21 Small Apartment Storage Ideas

Before you add storage

Storage works when it holds things you actually use. Spend an hour removing what you do not, then measure the spaces you plan to fill. Buying to fit beats buying what looks good in a shop.

One rule runs through every idea below: use height and hidden space before floor space.

Entryway

1. Hooks at two heights. One row for coats, a lower row for bags. Adhesive hooks work if you match them to the weight.
2. A shoe rack or boot tray. Shoes with a home stop spreading down the hall.
3. A slim console or wall pocket for keys, post and sunglasses, so they stop landing on the kitchen counter.

Living area

1. A storage ottoman that works as seating, a footrest and a blanket box.
2. Floor-to-ceiling shelving. Tall, freestanding units hold far more than low ones on the same footprint. Fix them with an anti-tip strap.
3. Baskets on open shelves hide small, untidy things and can be carried to where they are needed.
4. A sofa with legs. Low boxes slide underneath.
5. Nesting or lift-top tables that store what a normal coffee table cannot.

Bedroom

1. Under-bed boxes with lids and wheels for out-of-season clothes and spare bedding. Measure the clearance first. Bed risers add a few inches if you need them.
2. A storage bed with drawers or a lift-up base when it is time to replace the frame.
3. A second closet rail hung below the first doubles hanging space for shirts and trousers.
4. Slim, matching hangers fit noticeably more into the same rail than a mix of thick ones.
5. Over-the-door organizers for shoes, accessories or cleaning supplies.
6. A shelf above the door or along the top of the closet for things you reach for a few times a year.

Kitchen

1. Shelf risers and under-shelf baskets to use the full height of each cupboard.
2. Magnetic racks on the side of the fridge for spices and paper towels.
3. A rolling cart that parks in a gap and comes out when you cook.

There is a full walkthrough in how to organize a tiny apartment kitchen.

Bathroom

1. An over-the-toilet shelf unit uses wall space nothing else can.
2. A tension rod or caddy in the shower keeps bottles off the bath edge.
3. Drawer and under-sink organizers stop small items sinking to the back.

Everywhere

1. Vacuum storage bags shrink duvets and winter coats to a fraction of their size for the months you do not need them.

Buying storage: what to look for

• Measure twice. Height, width and depth, plus any door or drawer that needs to open past it.
• Lids and labels. Stacked boxes without labels become a search problem.
• Weight ratings. Check them on hooks, shelves and tension rods, and stay under them.
• Something you would be happy to see. Storage that looks good can stay out; storage that does not needs a cupboard of its own.

If you rent

Everything above works without drilling. Freestanding shelves, tension rods, over-the-door racks and adhesive hooks come out cleanly when used as directed. For more ideas, see 25 ways to improve your rental without losing your deposit. To make the whole apartment feel less crowded once things are put away, read how to make a small apartment feel bigger.