25 Small-Space Superheroes — From Furniture to Organizers — Our Editors Couldn’t Live Without in 2024

Technically a shoe organizer, this 13-inch by 7-inch drawer is what contributor Mary has been using to keep the cabinet under her bathroom sink organized, stacking four to hold a variety of items. "Not only did they work out just like I envisioned, but they continued to work as I moved into new apartments," she says. "Since they’re clear, it’s also simple to scan and note when I’m low on supplies and need to restock." And, at just $10 per box, you can't beat the price.

Make the most out of your bathroom's wall space with the help of this water-resistant cabinet. Commerce assistant editor Morgan loves its adjustable interior shelves and the fact that she was able to assemble and mount the cabinet without any problems. "One shelf wrangled my enormous eyeshadow collection instantly; the other holds supplies that I find myself reaching for frequently, like my nail polish remover and makeup wipes," she wrote. "The best part is that it’s all concealed behind two doors. The little cubbies along the bottom perfectly fit a tissue box, though they’d also be a great spot for displaying more decorative items."

This sleek trash can has a capacity of 5 liters, and although I empty it every week, it could go much longer without needing to be emptied. Despite its roomy design, the can is narrow and fits between my toilet and the wall with plenty of floor space to spare. I also love its polished finish, which matches almost everything in my apartment. Bonus: It has a discreet built-in liner dispenser and removable interior bucket for easy empties and bag replacements!

A Best List winner, Umbra's Moona storage box can be used in a variety of areas, from your vanity to your desk. Editor Britt especially loves it for her bathroom, noting that the organizer simultaneously hides clutter and makes a statement. "Rather than a container that turns completely, only the drawers spin," she wrote. "So I never have to worry about the organizer being turned the 'wrong way' or looking out of place — because as long as the drawers are closed, it always looks the same. All of my cosmetics are tucked inside, and even if they’re cluttered in a drawer, you’d never be able to tell just by looking at it." And, at nearly 11 inches wide, the storage box is pretty compact.

Without a doubt, one of the worst aspects of living in a tiny apartment is having to deal with a confined shower. This expanding shower system, however, will make your bathing station feel a bit roomier and give you some extra range of motion. "Even though my shower curtain now sticks out a little farther, you can’t even tell," wrote Britt of the system's angular design. What's more, this product comes fully assembled with a detachable, machine-washable liner.

If your nightstand could use some organization, try Courant's popular charging tray. It boasts dual-device charging capabilities and extra space to store your everyday essentials. Plus, you can use the extra USB-C port to charge another device (that’s three total!). Elevate your nightstand with this stylish, contributor-loved number that comes in two different materials and five color options.

Thuma makes some of the best furniture for small bedrooms, and that includes the brand's modular — yes, modular! — dresser. Each individual drawer stacks together and locks in place with the included screws. Once all of the drawers are nested, the dresser’s finishing touch is a tray top that covers everything inside and provides substantial space for a lamp, books, or anything else you’d like on display. "The Dresser stored all of my everyday clothing, and I couldn’t have been happier with the result," Britt wrote in her review. "Plus, when it was time for me to move, it didn’t take a lot of extra effort... I loved that I could unscrew each drawer to separate them before loading them onto the moving truck."

One of the major characteristics our editors look for in any bed is a high profile because that means plenty of underbed storage. When you have that at your disposal, you can make use of products like these underbed storage boxes, which our deputy commerce editor loves. "I have way too much bedding, so I stuffed a few sheets sets and a winter blanket in one of the bins," Alicia wrote. "I tend to overpack every organizer I come in contact with, just based on the fact that I live in an apartment with not a lot of storage space, and these bins held up despite me overfilling them." What's more, the storage boxes look incredibly chic, so even the hidden areas of your room will uphold your carefully curated aesthetic.

