I’ve lived in a small storage-less home for two years – these 5 storage saviors have been transformative

They have outlasted every other attempt at corralling clutter

A vintage style pink living room with patterned curtains in front of a large window, with white framed gallery wall, a white mantelpiece, a grey sofa with frilly pink and striped cushions with matching footrest with tray and a blush pink armchair facing towards it
(Image credit: Future)

When I first moved into my current rental home, I quickly realized I had chosen a property with almost no storage space. As someone who owns a lot of stuff, this became a problem almost immediately.

The only storage available in my small home was a compact bedroom closet, a tiny cabinet above the TV, kitchen cabinets, and a set of shelves in the dining room. It was a dire situation, and I had to get creative fast to find smart ways to stash my belongings.

Now, two years later, I've experimented with various methods to organize a small home with no storage, and these five smart solutions have truly made an enormous difference.

5 storage solutions I swear by in my small home

1. Under-bed storage bags

A white under-bed storage bag under a cream bed, on top of a patterned brown rug.

My under-bed storage bags house my off-season clothing, gym wear, and bedding.

(Image credit: Future / Chiana Dickson)

By far the hardest working storage solution in my home is my under-bed storage ideas. The trick, I found, is not to limit them to just under the bed. Rather, I have used them under my bed, under my living room sofa, and a small version under a chair in my home office ideas.

Often used in conjunction with vacuum storage bags, these handy out-of-the-way storage ideas help to keep everything from clothing, bedding, blankets, and home tech tucked out of the way, reducing visual clutter around my home while keeping it all readily accessible.

2. Opaque baskets

Bright cookbooks on wooden plank shelves next to leather bound books and a woven storage basket

Tucked next to my cookbooks, you would never know that this woven basket is hiding hats and scarves.

(Image credit: Future / Chiana Dickson)

It sounds obvious, but the best storage baskets really are lifesavers in a home where closed storage is limited, and a lot of items are on display. The trick is to use storage baskets correctly, putting them in play to limit visual clutter and organize essentials, rather than collect up items you should really be decluttering.

For example, I use them inside my limited storage cabinets to help categorize items, especially as I have fallen back on some unconventional organizing methods and keep lots of random categories together, such as board games beside my DIY tools.

I also use them to organize items on open shelving, especially in my dining room – a space that doubles as my entryway. Baskets here help to keep outdoor essentials such as hats, gloves, and scarves neat but easy to pick up on the way out of the door.

3. Room divider cabinets

A black side table with fluted wooden front. Coffee table books stacked on top beside a large stone based lamp.

This cabinet has instantly made my open-plan space feel more contained and cozier, while offering invaluable storage.

(Image credit: Future / Chiana Dickson)

The lower level of my home is all open plan, which makes storage even trickier. One of the more expensive solutions I invested in was a large standalone cabinet unit that also acts as a room divider idea, splitting the dining room from the living room while offering concealed space to hide a myriad of clutter.

While it is often recommended to opt for bespoke built-in storage when incorporating storage into open-plan spaces, that is just not an option in a rental home (nor would it be within my current budget were this my property), free-standing pieces help to pick up a lot of the slack – and are far better than not having any storage at all.

4. Slimline shoe cabinets

A white slimline shoe cabinet with shoes inside.

This slimline cabinet keeps shoes off the floor with ease.

(Image credit: Future / Chiana Dickson)

Hiding shoe clutter in small spaces was one of the biggest problems we struggled with when we first moved in. Initially, we had an open shoe rack which was only just large enough to hold six pairs of shoes at best. As a couple who owns multiple pairs of boots and shoes each, plus gym shoes and specialized hobby footwear, this was impossible to maintain.

The solution was to take the plunge and buy a slimline shoe cabinet instead. The standalone unit easily keeps shoes hidden in my small entryway, holding 18-20 pairs of shoes depending on the size and how I stack them. Plus, it reduces visual clutter in an entryway for a less stressful exit from my home.

5. Over-door storage hooks

Dressing gowns hanging on the back of a white painted door

Our comfortable bathrobes are easy to grab first thing in the morning before we head down for breakfast.

(Image credit: Future / Chiana Dickson)

From one item that limits visual clutter to one that adds to it – over-the-door hooks are a workhorse in my home, helping me to use vertical storage to save space, especially when organizing coats. A large storage rack, such as this six-hook over-door rack from Target, has a 20 lb capacity for heavy items such as coats and towels.

To help keep things neat, I only use them in my bedroom to store housecoats, and in my home office to offer up some extra storage for outdoor coats, usually coats that are out of season.

They are certainly not the most aesthetic organizing tricks I have ever used in my home, but they are one of the most powerful for saving space in high-traffic areas.


These key storage lessons from small-space living have certainly served me well over the last two years. If you have the same issue as me, you might also benefit from minimalist-approved storage solutions for your home to make the most of your space.

Chiana Dickson
Content Editor

Chiana has been at Homes & Gardens for two years and is our resident 'queen' of non-toxic living. She spends most of her time producing content for the Solved section of the website, helping readers get the most out of their homes through clever decluttering, cleaning, and tidying tips. She was named one of Fixr's top home improvement journalists in 2024.

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