Sarah Warwick

British homes don’t offer storage for essentials, such as the vacuum cleaner, reveals an Ipsos MORI report for the Royal Institute of British Architects, released today.

The report, called ‘They way we live now: what people need and expect from their homes’, looks at how people use their homes, what they look for when they’re choosing, and how they think the experience of choosing a home can be improved.

People like to have an element of open-plan living, the report reveals. The downside of this desire, of course, is less walls can mean less opportunity for storage. If you’re going open-plan, think about low room-dividing storage for your possessions that won’t block the view but will create a place to stash your stuff.

Hemnes bookcases, Ikea

Look, too, for whole wall units that will make use of the area floor to ceiling on the remaining walls.

When you’re looking for a new home, don’t forget to view with the place you’ll put your vacuum, ironing board, clothes airer, the rubbish, the recycling and all your shoes in mind. These places don’t need to be there already, but you do need the potential to include them.