Storage Ideas
Storage and Organization Are Not the Same Thing
Adding containers, baskets, and organizers to a space does not automatically create order. Storage provides a place for things to live — but what those things are, and whether they belong in that space at all, are questions that need to be answered before any storage solution is chosen.
Buying storage before deciding what will go in it is one of the most common and costly home organization mistakes. The result is usually more containers than needed, in the wrong sizes, for items that do not actually belong in that location.
Before buying storage
- Measure the space first — including depth, width, and height
- Decide what specifically will go inside
- Check that the storage is accessible when the item will be needed
- Check the weight limits of shelves, wall fixtures, and containers
- Consider how the storage will be cleaned
- Consider whether the contents should be visible or concealed
- Check whether you already own something that could serve the same purpose
Do not overload shelves or wall-mounted fixtures beyond their rated capacity. Follow manufacturer installation guidance.
Disclaimer.
Under-Bed Storage
Low
Bedroom
Stores: Seasonal clothing, spare bedding, suitcases, and infrequently used items
Why it may help: The space under most beds is underused. Flat storage boxes on rollers make use of this area without requiring any additional furniture.
Setup idea
Measure the clearance beneath the bed before purchasing any containers. Flat rolling drawers or vacuum storage bags both work depending on the available height. Label containers clearly.
Space needed: Requires only the existing clearance beneath the bed
Safety note
Do not overload containers to the point where they cannot slide out easily. Ensure the bed frame is stable and appropriately rated for its load.
Alternative
A bed with built-in drawers serves the same purpose without separate containers.
Over-Door Organizer
Low
Bedroom / Bathroom / Closet
Stores: Shoes, small accessories, cleaning products, and pantry items depending on location
Why it may help: The back of a door is an often unused vertical surface. An over-door organizer adds storage without using floor or wall space.
Setup idea
Check the door clearance between the door and the frame before purchasing. Choose an organizer with pockets or hooks suited to the specific items being stored.
Space needed: Uses only door clearance — no additional floor or wall space
Safety note
Check the weight capacity of the over-door fixture. Overloaded organizers can damage doors or fall. Avoid over-door items in locations where a door slamming could dislodge the contents.
Alternative
Adhesive hooks on the door back provide a simpler version for hanging items.
Drawer Dividers
Low
Any Room
Stores: Small items, clothing, accessories, office supplies, and kitchen items
Why it may help: Drawers without dividers become unsorted collections of loose items regardless of initial organization. Dividers maintain categories without effort.
Setup idea
Measure the interior of the drawer. Use adjustable dividers for flexibility, or fixed sections for specific needs like cutlery or folded clothing.
Space needed: Uses existing drawer interior — no additional space needed
Safety note
No specific safety considerations beyond keeping the drawer within its weight capacity.
Alternative
Small cardboard boxes or recycled packaging boxes work as free drawer dividers.
Shelf Risers
Low
Kitchen / Bathroom / Closet
Stores: Dishes, cups, jars, and small items on existing shelves
Why it may help: A shelf riser creates two levels within a single shelf, making more use of the vertical space within a cupboard or cabinet.
Setup idea
Measure the shelf interior and the clearance above before purchasing. Place heavier items on the main shelf and lighter items on the riser.
Space needed: Works within existing cupboard or cabinet depth and height
Safety note
Ensure the riser is stable and appropriately sized for the shelf. Do not place heavy items on a riser that is not designed for significant weight.
Alternative
A flat baking tray or cutting board propped at a slight angle creates a simple makeshift riser for canned goods.
Labelled Baskets
Low
Any Room
Stores: Categories of items that do not stack or organize well independently
Why it may help: Baskets with labels tell every household member where specific items belong, reducing the effort of maintenance and returning items.
Setup idea
Choose baskets in a consistent style and colour for visual cohesion. Label clearly on the front — by category rather than by specific item.
Space needed: Fits on shelves, in cupboards, or on the floor where appropriate
Safety note
Do not overfill baskets to the point where they become unstable or the label obscured.
Alternative
Any container with a label serves the same organizational function as a dedicated basket.
Closed Media Cabinet
Medium
Living Room
Stores: Remotes, cables, gaming equipment, speakers, and media items
Why it may help: An open media unit puts all connected equipment on display at all times. A cabinet with doors allows the same storage while keeping the room visually calmer.
Setup idea
Measure the equipment to be stored and choose a unit with sufficient internal dimensions. Ensure adequate ventilation around any equipment that generates heat.
Space needed: Replaces an open unit — similar footprint
Safety note
Ensure electronics are not enclosed in airtight spaces — heat generated by equipment needs to dissipate. Follow manufacturer guidance on ventilation requirements.
Alternative
A basket on a lower shelf of an existing open unit provides partial concealment at lower cost.
Entryway Hooks
Low
Entryway
Stores: Bags, coats, scarves, and everyday outerwear
Why it may help: Items with a hook are returned to their hook. Items without a hook land on the nearest surface or floor.
Setup idea
Install one hook per household member plus one or two for guests or additional items. Position at a height accessible to all household members who use them.
