches, or gazebos, and those areas open to the elements, such as decks, patios, or garden hideaways.

Coordinate your outdoor spaces with the exterior of your house, especially if it is located in front or on the side of the house in full view of passersby. Look at the space from the outside toward the house. Consider the scale of furnishings. Indoor/outdoor furniture comes in a variety of sizes and styles: some sleek and space-saving, some designed to visually fill up an area. Think about the difference between a folding metal bistro chair and a chair with hefty, oversized wicker arms and back, for example. The bistro chairs may look skimpy on a large deck, while a grouping of oversized wicker furniture can crowd a small porch.

Look at your outdoor space through windows and doors, and consider extending the interior style to the outside space. Bright colors will stop your eyes at the porch, while muted ones will allow you to focus first on garden focal points, such as a magnificent bush, tree, or flower bed. Plan outside furnishings so that they augment a good view instead of blocking it.

Once you have a furniture style in mind, develop a plan that defines the function of the space and determines the furniture pieces you’ll need. Consider, for instance, what’s needed for conversational sitting, entertaining, dining, cooking, playing (for children), sleeping, and sunbathing.