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Small bright bedroom with under-bed drawers half open showing sweaters, a slim shelf of plain boxes and hooks on the door

Small bedroom storage ideas that are also easy to keep clean

May 31, 2024•5 min read

The small bedroom storage ideas that work use space you aren't using yet: under the bed with lidded drawers, up the wall with one shelf, the back of the door with hooks, and the closet with a second hanging rod. Pick closed containers over open ones. A small room fills up fast, and closed storage is easier to dust and keeps the floor clear.

That last part matters as much as the storage. A small room gets messy in minutes and takes longer to clean when every surface holds something.

Where does the extra storage hide in a small bedroom?

Under the bed

Many beds have a wide, empty space underneath. Use it.

Lidded drawers or bins on wheels. They slide out in one motion and keep dust off what's inside. Measure the clearance first. A lot of bed frames sit lower than the bins sold for under-bed storage.
Bed risers add a few inches if you need them. Use sturdy ones and keep the bed skirt or frame from hiding what's under there.
A storage bed with drawers built into the base replaces the dresser in a really small room.

What goes under the bed: off-season clothes, spare sheets, the extra blanket, wrapping paper. Things you reach for once a month, not once a day.

Up the walls

One shelf above the desk or dresser, with plain boxes or baskets on it. Boxes are easier to dust around than a row of small objects.
A tall, narrow dresser instead of a wide, low one. Same drawers, half the floor.
A shelf above the door for things you rarely need, like keepsakes or a suitcase.

Leave space between shelves and the ceiling, and don't fill every wall. A room with something mounted on every surface feels smaller, not bigger.

On the back of the door

A row of hooks for a robe, a bag, tomorrow's jacket.
An over-the-door organizer with pockets for shoes, scarves or kids' small toys.

Check that the door still closes all the way once it's loaded.

Inside the closet

A second hanging rod below the first doubles the space for shirts, skirts and kids' clothes.
Shelf dividers keep folded stacks from tipping into each other.
A hanging shelf organizer turns a rod into shelves for sweaters and jeans.
A low rack for shoes, so the closet floor stays clear enough to vacuum.
The top shelf holds labeled bins for what you use least.

Furniture that does two jobs

A nightstand with a drawer, or a floating one mounted to the wall so the floor under it stays open.
A bench or ottoman with storage at the end of the bed for extra blankets.
A desk that's also a vanity, or a dresser top that's also a desk.

How do you keep a small bedroom from filling back up?

Storage only buys you space if less comes in than goes out.

One in, one out. A new sweater comes in, an old one goes in the donate bag.
A seasonal swap. Summer clothes go under the bed when it turns cold, and the sweaters come out. You only keep one season in the closet.
A donate bag on the closet floor that goes to the car when it's full.
A clear floor rule. Nothing lives on the floor except furniture and a hamper.

What storage makes cleaning easier?

Some storage saves time on cleaning day and some costs it.

Makes it easier:

Closed boxes and drawers instead of open shelves crowded with small things
Furniture on legs high enough for a vacuum, or tight to the floor so dust can't get under
Lidded bins under the bed, not loose bags
A clear nightstand and dresser top with a tray for the daily stuff

Makes it harder:

Open shelves with rows of small objects, each one moved and dusted separately
Piles on the floor that have to be picked up before anyone can vacuum
Overfilled under-bed space that blocks the vacuum completely

For more ways to keep a bedroom easy to clean, see our bedroom cleaning tips, and if it's a kid's room, the kid's bedroom clean-up checklist.

What does a house cleaning do in a bedroom?

Organizing and decluttering aren't on any of our cleaning checklists, and counters, shelves and tables are wiped where they're clear of clutter. Good storage is what lets the cleaning reach more of the room.

On a Standard House Cleaning, RoutineCare, bedroom floors are vacuumed and mopped, reachable surfaces and furniture are dusted, mirrors are cleaned and window sills are wiped.

If the room hasn't had a real top-to-bottom clean in a while, Deep Cleaning, PureRenewal, adds hand-wiped baseboards, doors and door frames, reachable ceiling fans and light fixture exteriors, cobwebs, dusted blinds, and cleaning under and behind furniture that moves easily. Every item on the list is cleaned whether or not it looks like it needs it.

See what's covered at House Cleaning and Deep Cleaning.

FAQ

What's a good way to add storage to a small bedroom? Start under the bed with lidded drawers or bins on wheels, then go up the walls with one shelf and onto the back of the door with hooks. Those three spots hold a lot without using any floor.

Is it OK to store things under the bed? Yes, if it's in lidded containers that slide out. Loose bags and boxes under the bed collect dust and make the floor hard to vacuum, so keep it to a couple of containers you can pull out in one motion.

How do I make a small bedroom easier to clean? Keep the floor clear, put small things in closed boxes instead of on open surfaces, and choose furniture on legs or tight to the floor. The less there is to move, the faster dusting and vacuuming go.

Will a house cleaner organize my bedroom closet? No. Organizing and decluttering aren't on any of our cleaning checklists, and shelves and tables are wiped where they're clear of clutter. Getting things into containers before the visit lets the cleaning reach more of the room.