Space needed: Wall-mounted — uses wall area not floor space
Safety note
Fix hooks into wall studs or use appropriate wall fixings for the wall type and the expected weight. Check the weight capacity of the hook.
Alternative
Adhesive hooks are an alternative for renters — check the weight capacity and wall-surface compatibility.
Bedside Drawer Organizer
Low
Bedroom
Stores: Charging cables, reading accessories, small personal items
Why it may help: Bedside drawers without dividers quickly become a collection of loose items that are difficult to locate.
Setup idea
Measure the drawer interior. Use a small organizer tray or repurposed small boxes to create sections for different categories.
Space needed: Within existing drawer dimensions
Safety note
Keep medications in a secure location if children have access to bedside areas.
Alternative
A small plate or dish on the bedside surface can hold the few items most needed immediately, reducing what needs to be in the drawer.
Pantry Containers
Medium
Kitchen
Stores: Dry goods, cereals, pasta, rice, and loose pantry items
Why it may help: Decanted dry goods in clear containers are immediately visible, easier to access, and use pantry space more efficiently than original packaging of varying sizes.
Setup idea
Choose containers in a consistent style and size for the items most used. Label each container. Fill from new purchases rather than maintaining multiple open bags.
Space needed: Works on pantry shelves — choose container sizes suited to the shelf depth and height
Safety note
Label food containers clearly, particularly when contents look similar. Check expiry dates before decanting — do not decant expired goods.
Alternative
Existing jars and reused food containers work as an inexpensive alternative to matched container sets.
Vertical Shelf Dividers
Low
Closet / Kitchen
Stores: Folded clothing, cutting boards, baking trays, and items that lean rather than stack
Why it may help: Items that cannot be stacked reliably — folded clothing, cutting boards — fall sideways when not divided. Vertical dividers keep them upright and accessible.
Setup idea
Place dividers within a shelf at intervals appropriate for the items. Adjustable dividers are more flexible than fixed ones.
Space needed: Within existing shelf space
Safety note
Ensure dividers are secured so they cannot shift and topple items.
Alternative
Bookends repurposed as shelf dividers work for clothing stacks or cutting boards at no additional cost.
Rolling Utility Cart
Low
Kitchen / Home Office / Bathroom
Stores: Frequently used items requiring portable access
Why it may help: A rolling cart moves storage to where it is needed, rather than requiring items to be carried across the room.
Setup idea
Choose a cart that fits the space between furniture when stored and can move through any doorways required. Assign each level of the cart to a category.
Space needed: Requires floor space to stand — typically 30–40 cm wide
Safety note
Ensure the cart is locked in position when parked to prevent rolling unexpectedly. Do not overload the top level.
Alternative
A small fixed side table beside a work area serves a similar function without mobility.
Storage Bench
Medium
Entryway / Bedroom / Living Room
Stores: Shoes, blankets, children's items, and seasonal accessories
Why it may help: A storage bench serves as seating and storage simultaneously — two functions in the footprint of one piece of furniture.
Setup idea
Place at the foot of the bed, in the entryway for putting on shoes, or as additional seating in a living room. Choose the interior capacity suited to the intended contents.
Space needed: Same footprint as a bench — typically 90–120 cm wide and 40 cm deep
Safety note
Ensure the lid or top surface is sturdy enough to sit on. Keep heavy items in the bottom of the bench to maintain stability.
Alternative
An upholstered ottoman with storage inside serves the same dual function in a living room context.
Wall-Mounted Shelf
Low
Any Room
Stores: Books, plants, small objects, and display items
Why it may help: A wall-mounted shelf adds storage and display space without using floor area.
Setup idea
Fix into wall studs where possible, or use appropriate wall anchors for the wall type and the expected load. Follow the installation instructions and weight limits for the specific product.
Space needed: Uses wall area — no floor space required
Safety note
Wall mounting requires appropriate fixings for the wall type and the load. Do not exceed the weight limit of the shelf or the fixings. Do not mount shelves with heavy objects directly above sleeping areas or seating.
Alternative
A freestanding bookcase serves a similar display and storage function without requiring wall fixings.
Desk Drawer Tray
Low
Home Office
Stores: Pens, small stationery, and everyday desk supplies
Why it may help: A desk drawer without a tray quickly becomes a loose collection of small items. A tray maintains the organization established when the drawer was first sorted.
Setup idea
Measure the drawer interior. Choose a tray with sections sized for the items most used. Alternatively, use a few small open boxes or repurposed packaging.
Space needed: Within existing drawer dimensions
Safety note
No specific safety considerations.
Alternative
Small food containers or repurposed packaging boxes work equally well as drawer organizers.
Cable Box
Low
Living Room / Home Office / Bedroom
Stores: Power strips, charging cables, and cable management
Why it may help: A cable box conceals a power strip and the cables connected to it, removing one of the most persistent sources of visible disorder in modern homes.
Setup idea
Choose a box with adequate ventilation — power strips generate heat. Ensure cables can exit the box cleanly through the openings provided.
