A home can never have too much laughter or too much storage space. When you moved in, it might’ve seemed like your house was bursting with closets, but suddenly, those closets are bursting with stuff. It’s time to add a little extra organization with some storage furniture.
If you choose carefully, virtually any piece of furniture — from your ottoman to your dining room table — can provide extra storage. Here’s a look at our favorite storage solutions to help you wrangle your stuff in style.
15 storage furniture ideas for every room in your house
From classic options to surprisingly clever pieces, these storage furniture ideas go way beyond bookcases. But also, have you thought about adding a bookcase?
1. Bookcases
OK, we’ll admit it: You don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes to deduce that bookcases add a lot of storage space to any room. You can display your prettier possessions directly on the bookshelves and add baskets to hide unsightly items away.
To get the exact storage you need, look for a bookcase with adjustable shelves, like the Hartshill 5-Shelf Bookcase in Burnished Oak. This allows you to move the shelving up or down so you can store taller items on one shelf and smaller items on another.
Get several freestanding bookcases and line them up side-by-side to create the look of a built-in shelving unit. It’ll make you feel like you’re walking into the aforementioned Mr. Holmes’ library.
2. Storage ottomans
Storage ottomans, like the Upholstered Storage Ottoman in Beige and White, fit seamlessly into any living room. They offer hidden storage where you can stow throw blankets or seasonal throw pillows. Depending on the size of your space, you can use an ottoman in place of a coffee table, or use both for even more storage space.
3. Storage benches
Storage benches look great in the entryway, under the window, or up against the wall. Choose a bench with cubbies underneath, like the 2-Basket Upholstered Accent Bench in Brown and Natural, and you can store shoes, dog toys, or spare linens.
4. Coat racks
Another handy piece of entryway storage, freestanding coat racks allow you to hang your jackets, hats, scarves, and tote bags when there simply isn’t enough closet space. The 8-Coat Hooks Clothes With Shoe Rack is big enough to act as a spare closet and even includes an extra storage shelf for shoes.
5. Storage cabinets
Home offices are an obvious place for storage cabinets. A file cabinet, like the Rudd 4-Drawer File Cabinet in Warm Honey, gives you a place to store important paperwork or organize spare office supplies. But we think storage cabinets can fit in anywhere from the bedroom to the living room to the kids’ playroom.
For a fun playroom idea, choose a whimsical cabinet, like the 2-Door Accent Cabinet in Rich Brown and Black. Then, open up those double doors and organize the inside into an arts and crafts station or a mini science lab.
6. Armoires
An armoire or chest is a great place to store spare towels, sheets, or duvets. Add it to the bedroom, a roomy bathroom, or a wide hallway to take the place of a linen closet.
For an infinitely customizable storage option, the Barstow 8-Drawer Door Chest in Pinot Noir has drawers on one side and a cabinet door on the other. You can even remove some of the drawers to create more shelf space.
7. Bed frames
Hiding things under the bed isn’t just for kids who don’t want to clean their room. A bed frame with built-in storage lets you reclaim that wasted space under your bed.
You can easily find bed frames with one, two, or four drawers. There are even mega-storage options — like the Briana Eastern King Platform Storage Bed in Black — with drawers on every side of the frame and the headboard, plus a little book nook where you can store your latest bedtime reads.
8. Coffee tables
Coffee tables can store more than just your favorite coffee table books. Look for a table with large storage drawers, like the 2-Drawer Coffee Table in Champagne and Silver. Or choose one with a bottom shelf — like the Higgins V-Shaped Coffee Table in Black and Antique Grey — and add storage baskets underneath.
Use your coffee table storage to hold everything that you want close by when you’re in the living room. Think remote controls, books, and board games.
9. Console tables
Console tables are tall tables that usually have at least two drawers. They’re generally long, but not particularly wide. Their thin footprint means you can use them to line an entryway hall or place them against the back of your sofa without them blocking your passage.
Console table drawers make great junk drawers where you can store paper clips, rubber bands, tape, envelopes, stamps, and all your bits and bobs. Again, you can add even more storage by choosing a piece with room for baskets underneath, like the 2-Drawer Console Table in Black and Gold.
10. Side tables
Many side tables offer space for you to set your drink down and nothing more, but by choosing a piece with storage, you’ll make room for your living room must-haves (remote controls, throw blankets, board games, and so on). Get the most out of your selection by choosing a piece with a drawer on top and storage below, like the Storage End Table With 1-Basket in Weathered Burnish Brown.
11. TV stands
Even if you have a wall-mount TV, we recommend putting a TV stand or media console underneath. This essential piece of living room furniture can hide unsightly wires and store essential electronics like your Wi-Fi router and cable box. Choose one with multiple compartments — like the 2-Door Rectangular TV Console in Rustic Mindy — for better organization.
12. Entertainment centers
An entertainment center is a hybrid piece of storage furniture. You create one by buying a furniture set that includes a TV stand, two bookcases (which go on either side of the TV stand), and a bridge that adds more storage above the TV, between the tops of the bookcases. Once it’s all put together, you’ll have a complete living room storage unit.
13. Kitchen hutches
A kitchen hutch gives you a place to store you dinnerware. Behind the cabinet doors, there’s space for your fine china or everyday dinner plates, not to mention your silverware, placemat, and napkins. Some pieces, like the Darcy 2-Door Server in Weathered Ash, even have a designated place for wine glasses and bottles.
14. Kitchen carts
If you don’t have a kitchen island (or you do, but it’s already overflowing with stuff), a kitchen cart is the answer to your storage problems. These movable storage solutions sit on top of casters so you can wheel them around your kitchen. You can use them as a bar cart for serving drinks or as an extra prep station when you’re running low on counter space.
The Two-Door Kitchen Cart in Merlot and White, for example, gives you room to store your cutting boards or stainless steel cookware. There’s also a fold-out cutting board on top, and a towel bar on the end where you can hang kitchen towels or hooks for a DIY way to store spoons and ladles.
15. Dining room tables
Your dining room table is an unexpected place to carve out a little extra storage. The Kingman 4-Drawer Dining Table in Espresso and White features two storage drawers on either side of the table. Use them to store utensils, napkins, and even salt and pepper shakers.
Furnished and functional
Beautiful furniture makes a home enjoyable. Functional furniture makes it livable.
Storage furniture is one of the most functional choices you can make for your home. It helps you get organized and clear some space in those overflowing closets.
But that doesn’t mean you have to settle for all function and no form. Whether your home is a rustic country cottage or a bohemian getaway, you can find storage furniture to match your style.
CoasterEssence
Lovegood 2-door Accent Cabinet Rich Brown and Black
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