7 Pro Tips for Organizing Your Tiny Bedroom
Last January, my family and I moved into a new house — and while I love so many things about the space, I have one complaint — OK, two: The master bedroom is both extremely small and weirdly shaped. In anticipation, we sold our giant dresser and bedside tables and downgraded our king-sized bed to a queen. The result? We’re left with very limited storage options, and virtually no ideas for how to make my weird bedroom feel bigger than it actually is.
Who better to consult for tips than professional organizers and interior designers who optimize spaces like mine for a living? If you, too, have a small and/or oddly-shaped bedroom, here are seven ways to maximize your space.
Use Vertical Space
When floor space is limited, it always pays to go vertical, says professional organizer Rashelle Isip. Think tall instead of long when it comes to frequently-used furniture and storage containers. For example, pick a tall dresser over a short, horizontal one. Wall shelves that do double duty as storage and over-the-door organizers can also help free up limited floor real estate.
Make Your Storage Space Do Double Duty
Related: When you’re using wall space for storage, choose items that can do double duty as artwork. Interior designer Antoinette Belson suggests hanging hooks on walls and displaying jewelry or bags. “Having storage that also takes the place of art will not only help brighten up your space but also make things easier to find when you want them,” she says.
Take Advantage of Under-the-Bed Storage
Don’t forget to take advantage of the space beneath your bed. Isip suggests purchasing flat, plastic containers for storing off-season clothing, linens, and blankets you don’t use on a regular basis. Don’t have enough space under your bed? Put your existing bed on risers, Belson says.
If you happen to be shopping for a new bed frame, make sure there’s enough room beneath it for storage. Or, Isip suggests, consider a bed with built-in drawers!
Reconsider How You Use Your Closet
With a bit of strategy, a closet can free up square footage in your actual bedroom. “If you don’t have much hanging clothes, or you have mostly short things, move your dresser into your closet to create more floor space,” Belson says. Or, if your closet’s big enough, you could add a tiny desk instead to create a makeshift office.
Choose Dual-Purpose Furniture
When she’s designing small spaces, interior designer Janet Lorusso tries to take advantage of every square-inch with pieces that play more than one role. For example, nightstands with drawers or ottomans that open up for hidden storage. If you’re really tight on space, you can swap out a traditional bed for a daybed or even install a wall bed. (Refer back to tip #1.)
Only Keep Essentials in the Bedroom
Those books on your nightstand you keep there just in case you feel like reading (instead of obsessing over CleanTok)? And all those summer clothes you cram into your dresser? They don’t absolutely need to be in your bedroom, so don’t keep them there. Pro organizer Jessica Litman suggests relocating anything you don’t use on a daily basis to another area of your home.
Declutter Your Belongings
A tiny bedroom will seem much smaller if it’s crowded with stuff, so consider paring down what you own. Ask yourself which clothes, shoes, accessories, and linens you use on a regular basis, and what you can recycle, donate, or throw away. “Having less stuff in your bedroom will make it easier to organize and store what you own,” Isip says.