A great alternative to underbed bins is to buy a bed frame that boasts built-in storage, like Castlery's Dalton bed. The Queen size features three deep drawers under the frame. After acquiring his Dalton bed, contributor Ian noted that the drawers slide open while blending in seamlessly with the rest of the frame. "It’s as comfortable as can be and supports my mattress like a dream," he wrote. "The storage, though, is the best part: The drawers aren’t actually attached to the bed, which sounds strange, but it’s genius. They sit on rollers directly on your floor and magnetically latch into place when pushed in. That means much less hassle if you have to move or disassemble the bed later on.

When it comes to storage, benches are severely underrated. In addition to being able to hold a variety of items from books to exercise equipment to bedding, they also give you an extra seat or two around the house. Morgan particularly loves this model from Songmics. Not only is it pretty affortable, but as she noted in her review, it can fit a surprising amount of items. Morgan used her bench to store sweaters and free up tons of closet space.

Supplementing your limited closet space with an armoire is never a bad idea, especially if you pick up an armoire as sleek and narrow as this one. Morgan loves how much it increases the storage space in her tiny studio apartment, as well as the fact that the unit has both hanging and shelf space. "My entire dress collection now hangs inside of it, freeing up nearly half of my closet," her review reads. "The bottom shelves hold all of my jeans, so an entire dresser drawer is empty now, too. Even though it’s nearly packed to the brim, the armoire is stable and sturdy."

If you're using regular hangers to hang pants, you're doing it wrong. Instead, you might consider these five-in-one tiered hangers, which come in a set of two. I strongly recommend them for people who are short on both shelf space and closet rod hanging space; they practically transformed my closet. The hangers hold 10 pairs of my pants, which is almost all of them, while taking up less space than most of my coats. And, they're so affordable, I might just grab another set.

Looking for a shoe rack that can fit in the tight confines of your closet? Look no further than this six-tier number, which you can snag for under $60. Britt uses hers for entryway storage and said the rack is sturdy enough to hold all kinds of footwear, including heavy boots. "You get so much more than your money’s worth with this organizer," she wrote. "It’s strong, versatile, and space-saving. Plus, if you don’t actually need a shoe rack, you can use it for books, towels, and more." The rack also has hooks on the sides for your keys or style accessories.

It can be a hassle to find storage solutions that aren't a total eyesore, but senior style editor Blair managed to find these bins, which she describes as deceptively spacious and stylish, to boot. Each bin has a transparent window, so you can easily see what's inside without having to unzip it. "The 75-liter capacity can hold up to 35 pieces of apparel, according to the Amazon listing, as well as the equivalent of three king-sized comforters or six blankets," she wrote. "Oh, and rest assured that the (surprisingly durable-feeling) outer canvas — made from 90 percent cotton and 10 percent polyester — combined with the waterproof laminate interior help safely protect your blankets, extra towels, winter sweaters, and more."

No closet? No problem. This portable wardrobe will get all of your clothes and accessories in order with its numerous rails and shelves. It can bear up to 242 lbs., and the zip cover will protect your garments from dust. Commerce SEO editor Sarah credits it with organizing her entire wardrobe, writing, "When all was said and done, I had put every piece of clothing I own into it. I even had space for some bag storage up top! I couldn’t believe it. Dresses, pants, tops, pajamas — you name it, it fits." Best of all, no tools are required for assembly!

Never underestimate the power a mirror has to make your space feel and look bigger. Alicia likes this one from Walmart, which bears a strong resemblance to one from Pottery Barn that's roughly $900 more expensive. "I think that it adds a touch of elegance and also helps establish my living room area as a space that’s very separate from my kitchen," she wrote in her review. "Luckily, I have a lot of natural light in this space, and during the day, the light bounces off the mirror and makes the entire apartment brighter." The mirror's arched top and simple black frame make it incredibly easy to style, too.

