Regardless of how many square feet you are working with in your current living space, you likely still feel like you do not have enough space to properly house all your belongings. No matter how many times you rearrange your room layout, you may still be struggling to figure out how to make the most of the space you are working with, leaving you to figure out what else you can do with your current situation. One area you may have been neglecting is under the bed.
Your bed may be taking up more space than you would like, especially if you have a frame that is a full bed or larger. If you are not already using the space under your bed for storage, you are losing out on prime space for storage in your apartment. Not sure how to make under your bed a proper storage space? Keep reading for ideas on how to maximize under-the-bed storage to make the most out of your space.
Clothes and Bedding: Boxes and/or storage bags
Depending on what you want to store under your bed, you may want to consider stowing the belongings away in boxes or storage bags. If you are storing something like clothing or bedding, sealing them away in storage bags or boxes can keep them clean and protect them from dust and possible pests. For bulky items like comforters and coats, storage bags that shrink down with a vacuum can help you further save limited storage space.
Opt for boxes that have attached wheels to make accessing your belongings easier. Out-of-season clothing is probably the easiest choice to keep under your bed as you likely won’t be needing it for months at a time, saving you the trouble of moving things around as you need them.
There are also under-the-bed drawer systems you can buy and place under the bed to keep belongings off the floor and safe from dust while remaining out of sight underneath your bed.
Shoes: Shoe organizers and boxes
If you have a larger shoe collection, using shoe organizers to stow away under your bed can be the perfect way to maximize storage. You can simply use divided boxes similar to the ones you would use for clothing, putting in dividers to keep pairs of shoes organized underneath.
Store the shoes you are less likely to wear at the moment under your bed, such as summer sandals when it’s winter, or snow/rain boots when it’s spring and summer.
Holiday decor and related items: Boxes
Depending on your needs, you may not have a reason to store clothes or shoes under your bed. Instead, you may want to use the space for items you lose less often, such as holiday decor or gift wrap for the holidays or birthday gifts. These are items you hardly need except for certain times of the year, so stowing them somewhere that is less accessible or harder to reach may seem like the easiest way to use your under-the-bed area. Store gift wrap, ribbons, bows, tape, blank cards, and so on in clear boxes under your bed to keep them clean and ready to use at a moment’s notice.
Luggage
If you have luggage, you know how much space even one suitcase can take up in your apartment. If the space under your bed allows it, tuck your suitcase(s) under your bed. You can also double up on storage by placing other belongings (travel supplies, shoes, clothing, and so on) in your suitcases before stuffing them below your bed.
Maximize the space with a new frame or bed risers
Depending on your current bed frame, you may not have enough space to really store anything under your bed. A simple fix is getting bed risers to raise your bed a few more inches off the floor. Bed raisers are fairly cheap and can allow you to store even more (bulkier luggage, more boxes, and so on) under your bed.
If you don’t like the look of a bunch of different boxes and belongings underneath your bed, buy a bed skirt to line the bottom of your bedframe and keep any extra belongings out of sight.
A more pricey fix can be getting a higher bedframe that offers ample under-the-bed space, or better, built-in under-the-bed drawers. While you may not want to get a new bed frame, it can be worth getting extra storage in your living space.
With these ideas in mind, you can strategize on how to make the most of the area under your bed rather than cramming anything and everything that fits into the space. If you are getting boxes to go under the bed, make sure to properly measure the height of the space under your bed to make sure boxes can fit and won’t snag on your bed frame.
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