Storage-Savvy Farmhouse Design for a Big Family that Can Work for You

Missy Callaghan is the first to admit that she wasn't born with the well-tuned organizational skills she uses to keep her Tampa household stylish and in order. She developed the talent for storage-savvy farmhouse updates when storage solutions were a must-have for her and her husband Phil as their family grew to include six sons, ranging from early elementary to late teens.

Day-to-Day Storage

Missy's successful storage strategies revolve around working with daily habits rather than against them. For example, Missy converted a room just off the mudroom into a homework and project space. This works so that when the children come in from school, they can drop their bags and get started on their nightly to-do lists. She included drawer storage and a crafts caddy as a table centerpiece. The divided wooden tote corrals crafts supplies and is easy to carry to other areas.

Wall Color Silvermist, Sherwin-Williams

Bench Color Grizzle Gray, Sherwin-Williams

Three sets of wide drawers on casters near the homework table are labeled with each boy's name and supply category. Wood shelves store extra toys and supplies that don't fit in the drawers below. Two wall textures (brick and shiplap) come together seamlessly with wall paint.

Missy framed a large segment of the wall with molding to create a jumbo-size bulletin board. Labeled folders act as personal organizers, keeping upcoming event flyers handy.

Open Floor Plan Family Living

The open living area, including the kitchen, living room, and dining room, is broken into zones with clever furniture and lighting placement. Large metal light fixtures and a natural rug define the dining area. The living room follows the direction of the sofa with layers of color and pattern.

An extra-long island features a deep overhang that accommodates seating beneath. It was important to Missy that the whole family could gather and work together in the kitchen. The streamlined stool design maximizes seating—and family togetherness.

No-Mess Mudroom

Mudroom lockers provide personalized hanging space, shelves, boxes, drawers, and device-charging spots for each family member. Even the family dogs have a spot for their leashes. Regular upkeep is a crucial component to Missy's recipe for clutter-free living.

Spacious Sleeping Quarters for the Kids

A spacious dorm-style bedroom optimizes space in the home's renovated attic for the family's six boys. The shared sleep space includes a new bathroom and an extra bed for sleepovers. The beds have wheels, making it easy to vacuum and rearrange the furniture in the room.

A compact table and chairs tuck into one corner of the attic bedroom, serving as the perfect spot for the boys to gather for games, snacks, or homework. Black and silver give the furniture a streamlined and modern look; a lime green shag rug is both mature and fun.

Shiplap walls extend into the shared bath and lend seafaring charm. A ship portal mirror opens to reveal a medicine cabinet. Galvanized metal pegboards host metal toiletry baskets.

A Laundry Room with Lots of Space

Laundry is a never-ending event at the Callaghan household, so Missy had a long countertop installed above her front-loading washer and dryers. As clothes come out of the dryer, they are folded and placed into piles, so wrinkles never have a chance to set in. A commercial-grade rolling laundry basket stows bulky folded items.

Missy likes to label everything so there's no confusion as to which item belongs to which family member or where it belongs. Clear plastic baskets with handles are her go-to holders in the bath and kitchen. Adhesive-back chalkboard tags let her easily revise labels.

Primary Retreat with a Luxe Closet

Metal rolling carts flank the headboard in the primary bedroom, keeping reading materials within easy reach. A drawer on each cart contains smaller items such as lip balm, hand cream, reading glasses, pens, and notepads. Natural linen textiles bring farmhouse charm to the space.

A combination of hanging rods, drawers, and shelves provides a spot for clothes and shoes in the primary closet. A mannequin bust on top of a bureau keeps jewelry tangle-free and in plain sight. Decorative boxes stored up high keep out-of-season items out of the way yet together.