9 Clever Ideas for Small Space Organizing and Storage (That Actually Looks Cool Too)

By Brittni • posted on 02/15/2024

Small space living has it’s perks, but trying to keep things organized in a tiny house is not one of them. 

Minimal modern blanket ladder resting against white wall with plants and artwork in a bedroom

Whether you actually live in a tiny house though, OR it just feels like you do, getting a whole house organized can feel a bit intimidating.

But it doesn’t have to be – with a few small changes, you can tame that clutter in no time.

So today I’m sharing 9 tips and tricks for organizing your home, to make things just a little bit (read: a whole lot) easier for all of us.

9 Clever Ideas for Small Space Organizing

Looking for bedroom organization ideas? Living room storage ideas? Or maybe just simple DIY organization ideas?

Whatever it is, I have you covered!

Even if you’re house isn’t exactly on the ‘small’ side though, there are still plenty of great take aways here!

Because small home or not, we could all use a little help in this department every now and again!

All white closet with clothing racks and open shelf storage

1. When it comes to seeking out storage, go high whenever you can.

You may not have a ton of floor space, but usually there’s no shortage of vertical space.

Installing a simple set of brackets and a piece of plywood is an affordable and easy way to bring order to closets and living areas.

Add cute boxes and baskets to hide winter clothes, unused toys, and guest linens.

(Image via Avenue Lifestyle)


Minimal bedroom with storage at foot of bed in the form of wood crates that form a bench

2. Can’t go high? Go low!

One of the easiest solutions for home organization is to add storage under your furniture, especially when it comes to bedroom organization ideas.

Hello, under the bed storage!

But under the bed storage doesn’t necessarily mean those clear plastic bins you can pick up at Target or The Container Store (although those are great options if you want to keep things hidden). 

To up the aesthetics, try cool woven containers or wood crates instead of clear plastic bins, and you won’t even have to hide them away.

(Image via Apartment Therapy)

Wall of stars hats with a plant in front of it, in a small bedroom with white walls

3. Take advantage of that wall space.

I am a huge fan of this one! Hang some of your favorite items on the walls instead of taking up valuable closet or floor space.

A Pair & A Spare has a simple DIY hanging project that’s great for items like all those straw hats you “accidentally” bought this summer.

(Image via A Pair & A Spare)

OR try something like my DIY pegrail for organizing hanging items, nice and neat in a row. Not a fan?

What about these DIY wall hooks? They look like wooden bubbles for your wall! And I’m pretty into that, personally.

Still not quite right? What about this hanging wall organizer made of canvas?

It’s durable AND cute! Plus, you can use it in so many different ways – in your office or craft space to organize supplies, in an entryway for mail and keys, even in your closet for shoes and accessories.

Built in bookcase, painted dark green, surrounding headboard of bed in small modern bedroom

4. Head over the bed.

Most of the space over the bed is reserved for headboards and artwork, but what about shelving?

Or maybe even a headboard that is also shelving?!

Create a cool headboard to keep all your bedtime reading more organized, like these dramatic floor to ceiling built-ins.

So pretty, right? And I love the color too.

(Image via Dwell)

Magnetic refrigerator organizer with kitchen utensils hanging off of it

5. Maximize unexpected spaces.

One of the most overlooked places for added storage is the back of the door and the side of the fridge.

Adding hanging shelves or towel racks, etc to these areas can help cut down on clutter, especially in the smallest of spaces.

(Image via Burke Decor)

And honestly, they make some really good looking options now. Like the one in the photo, for example – it’s a magnetic kitchen rack!

Large built in with closed door storage and baskets at the bottom - modern hardwood floors underneath

6. Mix hidden storage with open storage.

So you have a lot of stuff? I get it, so do I!

Try combining storage with doors along with open shelving, so you can hide the practical stuff, but not loose character in your space.

Maybe start with an IKEA hack for this one.

(Image via Est Living)

Pro organizer tip: One of the keys to success when it comes to small space organizing, is keeping the stuff you use most often in the easiest place to get to.

Take the image above for example… A good spot for things you use all the time might be the shelf behind those closed doors that’s at you eyeline.

OR it might be the baskets underneath that you can quickly pop in and out.

Modern, minimal vanity mirror with hidden storage inside

7. Check behind the mirror.

I’m not talking about those old school medicine cabinets our parents still have (although they are perfect for hoarding those skin products I only use once a blue moon).

There are so many modern bathroom storage solutions that can help keep your vanity clear and organized, like this sliding storage mirror.

