Even if you don’t have the most expansive floorplan, you don’t have to limit how much stuff you own. Of course, decluttering is good for the soul, but there are other ways to make sure you’ve got all the space you need for your possessions.
One of the most popular ways involves maximizing the vertical space in your home. If you can’t go outwards, go upwards – and here are 20 clever ways to go about it.
Create a platform floor for your pull-out bed
The average apartment doesn’t tend to promote a comfortable sleeping arrangement for guests. So, you have to get creative. Consider creating a platform floor that hides a pull-out bed. At a moment’s notice, you can pull it out and make a comfortable bedroom area for your guests. Or yourself. Photo: Atmosphères Design
Stack the kids
If you can stack books, you can stack kids. Make more room for activities and play in your children’s bedrooms by investing in bunk beds. Two or three beds stacked safely on top of each other is an ideal option for small bedrooms. Photo: Dorel Living/Triple bunk bed
Ladder desk with shelves
If you don’t have free space in your home for a dedicated office, consider a ladder desk with shelves. Such a unique piece can be a beautiful form of storage for knick-knacks while also having space for a computer and paperwork. Photo: Carbon Loft/Ladder desk with shelves
Floor to ceiling shelving
You naturally consider most of the usable space in your home as walls you can reach. However, if you are short on space, look towards your ceiling. You will surely notice just how much free space is up there. Make use of it by installing floor-to-ceiling shelving. Now all your favorite books can have a space in your living room, rather than tucked away in boxes under the bed. Photo: Craft Design
Build a wall of shoe cabinets
Narrow hallways can seem like a waste of space. Install a wall of shoe cabinets, and you’ve now solved that shoe mountain problem at your entrance. Shoe cabinets can also be helpful for the storage of other items like keys, school bags, and more. Photo: IKEA/TRONES shoe cabinet
Use your windows for storage
One of the many things that people struggle with when it comes to small homes is laundry. You don’t want a clothing rack taking up half of your living space, but you also don’t want to make trips to a laundromat all the time. Instead, install rails over your windowsills. Not only can you hang your clothes to dry with ease, but you can also hang plants to ensure they get as much natural light as possible. Photo: IKEA
Stack small shelves
Not everyone has room for a large bookshelf. You may not even have enough room for a long floating shelf that takes up all your wall space. Instead, consider purchasing several shorter shelves and stacking them on top of each other. You take up minimal usable space yet still have enough room for all your prized books. Photo: IKEA
Free up floor space with a loft bed
The more beds you need, the less free space you have – or so you might think. By purchasing a loft bed, you can enjoy almost as much space as before, but with extra sleeping room. Ladder access to the bed means you can create a comfortable play or work area underneath. Photo: ETT ROM TIL
Store the bed under the ceiling
If you’re all about technological solutions for your space problems, an elevator bed might be right up your alley. At night, you can be enjoying a comfortable bed in your home. Once morning hits, you can press a button and launch your bed up to the ceiling – out of sight and out of the way. Photo: The Tiny House Company
Tiered units offer lots of storage and small footprints
Sort out the clutter and chaos in your small home with a tiered form of storage. A utility cart with multiple shelves, for example, can take up far less space than a much larger and more permanent piece of storage furniture. Photo: Walsport/4-tier utility cart
Add a hanging organizer to your wardrobe
Wardrobes are generally designed to house the clothing you want to hang up. What are you supposed to do with folded garments when you’ve got no space for a dresser? A hanging organizer can solve that problem. Hang one in your wardrobe and store everything in it, from shoes to shirts, pants to shorts, and everything in between. When you no longer need it, you can fold it down and store it flat. Photo: Creline/Hanging organizer
Use a vertical coat rack in your small hallway
Large coat racks aren’t always functional in small homes. Install a vertical coat rack with plenty of coat hooks, and enjoy how it does the same job. You can also use this much narrower option for hats, scarves, necklaces, and more. Photo: IKEA/SNYGGING Vertical rack
Roll-out underfloor storage drawers
If you live in a tiny home or have wasted space under your bed, it’s time to get creative with that space. Install underfloor storage that you can roll out with ease. It takes up no functional space yet provides so much room for all your clothing and accessories. Photo: Tryshka
Place your heater on a platform
After installing a fireplace or heater and purchasing bins for your firelighters and wood, there isn’t often a lot of leftover space to actually enjoy the heat. If you install your heating appliance on a platform, there can be. By installing it higher, you can utilise the space underneath for wood and fire tools. Photo: Tiny House Basics
Frame your room with shelves
The book lover in your home may never feel like they have enough storage space. Create some more by framing the free space above the tops of your windows. You can then use it to store books, ornaments, and more. Photo: IKEA
Save space and create extra storage with over sink drying rack
Many homeowners complain about a lack of bench space. With an over-sink drying rack, that could be a problem of the past. Rather than drying dishes beside the sink, you can be drying them over the top. Save mess, fuss, and space. Photo: PUSDON/Over sink drying rack
Maximize kitchen storage with a narrow slide-out pantry
We’ve all got those gaps between our appliances that tend to be only helpful for accidentally dropping crumbs down. Make use of the previously unusable by opting for slide-out pantries. These narrow vertical storage units are set up on wheels and can house many household staples. Photo: Going Boundless
Mount a rack on your kitchen island
If you lack kitchen cabinetry for pots, pans, and utensils, you don’t have to get rid of them. Instead, you can invest in a rack for your kitchen island. When it’s installed over the top, you have space for pots, pans, and plenty of utensils – all of which will now be within easy reach. Photo: IKEA/VADHOLMA rack for kitchen island
Tiered corner shelves
Corners are one of the most underutilized parts of your wall, but they don’t have to be. If you invest in tiered corner shelves, you can store a wide variety of items out of the way but still within easy reach. Even a modest corner can be used for storage. Photo: Paradise Tiny Homes
Use the wasted space above your toilet for additional storage
The average bathroom doesn’t have as much storage space as required. Combat that problem with an over-toilet storage shelf. These take just minutes to install and can house everything from toilet paper to cleaning products, hygiene products, and more. Photo: RiverRidge/Over_toilet_cabinet
