7 Small Space Storage Ideas to Help You Maximize Your Space

Kitchen
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The products featured here are independently selected based on thorough research from our editorial team. If you buy something through links on our site, we may receive a commission. Running out of space is a problem we can all relate to, especially if you live in a smaller place. But closets and cabinets tend to fill up quickly. Once you’ve used up all your small spaces’s storage areas, you’ll need to start getting creative with where you put things. To help you on your decluttering mission, we’ve picked out seven of our favorite small space storage ideas to help you maximize space in your home.

Seven small space storage Ideas

1. Use moveable or rolling furniture

Rolling furniture pieces are already great, but the extra storage space that some of them provide is what you want. Multi-tier rolling carts are a great way to add a little extra storage space to any room in your home. They make great mini pantries, office supply holders, and linen carts. Plus, if they ever get in the way, they are super easy to just roll out of the way. And they’re small enough to fit into little nooks or corners.  If your storage area issues are more your kitchen or dining areas, consider using a moveable kitchen island to add extra storage and countertop space.  Design experts with Orangetree Interiors recommend these rolling kitchen islands, saying, “If you’re running out of room for all the items in your kitchen, consider adding a cart, moveable island or movable counter. These are a great way to add an extension to your cabinetry by providing you with another counter surface, as well as shelves and drawers for additional storage.”    

2. Free up kitchen space with collapsible kitchen tools

Even stackable kitchen essentials like bowls and pans can take up precious cabinet space. What’s a chef to do? Enter collapsible kitchen tools. Collapsible kitchen tools usually come in the form of colanders, measuring cups, and bowls, but any tool that saves a little kitchen space is one worth having.

3. Invest in convertible furniture 

When installing a Murphy bed into your wall isn’t a reality, look to free-standing convertible furniture as an alternative. Futons aren’t the only furniture that can transform at the flick of a wrist. How about a console table that can expand into a dining table? Or a bed that can pop out of an ottoman?  Expandable furniture is an option too. Design experts at Ron Nathan Interiors say, “Expandable furniture is also a great small space asset. You can replace a larger dining room table with a smaller one that expands. Then, keep extra foldable seating available for company. This will prevent your dining room from seeming overpowered by a large dining set.” When searching for these types of furniture, keywords like “convertible,” “collapsible,” and “transformable” can help populate results and inspiration. 

4. Multi-purpose the furniture you already have

If you already have (or are emotionally attached to) your current furniture, dig deeper into how you can multi-purpose these prized pieces. For example, use an entry table or living room console table as a desk. Or double a desk as a vanity station. You can even use two identical desks or tables to create a dining table when hosting. If you can dream it, it probably exists. 

5. Arm yourself with a couch sleeve

Coffee tables are a living room staple, but they’re also very space-dominant. Couch sleeves can function as mini coffee tables without taking up any floor or sitting space at all. Couch sleeves envelop the armrest with a hard surface, giving you a sturdy place to rest your arm, drink, book, or remote. No more giant, space-snatching coffee table needed. 

6. Step up your under-the-bed storage game

The higher your bed, the more stuff you can store underneath. You can use bed risers to improve your under-the-bed storage. Once your bed is raised, grab a few large plastic storage bins to put under the bed to keep things organized and out of sight. Need more living room storage space? Use the bed risers to lift up your couch too. 

7. Utilize your wall space with hooks 

Turn your empty wall space into free real estate for your clothes, kitchenware, and bathroom items by simply placing a few hooks around your home. Taking advantage of your empty wall space can free up other storage areas. Hanging your hairdryer, straightener, and curling iron on the bathroom walls frees up more counter and under-the-sink space for other bathroom essentials. Have a few delicates that can’t go in the dryer? Hang them in your laundry space with a clothes drying rack. You can even free up some kitchen cabinet space too by hanging pots and pans on sturdy wall hooks.  If you’re worrying about damaging your walls, try using damage-free hooks like Command Hooks.   

The bottom line

Finding viable storage solutions for small space living can be a bit tricky. But by reimagining your furniture’s functions, utilizing wall space, and decluttering your space, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a small space storage master.

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