I bet you could even make your now, if you feel like tackling a DIY.

(Image via Urban Outfitters)

Blanket ladder leaning against white wall with plants and artwork, in bedroom

8. Stick with small footprints.

If you’re going to use some of that precious floor space, keep it as small and tall as possible.

Blanket ladders, like this one spotted on Homey Oh My (which I also happen to have in my house), have grown in popularity over the years (I had two or three at the studio).

Why are blanket ladders so popular? My guess is it’s because they don’t require much space and are a great way to display your favorite textiles.

They’re also a good solution for the not-dirty-enough-for-the-wash-not-clean-enough-for-the-closet clothes that tend to land on the bedroom floor. Haha.

(Image via Homey Oh My)

White Ikea cabinets with window seat and open shelving in a muted color kid's space

9. Work in dual-purpose furniture whenever possible.

Swap out traditional seating for a trendy storage bench like this one from Avenue Lifestyle.

There’s tons of room for anything that you want to hide away, plus a cute place to sit and read or take a nap. 

(Image via Avenue Lifestyle)

What clever ideas for organization in small spaces do you have? What did I miss?

24 comments | Click here to reply

I like that you talked about still having vertical space even when our horizontal space is limited. I will make sure to hire a professional home organization service to help me achieve that for my flat, since I have no idea what materials to use. It’s to finally reduce the clutter, especially in my kitchen because I have bought lots of baking tools for my new hobby.

Mia Evans

Love the article but so tricky to apply when living in a rental property. I can’t put any holes in the walls, so to have shelves is to have bookcases, which also take up floor space. Would love to own my own house, even something tiny, would definitely make the most of it.

Charlotte

I love that you mentioned going high whenever you can to save the floor space you do have in your storage area. My husband and I are looking for a storage service that can help us take care of things we don’t need anymore while we move. We will keep these tips in mind as we search for a professional that can help us best.

Vivian Black

Sparkling writing!! Thanks buddy for such a great information!!

Nippon

These are all awesome ideas!

Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com

Paige Cassandra Flamm

[…] Paper n Stitch shares clever storage ideas for small spaces! Image VIA Dwell  […]

Friday Five | 8.23.19 - Dorsey Designs

Aw, thanks so much Elin. I really appreciate the kind words.
-Brittni

Brittni

I love the hidden storage idea. Brilliant.
I wanted to say that I also love your website in general, the design, the selection you makes, everything is so cool and so inspirational.

Elin

Wow, awesome ideas. Thank you.

Rejoice Dera

One rule in our house is to do a sweep of all closets and either donate and/or bring in a junk removal company. Helps to keep things sane for us!

Christina

My approach is always floating shelves for creating the much-needed storage space when your apartment can’t otherwise afford it, but I have to say I really like the book storage near the bed. It’s a cool idea.

KMP Furniture Blog

Like all of your plans especially hidden storage. Great tips and helpful tips!

Stefania Walker

I love your closet system!! We need to redo ours. Our closet is about the same size and I love how the new system uses the space so much better.

Richa

Excellent tips and useful tips! I love the idea of going high since I have such a small closet. Thank you for the tips!

Lanae Bond

Hi Cassidy. The blanket ladder is Umbra and comes in two colors. You can buy it on Amazon actually. Here’s the link: https://rstyle.me/n/c756nvmvmw

Brittni

Where is the blanket ladder from?

Cassidy

Some great storage ideas! Love how pretty and neat it looks. Thanks for sharing! 🙂

Lorenza

I have seen a lot of these lists and this is the first one where every single idea was practical, useful and stylish. Thank you!

Sukhi

Thanks for the tips. I always struggle with organization, especially in my home office. The tips on using wall space and higher up space in the room are great. Those areas are often overlooked.

Jim Allen

[…] Clever ideas for organizing small spaces, that I bet will work for bigger spaces too. […]

Friday Faves | foodiecrush

[…] I Love these super simple but so effective storage ideas by Paper and Stitch. […]

Fun Friday Links: 10 - Chips & Pepper

I love the idea of going high. I never thought of that when it comes to storage. Great tips!

Noelle
http://elle-no.com

Noelle

These are good ideas. Taking advantage of every single nook and cranny is awesome.
http://sugarcoatedbears.blogspot.com/

Courtney Hardy

I love the idea of using every nook in the house to store things, and when it looks so stylish it’s even better!
https://www.makeandmess.com/

Michelle
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