Do you feel like you’re constantly tripping over your clothes and other belongings when you walk into your bedroom? You’re not alone.
Many people struggle to figure out how to organize a small bedroom without sacrificing functionality or aesthetics. Luckily, with the help of a few expert-level tips and tricks, this is totally doable!
So, let’s discuss strategic furniture placement and design tweaks that’ll help you get the most out of your space.
How to Organize Furniture in a Small Bedroom
When it comes to small bedroom organization, the most important step is to carefully consider furniture placement.
Here are some principles you can bear in mind to make the most of tiny spaces:
Don’t Go Overboard With the Amount of Furniture
Let’s face it, if you want to organize a small bedroom with a lot of stuff so that it appears less cluttered, the first thing you need to do is get rid of all the non-essential furniture.
Think about it — do you really need an ottoman, a loveseat, and a full-sized couch in your tiny bedroom?
Having all these won’t only make your room feel cramped, but it’ll also make it difficult to move around. So, stick to the essentials and keep the amount of furniture as minimal as possible. A bed, dresser/clothing rack, and a bedside table should suffice.
Make Use of the Corners
Bedroom furniture is often placed against the walls, leaving the corners empty. This is a huge waste of space!
So, why don’t you try placing a corner desk or shelving unit in one of the corners instead? How about a rotating shoe rack or a comfy bean bag chair?
Invest in Wall-Mounted Furniture
If you’re wondering how to organize a child’s small bedroom so there’s enough space for both studying and playtime, wall-mounted furniture is the answer.
For example, a foldable or wall-mounted desk can provide your child with enough room for doing homework and studying while taking up very little space.
You could also consider investing in a Murphy bed. This type of bed can be easily folded up against the wall when not in use, freeing up valuable floor space. Pretty neat, right?
And this space-saving bed comes in various sizes (from single to king), so it can also be a useful option if you’re trying to organize a small bedroom with a queen bed.
Choose a Floor-to-Ceiling Closet
Another great option for organizing a small bedroom is to install a floor-to-ceiling closet and make the most of the vertical space. Such a closet will give you plenty of storage space for all your belongings and make your bedroom look more spacious.
Loft Bed
If your bedroom’s ceiling is high enough to give you ample vertical space you can work with, you can install a loft bed.
Loft beds are one of the most effective ways to save space. You’ll be able to free up some 28 sq ft on average, which you can use any way you like. You can create an office space, put another bed, gym equipment, a dresser, or whatever else you need underneath.
Go Multifunctional
We shouldn’t fail to mention one of the most practical things when it comes to organizing small spaces — multifunctional furniture (especially that with hidden storage).
In the following section, we’ll discuss all practical multifunctional options, from bedside tables and ottomans to larger pieces of furniture (e.g., beds), in more detail.
Storage Ideas for Small Bedrooms: Design Tweaks for Space Maximization
If you’re struggling with organizing a small bedroom, one of the first things you should do is take a look at your furniture, paying special attention to its storage potential. How can you make use of the space under your bed? Can you add more shelves to your closet?
There are tons of clever storage ideas for small bedrooms involving furniture that can serve more than one purpose, so let’s check them out!
A Bed With Under-Bed Storage
Getting a bed with built-in storage space underneath is an excellent space-saving solution, especially for those trying to organize a small bedroom without a closet. You can store plenty of things in there (especially those you don’t use often) — clothes, shoes, bedding, etc.
Tip — Storing items under the bed is an option even if your bed doesn‘t have built-in storage. Just get some under-bed storage boxes/cases/bins (make sure they’re short enough to fit under your bed), fill them with desired items, and slide them under your bed.
Headboard With Hidden Storage
This type of headboard typically has shelving units or drawers built into them. How ingenious is that?
Therefore, not only can they give you space to keep books, bedding, and accessories, but they can also help keep your bedroom looking tidy and organized.
Nightstands With Drawers
This one is a classic among small bedroom storage ideas, but it’s very useful and practical.
A nightstand with deep drawers will give you a place to store various items (clothes, shoes, and other belongings) without taking up much floor space.
Floating Nightstands
Wall-mounted nightstands are typically wider than regular nightstands. They offer lots of storage space and save precious floor space (this comes in particularly handy if you have under-bed drawers you frequently have to pull out).
Multifunctional Closet
One of the best ways to organize a small bedroom with lots of stuff is to transform your run-of-the-mill closet into a multifunctional one.
If modified the right way, your closet can also feature a built-in desk or makeup vanity with a mirror inside and save you lots of precious floor space in your bedroom.
The top part of the closet could include shelving units and practical storage compartments for your clothes, shoes, bags, and jewelry.
The bottom area could feature a desk/vanity with a stool that can be neatly tucked underneath (and even hidden behind a door when not in use if your room features a small walk-in closet).
Storage Ottoman
If you can’t imagine your bedroom without an ottoman, opt for one with built-in storage space. This way, you won’t only use it as a seating option but also as something for storing extra blankets, pillows, or clothes.
How to Organize a Small Bedroom on a Budget
You don’t have to spend a fortune to get your small bedroom organized. Most practical storage solutions are affordable, and the choice is wide.
Here are some ways in which you can clear up the clutter without breaking the bank:
Get Creative With Vertical Storage
If you’re running out of floor space, why not make use of your walls?
