12 Clever Ways to Create Under-bed Storage
Make sure there’s no room for monsters under the bed with savvy storage ideas to keep your clutter contained in style
Storage – and lots of it – is key to creating a harmonious and happy home. When it comes to the bedroom, a neat and clutter-free room will not only look great, it will go a long way to ensuring a restful night’s sleep. So whether you need extra space to stash out-of-season clothes or you want some neat ideas for keeping the kids’ stuff under control, check out these ideas for making the most of the free space hiding under your bed.
Aim higher
Rather than going so far as to build a platform for your bed with steps up, consider simply raising the height of your mattress and tucking storage underneath. This quirky design is in fact created by the architect from customised Ikea drawer units. Leather straps act as drawer pulls, while a small wooden bench works as a practical step up.
Alternatively, consider a bed mechanism that pulls upwards from the foot end of the mattress to reveal cavernous storage underneath as an alternative to drawers. Source inspiration from Japanese-style furniture and consider a lightweight futon-style mattress for easier lifting.
Rather than going so far as to build a platform for your bed with steps up, consider simply raising the height of your mattress and tucking storage underneath. This quirky design is in fact created by the architect from customised Ikea drawer units. Leather straps act as drawer pulls, while a small wooden bench works as a practical step up.
Alternatively, consider a bed mechanism that pulls upwards from the foot end of the mattress to reveal cavernous storage underneath as an alternative to drawers. Source inspiration from Japanese-style furniture and consider a lightweight futon-style mattress for easier lifting.
Raise it up
Custom-build a platform bed with storage drawers underneath and transform your sleeping space into a multi-functional and super-stylish space. This solution works particularly well in compact spaces with high ceilings, as a carpenter can make the bed and drawer unit to fit the exact length of the room, avoiding any dead areas as well as maximising vertical space.
Don’t forget to factor in a set of steps and different depths of drawers to provide good storage options for different-sized items.
Custom-build a platform bed with storage drawers underneath and transform your sleeping space into a multi-functional and super-stylish space. This solution works particularly well in compact spaces with high ceilings, as a carpenter can make the bed and drawer unit to fit the exact length of the room, avoiding any dead areas as well as maximising vertical space.
Don’t forget to factor in a set of steps and different depths of drawers to provide good storage options for different-sized items.
Customise, country style
Natural fibres make great baskets and their woven structure allows air to circulate, making them particularly suitable for keeping natural fibres such as linen and cotton fresh and dry. Consider baskets made from wicker, rattan or rush, and source companies that sell various sizes specially designed for shoes, clothes or spare duvets to fully utilise the storage potential under the bed.
For a pretty, country feel, make fabric inserts with ribbon ties out of coordinating curtain fabric to keep your items tucked out of sight stylishly.
Natural fibres make great baskets and their woven structure allows air to circulate, making them particularly suitable for keeping natural fibres such as linen and cotton fresh and dry. Consider baskets made from wicker, rattan or rush, and source companies that sell various sizes specially designed for shoes, clothes or spare duvets to fully utilise the storage potential under the bed.
For a pretty, country feel, make fabric inserts with ribbon ties out of coordinating curtain fabric to keep your items tucked out of sight stylishly.
Go dotty
Source boxes and storage containers in pretty polka dots to add some fun to a child’s bedroom. Other patterns that work well visually are stripes and ditzy florals. Any solutions that appeal to kids may encourage them to keep their rooms neat and tidy (well, it’s worth a try).
Opt for hard-wearing, reinforced fabric boxes that will endure heavy toys and books for longer, rather than cardboard, and source styles with handles for easy carrying and putting away.
Find more inspiration for incorporating polka dots into your interior
Source boxes and storage containers in pretty polka dots to add some fun to a child’s bedroom. Other patterns that work well visually are stripes and ditzy florals. Any solutions that appeal to kids may encourage them to keep their rooms neat and tidy (well, it’s worth a try).
Opt for hard-wearing, reinforced fabric boxes that will endure heavy toys and books for longer, rather than cardboard, and source styles with handles for easy carrying and putting away.
Find more inspiration for incorporating polka dots into your interior
Stow a spare bed
Under-bed storage for an extra bed is a genius solution for putting up impromptu guests. It works particularly well in a child’s bedroom, where the fun of having a friend for a sleepover is easy to accommodate.
Seek out companies that offer trundle beds; this is the term for a bed that sits over a spare bed and mattress on wheels, which can easily be pulled out when needed and pushed back under afterwards.
