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Small bedroom organization can be tricky. Make the best of your space with these 8 ways to maximize space in a small bedroom.
A disorganized, messy bedroom can make you feel like you’re suffocating. When your bedroom is small, it can seem twice as hard to find your stuff, keep it tidy, and make the most of your compact space. It can make you late for work, put you in a bad mood, and cause stress.
Not to worry! I have 8 awesome storage and organization ideas to help you get your small bedroom organized, while maximizing space.
8 Storage Ideas for Small Bedrooms
Having a tiny bedroom can be a challenge. However, there are tons of ways to organize a small bedroom so you can make the most out of your space! Here are 8 tips for small bedroom organization – I use almost all of these in my own home.
Before You Do Anything Else…
Before you start figuring out how to organize your small bedroom, you need to make sure that you’re organizing things you actually use, need, or love.
Guess what that means?
It’s time to declutter/purge!
One of the biggest issues in organizing any space, big or small, is that there’s too much stuff. Most of it we probably don’t use, need or love. And we’ve probably forgotten that we even own a fair amount of it!
So first and foremost, declutter your bedroom to get rid of anything you don’t use, need or love.
Check out my post on how to declutter your house in one day – it includes all the bedroom decluttering tasks you’ll need! You might also want to deep clean your bedroom before you start organizing.
Once you’ve decluttered and cleaned your space, you’re ready to start using some clever storage ideas for small bedrooms.
Choose a Chest of Drawers Instead of a Dresser
You might be asking… what on earth is a chest of drawers?? I promise, it’s a thing. And it’s one of the best ways to maximize space in a small bedroom.
See, a dresser is typically wide, and often has 2 drawers per level. A wide, heavy piece of furniture doesn’t help save space in a small bedroom!
A chest of drawers, on the other hand, is a tall, narrow piece of furniture. They usually have a single drawer on each level. And frankly, because they’re taller, they hold almost as much clothing as a wide dresser.
This is the chest of drawers that matches my bedroom set, Prentice by Ashley. Since it’s tall and narrow, it has a smaller footprint, which takes up less space in a small bedroom.
Opt For Nightstands With Shelves or Drawers
Stark, minimalist tables look nice as nightstands, but let’s be real. You have to find ways to maximize space in a small bedroom. That means squeezing in extra storage space anywhere you can!
Nightstands are a great storage/organization option for small bedrooms. Thanks to their small footprint and proximity to your bed, they’re perfect for storing all kinds of bedroom essentials.
A nightstand with multiple drawers or shelves is one of my favorite ways to maximize space in a bedroom. If you’re a minimalist through and through, you can tuck a basket underneath a small table and use that as your nightstand. You’ll still get a clean look, but the basket will provide some extra storage space.
By the way, if you need extra help getting your nightstand into shape, check out my post on how to declutter and organize your nightstand. It’s a great resource!
Take Advantage of Vertical Space
Another of my favorite ways to maximize space in a small bedroom is to use vertical space to the fullest.
There are tons of easy options that take up little to no floor space, but allow you to take advantage of all that space above your head!
First, floating shelves take up little space, are easy to install, and can be used to hold things like shoes, accessories, books, and décor.
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Next, a tall, shallow wardrobe can help you utilize vertical space while keeping the footprint to a minimum.
I love the PAX wardrobe line from Ikea, and I use a PAX wardrobe in my bedroom. It’s just barely short enough to fit below my bedroom ceiling. All that vertical space means storage for tons of stuff!
I use my PAX wardrobe to store:
- Decorative bed pillows at night
- Laundry baskets
- Dry cleaning
- Frequently-worn shoes
- The outfit I plan to wear the next day
The sliding doors on my wardrobe are a huge space-saver, too. The PAX wardrobe is one of my favorite clever storage ideas for small bedrooms because of its shallow footprint, almost endless customization options, and wide range of storage possibilities.
Check out this video tour of how I use a PAX wardrobe to maximize storage space in my own bedroom!
Let’s be honest though – a PAX wardrobe isn’t cheap. You can also use an inexpensive shelving unit to take advantage of vertical space in your small bedroom. It’s a great storage idea for small bedrooms on a budget.
Use Hooks to Tap Into Wall Space
Hooks are one of the most overlooked ways to maximize space in a small bedroom. Why? Because they take up so little space that you weren’t using anyway!
You can use a neat row of hooks on your bedroom wall to store and organize all kinds of things:
- Hoodies/sweaters
- Clothing that can be worn again before washing
- Accessories, such as jewelry, scarves, small purses, etc
- Decor
- Toiletries/makeup
Depending on how much weight you plan to hang, and whether you can put nails in your walls, there are a few options.
I love these adhesive hooks from 3M, because they’re fairly strong and don’t require nails (I HATE putting holes in the walls of my home).
You could also hang a set of decorative mounted hooks, or use a long hook strip for a clean, minimalist feel.
Choose a Hamper With a Small Footprint
Another of the easiest ways to maximize space in a small bedroom is to find a small, flexible hamper.
Large, wicker or metal hampers look great, but they won’t help you organize your small bedroom. One of my favorite bedroom organization hacks is to store a flexible, breathable mesh hamper inside something else. For me, that’s my PAX wardrobe from Ikea.
However, you could also store your hamper or laundry bag:
- In a closet
- In the bathroom
- Inside a basket under your nightstand
- On the back of your bedroom or bathroom door (A fabric laundry bag would be perfect for this, and is a great budget-friendly option)
Use Under-Bed Storage Wisely
Your bed is probably the biggest object in your room. Are you taking full advantage of the space underneath it? There is a ton of potential storage space right under our beds. It’s a total shame to not use it!
There are all kinds of under-bed storage solutions out there, and you can use under-bed organizers to store lots of stuff under a bed. I store my favorite shoes under my bed, so they’re easy to find in the morning.
Another way to use space under the bed is with built-in storage. My guest bedroom features a platform bed with drawers in the bottom. They’re perfect for storing extra sheets and blankets.
8 Easy Ways to Maximize Space in a Small Bedroom: Conclusion
It takes a lot of creative storage solutions to organize a small bedroom. There are lots of easy ideas for how to organize your small bedroom. The 7 I covered today are:
- Purge/declutter the items in your bedroom before you do anything else
- Choose a narrow, tall chest of drawers instead of a wide dresser
- Go for nightstands with shelves or drawers
- Take advantage of vertical space with a shelving unit or a tall, shallow wardrobe
- Use hooks to tap into unused wall space
- Select a dirty clothes hamper with a small footprint
- Use under-bed storage wisely
Want even more helpful cleaning and organizing tips for working women? Join the ShowMe Suburban community and learn simple habits and routines to keep your home clean and organized, so you can relax away from work without feeling the stress of a messy home. Sign up below!