It’s that time of year again, when we pull out the blankets and sweaters.Many homes lack the space needed to store everything right where we use it. So seasonal things get shuttled around and sometimes even misplaced.

If the serving dishes you use only at the holidays are stacked way up at the top of your pantry, “you may find yourself running out and buying something you’ve already got, because you can’t remember what you have or you can’t get to it,” says Atlanta-based interior designer Mallory Mathison.

Many of her clients struggle with insufficient closet space for storing items that are only used for a few months each year.

Here, Mathison and interior designers Brian Patrick Flynn and Molly Luetkemeyer offer advice on creativelystoring off-season items in ways that maximize every inch of space and make it easy to retrieve what you need.

DOUBLE-DUTY FURNITURE

All three designers love furniture that offers hidden storage. A bench with storage space inside is perfect for blankets, and bins containing gloves and hats.

Or add a large coffee table/ottoman combination to your living room: “They’re an easy way to sneak a bit more seasonal storage into a room, without having to add extra closet space or add pricey, big-ticket furniture pieces,” says Flynn, founder of the design website decordemon.com. “You can find a ton of storage-ottoman-coffee tables on websites like overstock.com or hayneedle.com.”

For families with pets, Flynn suggests creating a sleeping space for a small dog or cat that doubles as seasonal storage. “To do this, I take a flea-market dresser, usually a highboy with four to six drawers, then remove the bottom two for use as an open lounge space for pets, complete with a removable cushion,” he says. Use the remaining drawers above for seasonal items like off-season clothing.

UNDER-BED SPACES

Many people use the space under their master bed for seasonal storage. Luetkemeyer suggests doing the same with every bed in the house.

Tuck clear plastic bins under children’s beds (and a guest bed, if you have one), labeling each one clearly.

You can rotate items in and out of these bins during the year. If you know that all under-bed space is designated for seasonal items, it will be easier to track down the once-a-year items you’re seeking.

Also, see whether any sofas or other large pieces of furniture might have room underneath for flat storage bins.

CREATIVE CARPENTRY

Mathison suggests having built-in cabinets added along the walls on both sides of your bed. Creating this architectural niche for your bed “is totally cozy, and it also creates great concealed and/or open storage,” she says.

Another built-in option: If your kitchen cabinets don’t go all the way to the ceiling, add extra closed storage on top for seasonal serving dishes and table linens. Or have a row of very shallow shelves (no more than 3 or 4 inches deep) added to one wall of your kitchen or pantry. You can prop up dishware or serving pieces you rarely use, creatively storing them while adding some beauty to your walls.

Also, search your home for bits of square-footage that aren’t being used, such as a crawl space under a staircase. Hire a handyman to add a small door and turn that empty space into a cabinet.