I'm a big fan of the plastic box and bed skirt setup. The storage bags seem to always attract dust, and since they're porous the clothes or other articles can end up coming out musty. I tuck lavender and rose sachets into my plastic storage boxes, which keeps the clothes fresh-smelling as the boxes keep them dust-free.

By the way, can anyone tell me why this "feng shui" business remains popular? It sounds to me like pseudo-mystical claptrap, and I really can't understand why people would be denying/depriving themselves of good solutions in its name.

I have 2 big clear plastic ones under the bed that tuck in far enough you can't see them even without a skirt. I am a fan. Summer clothes are all in there right now.

My tiny studio only has one tiny hall closet and one smallish clothes close. I store my life under my bed. Out of season clothes, craft supplies, christmas decorations, family heirlooms, the sliding doors from the clothes closet, and a bunch of crap I don't want to deal with. I only use plastic storage bins - I had bed bugs 3 years ago and treating all that stuff was a nightmare. I found that the ones with the hinged lids don't seal as well as the ones without.

It's very easy to forget about stuff crammed under the bed. I'm way overdue for a clean out and purge. So my only other advice would be to think about whether you want to store something under the bed or whether it's something that you could do without.

I bought an extra high bed frame and an extra long bed skirt so I could put those big Home Depot plastic crates with the red lids under the bed. We need all the storage we can get- 2 adults and 2 cats live in a 350 foot studio apartment. We have 4 of those crates under there now, along with a cat bed/hideout and a huge suitcase- but if needed, we could probably get 8 of them under there.

I hate to be *that guy*, but if you live in a city where bed bugs are a potential issue -- NYC, Chicago, anywhere else it's a major concern -- underbed storage is a bad idea.

Signed, someone who is going through it, and it's all I can see in any discussion of bedroom areas.

Sorry to agree with eliz, but underbed storage is also really bad fung shui!

I'm not a follower of feng shui, but I do find putting things under my bed just feels cluttery, even when no one sees it but me. It's like having an overstuffed closet that you hate opening. Plus if I utilize the space properly with storage boxes (which I have tried a few times), I invariably stub my toes on them! That said, lack of space elsewhere means I do have to keep the dining table leaf and my dad's golf clubs under there. ;)

This feng shui stuff, to me, is usually common sense - I find that a lot of the layout tips it gives (for bedrooms in particular) are things I already did because they felt right to me. So, I'm a fan, and try to pay attention to anything in it that helps me with furniture placement.

And I totally agree with feng shui about the underbed thing - so I no longer store stuff under the bed. Feels (and looks) way better to see just flooring under it (the part I can see.) Stuff does tend to get forgotten about under there, dusty, etc. I think the only way I would do it is if I had a bed that had drawers incorporated inside the furniture unit, if I really needed to use that space. But, so far, even when space is tight, I've been able to find space elsewhere in my apartment.

I find my sleep is more restful in a totally decluttered bedroom. Now if I could only just keep it that way.

I couldn't care less about feng shui... living in a small apartment, I have to use what I have. I have a bed with built-in storage and it's fantastic! I prefer plastic boxes, makes cleaning a lot easier.

Any plans I had to possibly use the space under the bed for storage were dumped when I rescued a lab who likes to slide under the bed to play the I see toes, a tail and a tush but no nose game. So I did a major organization of my tiny closet, my tiny office closet and then got rid of a bunch of stuff. I guess we know who rules in my house.

The only thing under my bed is the cat. He hides there when guests come--the other cat is cruising shoulders & soliciting petting.
I agree with @textiles above. Lots of the feng shui I've heard about were things I was already doing because they "felt right". I don't neccessarily buy the mystical explanations, but someone back then was a good observer.
I suspect it also makes a difference if what's under your bed is in regular use, or does represent "stalled energy" or deferred decisions.

I'm no feng shui expert but I keep happy things under my bed--family photos and holiday wrapping paper. I feel just fine!