Space needed: Sits on a floor or shelf — typically 30–40 cm long
Safety note
Never enclose a power strip in an airtight box — adequate ventilation is necessary to prevent heat build-up. Do not cover cables with fabric or materials that trap heat.
Alternative
Routing cables behind furniture and tying them with velcro strips reduces visibility without a dedicated box.
Closet Shelf Baskets
Low
Closet / Bedroom
Stores: Folded clothing, accessories, and soft items that do not stack independently
Why it may help: Open closet shelves with loose folded items look ordered initially but quickly become disorganized. Baskets contain the category and maintain its visual boundary.
Setup idea
Measure the shelf depth and height. Choose baskets that fit within the shelf dimensions with enough clearance to see the label on the front.
Space needed: Fits on existing closet shelves
Safety note
Do not store items in baskets so high that reaching them requires an unsafe position.
Alternative
Folded items placed between bookends on a shelf achieve a similar visual containment at lower cost.
Stackable Containers
Low
Any Room
Stores: Seasonal items, craft materials, and infrequently used objects
Why it may help: Stackable containers use vertical storage space efficiently and maintain visibility of contents when transparent.
Setup idea
Choose containers of consistent dimensions so they stack stably. Label all containers on the front and side for visibility regardless of position.
Space needed: Uses vertical space — can be stacked in a cupboard, on a shelf, or in a storage area
Safety note
Do not stack containers so high that retrieval from the top requires unsafe reaching or climbing. Keep heavier containers at the bottom of any stack.
Alternative
Matching shoeboxes labelled on the end serve the same function at no cost.
Laundry Sorting Baskets
Low
Bedroom / Bathroom / Laundry Area
Stores: Dirty laundry sorted by type
Why it may help: Pre-sorted laundry removes the sorting step from laundry day, reducing the total effort of doing laundry significantly.
Setup idea
Choose two or three baskets or a divided laundry hamper. Label each section by category. Position where clothing is removed.
Space needed: Requires floor space — choose a compact format for small bedrooms
Safety note
No specific safety considerations beyond ensuring the hamper cannot tip over.
Alternative
Labelled fabric bags on a hook serve the same purpose in less floor space.
Bathroom Shelf Unit
Medium
Bathroom
Stores: Towels, products, and bathroom accessories
Why it may help: A freestanding bathroom shelf unit adds vertical storage without requiring wall fixings, suitable for renters or bathrooms where wall space is limited.
Setup idea
Choose a unit that fits the available floor space with clearance from the door and bath. Ensure it is stable and does not rock on uneven bathroom tile.
Space needed: Requires floor space — narrow units (25–35 cm deep) minimize this
Safety note
Ensure the unit is stable and cannot be pulled over. Do not place heavy items on high shelves of a freestanding unit. Keep bathroom floor units away from shower splash areas unless they are moisture-resistant.
Alternative
A simple wire or acrylic shelf over the toilet uses the often-unused space above without using floor area.
Multipurpose Furniture Storage
Medium
Living Room / Bedroom / Entryway
Stores: Everyday items within furniture that also serves another function
Why it may help: In homes with limited space, every piece of furniture should ideally serve more than one purpose. Ottomans, benches, and coffee tables with internal storage combine function and storage efficiently.
Setup idea
Identify the everyday items most in need of a home. Choose furniture that addresses both a seating, surface, or layout need and a storage need simultaneously.
Space needed: Same footprint as the equivalent furniture piece without storage
Safety note
Ensure lids and opening mechanisms on storage furniture are safe for all household members — particularly young children around hinged lids.
Alternative
Adding a lined basket inside an existing open storage piece creates a simple version of concealed multipurpose storage.
Shower Caddy
Low
Bathroom
Stores: Shower and bath products in current use
Why it may help: Products sitting on the edge of a bath or shower floor create visual clutter and collect soap residue around them. A caddy groups them, keeps them off surfaces, and simplifies cleaning.
Setup idea
Choose between a hanging caddy (hooks over the shower head or fits over the partition) or a tension-pole caddy (stands in the shower). Ensure the material is appropriate for continuous water exposure.
Space needed: Within the shower or bath area — no additional floor or wall space
Safety note
Ensure the caddy is stable and cannot fall. A fallen caddy in a shower creates a slip hazard. Choose products appropriate for wet environments and follow installation guidance.
Alternative
A suction-cup shelf on the shower wall serves the same purpose for a fixed product set.
Magazine and Document File
Low
Home Office / Kitchen
Stores: Incoming mail, current documents, magazines, and papers needing attention
Why it may help: Papers and documents without a designated holding location spread across every horizontal surface in a home. A file or letter holder contains them in one visible, accessible location.
Setup idea
Place the file near where mail and documents arrive. Use sections or separate files for categories: incoming, to action, to file. Process contents regularly — at least weekly.
Space needed: Sits on a desk, shelf, or counter — minimal footprint
Safety note
Do not store sensitive documents in an unsecured location accessible to others.
Alternative
A simple clipboard or tray for incoming items serves as a minimal starting version.
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