Under-bed storage for an extra bed is a genius solution for putting up impromptu guests. It works particularly well in a child’s bedroom, where the fun of having a friend for a sleepover is easy to accommodate.
Seek out companies that offer trundle beds; this is the term for a bed that sits over a spare bed and mattress on wheels, which can easily be pulled out when needed and pushed back under afterwards.
Cheat with almost-under-bed boxes
At first glance, this looks like a cleverly made bed base designed to house storage boxes. In fact, it’s a slim bench next to the bed that provides cubbyholes for storage boxes and a comfy perch for whoever is reading bedtime stories. The boxes are perfect for easy-access books, toys or clothes.
The space under the bed itself, now hidden, can be used for the less aesthetically pleasing storage of bulkier items. If you’ve splashed out on a custom-built set of cubbyholes, save on the boxes it will house: plastic household caddies are inexpensive and come in plenty of bright colours, perfect for adding a splash of neon to a kid’s bedroom
At first glance, this looks like a cleverly made bed base designed to house storage boxes. In fact, it’s a slim bench next to the bed that provides cubbyholes for storage boxes and a comfy perch for whoever is reading bedtime stories. The boxes are perfect for easy-access books, toys or clothes.
The space under the bed itself, now hidden, can be used for the less aesthetically pleasing storage of bulkier items. If you’ve splashed out on a custom-built set of cubbyholes, save on the boxes it will house: plastic household caddies are inexpensive and come in plenty of bright colours, perfect for adding a splash of neon to a kid’s bedroom
Canvas for change
For a bit of a nautical aesthetic, go red, white and blue. Keep the look smart by choosing natural canvas storage boxes for under the bed, as well as for any box shelving.
This is a nice solution for a spare/craft room that needs to work for different family members as well as various guests. In a playroom, use the different colours to help young children organise their belongings and encourage them to keep their things tidy.
For a bit of a nautical aesthetic, go red, white and blue. Keep the look smart by choosing natural canvas storage boxes for under the bed, as well as for any box shelving.
This is a nice solution for a spare/craft room that needs to work for different family members as well as various guests. In a playroom, use the different colours to help young children organise their belongings and encourage them to keep their things tidy.
Make a mini wardrobe
Think beyond boxes and drawers and consider a bed custom-made high enough to allow for hanging storage beneath it. And of course, in a child’s room, with only little clothes to hang, you can afford to go much lower. It’s a smart way to make the most of a room’s vertical dimensions, and transforms the area a standard bed would take up into a dual-purpose space.
Think beyond boxes and drawers and consider a bed custom-made high enough to allow for hanging storage beneath it. And of course, in a child’s room, with only little clothes to hang, you can afford to go much lower. It’s a smart way to make the most of a room’s vertical dimensions, and transforms the area a standard bed would take up into a dual-purpose space.
Pick perfect proportions
Source under-bed boxes perfectly proportioned to maximise the amount of storage without upsetting the overall aesthetics of the room. In an eaves bedroom with restricted head height, the flat, linear properties of a large storage box can draw the eye across the floor, giving a sense of more space. A single larger box is simpler on the eye than two or three smaller-sized ones, creating a cleaner, more orderly look.
Source under-bed boxes perfectly proportioned to maximise the amount of storage without upsetting the overall aesthetics of the room. In an eaves bedroom with restricted head height, the flat, linear properties of a large storage box can draw the eye across the floor, giving a sense of more space. A single larger box is simpler on the eye than two or three smaller-sized ones, creating a cleaner, more orderly look.
Create a deceptive design feature
Be bold and make a design statement out of under-bed storage. When incorporated into a set of bunk beds in a compact room, storage drawers painted the same rich colour as the vertical supports of the bed frame create a visual anchor for the bed, and fit seamlessly into the scheme.
TELL US…
What do you keep under your bed? Share your secrets in the Comments below.
Be bold and make a design statement out of under-bed storage. When incorporated into a set of bunk beds in a compact room, storage drawers painted the same rich colour as the vertical supports of the bed frame create a visual anchor for the bed, and fit seamlessly into the scheme.
TELL US…
What do you keep under your bed? Share your secrets in the Comments below.
Pay attention to the small details to make your under-bed storage become a stylish design statement, too. For a clean, minimalist feel, consider fixing push-click mechanisms inside under-bed drawers so you won’t need handles – or incorporate neat cut-out ones, as here.
Positioning drawers towards the head rather than the foot of the bed (if you have to choose one or the other) is a good tip, so bedtime paraphernalia and books can easily be tucked neatly inside when the lights go out.
Discover more ideas for stylish bunk beds