Finding storage in a small room is no easy feat, especially if you’re short on closets and cabinets. Try one of these ideas for squeezing extra storage out of overlooked spaces.
Behind Doors
For every door in your house there is a space behind that door just begging to be used. Cassie Freeman of Hi Sugarplum covered the wall behind her laundry room door with a functional shelving system to organize her cleaning supplies.
Behind Cabinet Doors
The back of your kitchen cabinet door is a perfect blank canvas for hanging storage options. Mandi Tremayne of Tidbits From the Tremaynes fashioned a storage space for measuring cups and spoons, plus a handy chalkboard guide to measuring equivalents. See her tutorial here.
Backsplash
Show off your kitchenware — and make it easily accessible — by displaying items on a backsplash. Interior designer Kathryn J. LeMastermounted rods and caddies onto the tile backsplash of this Arkansas home to create beautiful and functional storage space for pots and utensils.
End of Kitchen Counter
You can never have enough storage space for pots and pans in the kitchen. Anita Diaz of Far Above Rubies squeezed more storage out of her farmhouse kitchen by adding hooks to the end of her kitchen island.
Under Cabinets
Emily Lewis of Greens and Jeans added toe-kick drawers beneath her counters to expand on space in her cozy kitchen. She uses the drawers to store place mats, tablecloths, baking pans and other items that get minimal use.
Corners
Maximize space in a tiny room by installing floating shelves in the corner. The Franklin Shelf from 2 Women & A Chair nestles into corners and also wraps around them.
Side of the Bed
If you don’t have enough space for a bedside table, get a bedside caddy to store your phone, books and other nighttime essentials. Kikkerland’s Felt Bedside Caddies slip right into your bed frame or between your mattress and box spring.
Above Doors
The dead space between a door and ceiling is a perfect place to add a shelf for extra storage. Jordan Hurd of The 2 Seasons installed this simple shelf above her bathroom door to hold extra towels in a space-challenged bathroom.
On the Fridge
If you lack the wall and cabinet space to store all your spices, turn the surface of your fridge into a spice rack. Gneiss’ hexagonal magnetic spice jars come in two different sizes and slap right onto the fridge for easy spice storage.
Behind Framed Art
Need a place to house your keys without cluttering up your console table? Consider stowing them behind framed art. Planq Studio’s My-Van Dang, a photo stylist and brand photographer, devised this sneaky way to organize and store keys behind hanging art. See the tutorial at Planq Studio.
Under the Bed
Store extra blankets and off-season clothes in these pretty and functional under-bed rattan boxes from Ikea. The cotton lining and cover prevent contents from gathering dust.
Head of the Bed
Stow small items or nighttime necessities in a headboard with built-in shelves. Ikea’s affordable Brimnes headboard is ideal for keeping books and magazines from piling up on the floor by your bed.
Ceiling
Mount sturdy racks to your garage ceiling for storage of bulky bins, pet carriers and all those other rarely used items that take up space in the main house. SafeRacks offers racks that can hold up to 600 pounds.
Under Your Washer and Dryer
If you need a place to store laundry products and dirty laundry, invest in a storage pedestal that fits underneath your washer and dryer. Alternately, save some money and build your own pedestal. Check out a DIY tutorial at Katie Cleveland’s Addicted 2 DIY.
Inside Shelves
Maximize your storage space with some floating shelves that double as drawers, such as Ikea’s Ekby Alex shelves. The design allows you to store items inside the shelves as well as on top of them.