There’s a variety of vertical storage solutions for small bedrooms that can help utilize every inch of vertical space:
- Floating shelves (or similar space-saving bedroom shelving solutions) — They can help you store books, picture frames, and other knick-knacks without taking up precious space (or creating clutter) on your desk, end table, or top of the dresser.
- Wall-mounted magazine racks — This is an excellent solution if your apartment is so small that your bedroom has to double as an office. Wall-mounted magazine racks are perfect for storing stationery and files in a neat way.
- Hooks — Instead of cramping up your wardrobe or keeping bulkier clothes (e.g., fluffy bathrobes, etc.) on chairs, you can hang up hooks and make use of the free space on the walls.
- Pegboards — Pegboards look great in modern, minimalistic environments and can be used to hold anything from storage baskets for miscellaneous items (e.g., jewelry, makeup, etc.) to clothes (if you hang up a rod that can hold several clothes hangers).
- A ladder/ladder rack — you can use a simple, inexpensive ladder to store your blankets, fancy clothes, or shawls.
Optimize Your Wardrobe/Closet
Have some extra space in your wardrobe? Don’t let it go to waste!
Use one of the clever storage ideas for small bedrooms that’ll help you get anything that could create clutter out of sight and maximize your closet space at the same time:
Use Wardrobe Dividers
They’ll make your wardrobe space tidy, and they’ll help you make the most out of wardrobe shelving.
Use Decorative Baskets
If you employ the right folding techniques (YouTube is brimming with them), baskets can become your greatest wardrobe organization ally.
Not only do they look nice, but they also help you neatly store away anything from underwear and socks to shirts and pants. And if they’re stackable, they’ll help you utilize the precious vertical space.
Hang Racks on the Inner Side of Your Wardrobe Doors
The inner side of the wardrobe doors is a highly underutilized spot with great storage potential. By hanging racks on it (spice racks may do the job, too), you’ll get a ton of extra space for jewelry, makeup, and other bits and bobs).
Hang Hooks on the Inner Sides of Your Wardrobe Doors
You can use them to neatly put away smaller items like belts, necklaces, light scarves, and even bras.
Use Hanging Clothes Organizers
They’re some of the best storage ideas for small bedrooms on a budget. They’re inexpensive and practical and will certainly help you make the most of the vertical space in your closet.
You can store anything from shirts to bags and shoes there. Keeping your wardrobe super neat, they allow you to always be able to find everything you need.
Use the Top of Your Wardrobe as Storage Space
Don’t limit yourself to the inside of the wardrobe! If your wardrobe isn’t floor-to-ceiling, you can easily use its top as a shelving unit for things you don’t use that often.
So, take some baskets that match the aesthetics of your bedroom, fill them with clothes that are out of season (you can even put them in vacuum bags to maximize the space), and voila! Your bedroom looks nice and clutter-free!
Get a Clothing Rod Instead of a Full-Sized Wardrobe
If you’re trying to organize a small bedroom for a couple, finding ways to keep your and your partner‘s things separated (at least to some extent, is a must). Each of you should have designated areas for your personal belongings.
Imagine how hectic it would be if both of you had to prepare for work at the same time and neither of you knew where your things are at!
So, what can you do if you don’t have the space to fit (another) dresser in your bedroom? What is the best clothes storage for small bedrooms?
There are a couple of things you can do. For example, you can install a rod between two walls and hang clothes hangers with your clothes on it or get a practical portable clothes rack.
Use Your Door as a Storage Unit
Just like your closet doors, your bedroom door can be adorned with hooks. You can use them to hang coats, bags, belts, and other clothing items. Granted, this might not be the most esthetic of storage ideas, but it’s definitely practical.
Fight Everyday Clutter
Sometimes even employing multiple storage solutions isn’t enough to keep your bedroom from looking cramped, and there are some other things you need to do:
Keep It Tidy
It’s well-known that large spaces can withstand some amount of mess. Small spaces — not so much.
So make good use of small space storage ideas for your bedroom described above and make sure to keep the space neat at all times by regularly putting away clothes and other items you’re not currently using, especially if you share the bedroom with someone.
Get Rid of Stuff You Don’t Use
Do you really need that book that you know you’ll never read again? What about the clothes that haven’t fit you for years? Throw away or give away things you don’t use so you can easily store and access things that are currently useful to you.
Getting rid of all knick-knacks that serve no purpose won’t only free up space in your bedroom, but it’ll also make it easier to keep your space organized.
Avoid Visual Clutter
You can employ all the space–saving ideas for a small bedroom in the world and still have your bedroom look cluttered.
This is especially true if you use dark colors. Or too many colors, for that matter! Such a choice of color can be visually overwhelming and also make the space feel smaller than it actually is. A good rule of thumb to avoid this is to use a maximum of three colors in your bedroom.
Additionally, using light and airy colors (e.g., white, cream, or pastels) will make the room appear larger and open. Hanging up mirrors can produce the same effect. They’ll help reflect light, making the room appear brighter and more inviting.
Another trick you can do to make the ceilings appear bigger in your bedroom is to hang your curtains higher. Similarly, your bedroom will feel more imposing with furniture that sits on legs instead of the floor.
Bottom Line
There you have it. We hope we’ve convinced you that small bedrooms don’t have to be cluttered and cramped.
With a little strategic thinking and planning, you can figure out how to organize a small bedroom and have it all — a visually calming space to relax and sleep in and a place to neatly store your belongings.