When contributor Sarah was looking for a cozy and compact accent chair, she found that many of the models she liked were more than $1,000. Then, she came across this olive-green number from Ashley, which is under $500. "They’re extremely comfortable to sit in and really shine in my living room," she wrote of her new chairs. "The turned legs are gorgeous and add the right amount of traditional flair to my space, which features a mixture of contemporary and antique finds, and the material honestly reminds me of a fancy mohair, which does not run cheap." You'll find the chairs easy to assemble, too.

A side table is a good addition to a small living room anyway, but a C-shaped side table specifically is a downright game-changer. Britt owns and loves this wheeled model, which happens to have a built-in magazine rack. "Instead of magazines taking over our coffee table, I can keep them on the C table, hidden in plain sight," she wrote. "The table moves smoothly between rooms, and it’s surprisingly durable and sturdy, considering I bought it for under $100." You'll also be happy to learn that the table comes in black and white and frequently goes on sale.

Floor lamps generally make a wonderful addition to small living rooms because they're slim and stylish, but this one in particular is also more practical than most because of its adjustable design. "Despite being a slightly shorter floor lamp (I set it at its tallest height), it does light the entire corner of my living room," Alicia wrote after testing it. "I’m able to read comfortably. And because I live in a one-bedroom apartment, I also think the light helps divide the living room from the kitchen, which is also a bonus." The lamp requires a 60-watt standard-medium bulb, which is not included, and it turns on and off via a rotary-style switch.

After having owned West Elm's Harmony sofa for six months, I can say with confidence that this is one of the most comfortable couches West Elm has. I love it even more now than the day I got it. Not only are its back and seat cushions supremely soft and bouncy, but the seat is also deep enough for me to recline and even nap on. The customizable sofa is available in a slew of pretty upholstery fabrics; I highly recommend the performance velvet, as stains lift right out of it.

The space-saving slim sink caddy from simplehuman holds up to four standard sponges or a small brush, and the combination of the wire ledge hanger plus four suction cups keeps it locked in place. "This caddy is such a smart solution for storing kitchen sponges with ease," wrote editor-in-chief Charli in her review. "It fits conveniently inside the side of your sink to help store your dish and cleaning sponges neatly and takes up very little counter space. It’s truly a gem, especially for $20, that anyone who wants to make dishwashing time just that much more convenient and stress-free will also love."

The great thing about this compact yet capacious storage cart is that you can wheel it to any spot you need at your convenience. I initially used it as a kitchen island, but now, the cart is situated against what used to be an empty wall between my kitchen and living room. It holds pantry ingredients, kitchen towels, cleaning supplies, and my coffee machine, all while sitting out of the way and freeing up floor space. Plus, it's easy to assemble, and its wheels are lockable.

Save even more valuable sinkside space with a collapsible dish rack. This one puts many so-called "compact" models to shame, as you can quite literally fold it down and make it invisible once your dishes are dry. It might not be ideal for larger households, but contributor Meg said the rack is just what her kitchen needed. "If you hand-wash most of your dishes and let them pile up, the rack may be too small for your needs," she wrote. "But if you need a full drying rack only some of the time, or you just really need the counter space, then the Ahyuan collapsible dish drying rack delivers as promised."

Is there anything bulkier than a big pet food container? If you have a dog or cat at home, the good news is you no longer have to struggle to get them fed on a daily basis thanks to Yamazaki's airtight food container. Britt said even the largest size it comes in is still pretty inconspicuous. "I can’t say enough how impressed I am by the size of the airtight pet food storage container," she wrote. "When it first arrived, I thought for sure they’d sent the wrong one. There was no way a 15-pound bag of IAMS dog food was going to fit into this tiny box. However, once I started pouring the food and saw how empty the bag was getting when the container wasn’t nearly full, I’d never been more happy to be wrong."

These editor-loved, industrial-style shelf risers are pretty much as versatile as it gets when it comes to kitchen storage. Not only are they made of sturdy metal that can hold up to 33 lbs. each, but they can morph into a variety of configurations to suit your storage needs. Stack them atop one another to make the most of a tall cabinet, or nest them within each other to create tiered storage that still fits within a slim space.