Everyone needs a little space in their homes for vacuum cleaners, cases of old CD’s and tool boxes. But with data showing that today’s new homes are the smallest that they have been in 100 years, how much space can buyers and renters expect for keeping these items?

This week Attic Self Storage released its new ‘What’s in Store for Storage guide‘, showing how much floor space is required in different sizes of property using government standards. The guide provides a visual representation of the amount of space that must be dedicated to storage, and provides insights into the kinds of ‘stuff’ that people can expect to fit.

In 2015 the government created minimum standards for internal storage space in new build homes, prescribing how many metres of floor space had to be set aside either as cupboards, understair storage or as built-in wardrobes. Attic Self Storage dug into this data to create an infographic showing requirements in all homes from one-beds up to six-beds.

The guide reveals that the proportion of space that must be set aside for storage is of a similar proportion regardless of the number of bedrooms – between 2.55% and 3.15% of floor space must be set aside, regardless of property size. Unsurprisingly, one bedroom properties have the least storage space at 1.25m squared, while larger 6 bedroom properties must set aside at least 4m squared for belongings.

Attic Self Storage has provided a rough guide on the kinds of items that you could reasonably fit into this space depending on the size of your property:

– One bed flats only really provide enough space for some cleaning items and a suitcase
– Three bed flats are estimated to provide space for cleaning items, larger suitcases as well as some furniture
– Six bed homes provide the most space internally, and allow for most of a family’s belongings and larger furniture items such as summer garden chairs

Frederic de Ryckman de Betz, the CEO of Attic Self Storage said: “With the average UK home becoming smaller than ever, buyers and renters need to know what they can realistically expect to store in their homes before moving in.

“Our guide is aimed at helping people estimate what they will be able to fit so they won’t be left with struggling to squeeze items into limited space”.