25 expert-approved storage ideas for small homes and spaces

"These bins are great for maximizing storage anywhere in your home," says Sarit Weiss, founder and lead organizer at Neat & Orderly. "Use them on the inside of cabinets to store more kitchen items, or even on the side of your nightstand to store your phone." They're also loved by our home and gifts editor Amina Lake Abdelrahman, who uses these adhesive storage bins to hold hair and skin care products in the bathroom.

This small open-topped crate can be used to store books, crafting materials like yarn and knitting needles or even an extra blanket — and its stylish industrial design and natural wooden handles make it look much more expensive than it actually is.

In an entryway, Sarah Blevins, a design specialist at Villa Homes, suggests using "cute coat racks with floating storage space." This one from Wayfair caught our eye with its nine hooks and four cubbies for plenty of storage space. "If your closet is too crammed, opt for a stylish hanger that can pull double duty and hold your wallets, keys, leashes and any items you tend to drop on a table on your way in," she says. "The right furniture can be both a stylish and functional piece."

"You can use this over-the-door rack to create more storage space in any of your closets," Weiss says. "If you’re into cooking, you can add this to your pantry so you can store more spices and back-stock ingredients, or if you want to have a dedicated storage closet, you can utilize this rack to store a bunch of your cleaning supplies." Our home editor has one of these over-the-door racks in each of her hallway closets and confirms that they add so much storage space.

"Do we ever have enough closet space? With this rod extender you can create more space in your closets for the clothes you love," Weiss says. "No more having to get rid of clothes because they don't fit into your closet. You can use this rod expander to create a two tiered closet with shirts on top and pants below for a clean and organized look."

If your closet is short on space, investing in a set of slim hangers is such a smart idea. Our home editor has been using these Amazon Basics hangers for years. She loves that they take up less space than plastic hangers, which allows you to fit more clothes in your closet. Plus, the velvet surface helps prevent clothes from sliding off the hanger and ending up on the floor.

"Add shelves and organizers to the top shelf of your closet," Blevins says. "Items on the higher shelf can tend to be lost or forgotten if they are pushed out of sight. Choose an organizer to help bring order to the less accessible items."

"Clear bins like these can be a lifesaver for getting into items that are not year-round items," Webber says. "I'm talking about things like Christmas decorations, seasonal clothing items and even sentimental items like baby clothes and toys."

"There are so many options, styles and colors for under-furniture storage bins," Blevins says. "I would recommend investing in a wooden frame box with wheels. Soft-side boxes tend to deform when overstuffed and can make it more difficult to pull out from under a bed or couch. Sturdy sides will help prevent you from overfilling, and the wheels will make accessing the bin easier."

Another product our home editor uses in her own apartment is this set of vacuum storage bags from Amazon Basics. She uses them to store off-season clothing and extra bedding under her bed. "Space bags can be used for a few things, but I think the most effective way to use them [is] for big things like blankets, pillows and even jackets," Webber adds. "When larger items like blankets are vacuumed out, they can be stored vertically to aid in fitting them into tight spaces."

"An item I really like for organizing a small space is the Dr.BeTre Magnetic Organization Rack," says Malak Bellajdel, the in-house interior design expert at Interior Moderna. "You can attach it to the side of your refrigerator and it’ll hold your spice jars, paper towel[s], cooking utensils and many other items. Or you can put it on the side of your washing machine and keep your washing detergents on it."

Rolling carts are a favorite of professional organizers and design experts who love the slim footprint, deep storage compartments and portability. In small spaces, including dorm rooms, this cart can be used to store everything from toiletries to clothes to school supplies.

"Mason jars also lend themselves well to visual access storage," Webber says. "I personally like to use Mason jars in my garage for things like nails and bolts. It lets me see what I have without having to pour a box out of nails to look around."

"Another quirky favorite of mine is the Ikea Skadis pegboard," Bellajdel says. "It’s really versatile. It can be used as a jewelry organizer in bedrooms, a tool rack in cramped garages or even a vertical herb garden in kitchens."

It can be a challenge to find space to store cleaning supplies in homes without a utility or coat closet. These claw-style gadgets, which are designed to grab onto mop or broom handles, solve that problem by allowing you to store them vertically on a wall for easy access.?

"Tension rods are an absolute gem for organizing small spaces," Bellajdel says. "You can use them to create instant shelving in awkward corners or hang cleaning supplies under sinks. They’re cheap, removable and really sturdy."

Caddies are a lifesaver in small bedrooms that don't have space for a bedside table. This felt caddy tucks into the mattress, providing storage for all of life's little necessities, from the TV remote to eyeglasses.

Living rooms that are short on space can also benefit from a furniture caddy to organize the stuff that might otherwise live on a coffee table. It comes in 28 colors to match most any couch or armchair, and it has six pockets that can hold tablets, planners, remotes, eyeglasses, chargers and more, keeping them tucked away but still within arm’s reach.

"People can take advantage of unused corners by getting a corner bookshelf," says Rotem Eylor, the CEO and founder of Republic Flooring. "The storage below is wonderful and then provides a place to display accessories or photos."

Standing bookshelves can take up a lot of space. Instead, consider a set of inexpensive, wall-mounted floating shelves. The shelves can be used for books and board games or outfitted with bins and baskets to hold smaller items. Floating shelves are also a pretty way to display small plants or collections like travel trinkets or crystals.

Keeping utensils within arm’s reach makes cooking easier, but if you lack counter space, a utensil crock may not work in your kitchen. This utensil holder turns storage upside down, literally, by mounting to the underside of a cabinet.

Cabinet space can be extended to create more storage space by installing an under-shelf basket that hooks over existing, built-in shelves. Just be sure to measure your shelving before purchasing to make sure it will fit your cabinets or pantry; this is a general rule to follow when purchasing any sort of organizational system — always measure before you buy!

For the most part, multipurpose storage solutions are the name of the game when it comes to picking products to keep small spaces organized. But sometimes a specialty item is exactly what’s needed. This hair dryer caddy secures to the wall using adhesive, allowing you to take advantage of vertical space without damaging the walls.

Get the most out of precious bathroom counter space with a tiered corner shelf that can hold grooming products and everyday essentials, keeping them within reach and organized.

Clear acrylic bins, like this set of two organizers, are incredibly versatile. This set would be equally at home in an office or by the front door to hold mail. Our guide to the best stick-on organizers has more ideas, as well as tips on how to get the most out of stick-on products.