Whether your landing is mighty or miniscule, clever storage ideas step up to the challenge of keeping you organized.

1 Provide interior storage space with dresser or chest-if you have the room. Both can accommodate a decorative display of photos or vases on top, and still have space left over for a telephone, pen and message pad.

2 Stack vintage suitcases or baskets in a corner and fill with items that go up and down regularly-knapsacks, schoolbooks, shoes and sweaters, for example.

3 Hang three or four old mailboxes on the stairwell wall if floor space is tight. Label them for family members with fun stickers and paint and drop in mail and messages. It's like having your own in-house post office!

4 Place a selection of pretty purses on the steps to hold everyday items. You can either empty each purse daily or simply take the whole thing up and replace with another one.

5 Stashing keys, notes, toys, even stray lipsticks in a row of whimsical old flower pots when you race up and down the stairs during the day. Vary shapes and sizes in the same colour scheme for maximum impact.

6 Add a makeshift ‘clothesline' to your wall using a row of sturdy string. Clip reminders to yourself (and others) with colour-coded clothespegs for easy reference.