I'm a big believer in making use of waste space--those odd little places that take up room but are too small or too awkwardly-shaped to do much with, at first glance. The 4" of floor-to-ceiling space we were left with after installing four, 19" IKEA PAX units in the master closet is an example of such a space. What can you possibly do with a space like this?
Above: the 4" area between the wall and last IKEA PAX unit in the master bedroom.
In figuring out storage solutions, sometimes you start with the stuff; other times you start with the space. In the case above, the unplanned gap practically begged for creative solution as to what to do with it.
Obviously, this isn't the place to store craft supplies, jewelry, or cosmetics. But why, exactly, is that? It's a matter of accessibility. Sure, you could store a boatload of craft items in this area, for instance, but what would be the point? Can you imagine what a nightmare it would be to dig through several feet of itty-bitty parts to find embroidery floss, embossing powder, or tubes of watercolor?
Once I realized that the space would most suitably work for large items that could be easily identified, I assessed my storage needs and that the space was perfect for storing sports and camping gear:
Above: The stuff: skis, poles, kite, backpack, fishing rod and reel, and net.
I started with the skis, because their length made them the trickiest to fit in the space. I placed them on the floor at the very back, then fit in the backpack next to the skis on the floor. From there I fit in the kite, the fishing net, and the ski poles, adjusting things as need be. I finished up with the rod and reel, which is also the item that Alpay uses the most.
Above: The stuff in the space (Snapdragon not included)