A little extra space and organization never hurt anybody. But whether you’re a college student living with next to no space at all, a parent desperately looking for ways to keep the kids belongings off the ground, or anything in between, there just never seems to be enough space—especially when you live in an apartment. Well, grab some tools; these DIY storage ideas for the bedroom will fix your storage issues for good. Just remember: If you’re renting your apartment, always get permission from the property manager before you make any changes to the property itself.
Put Shelves Everywhere
As human beings, we tend to neglect the space that isn’t directly in our line of sight. For example, consider the upper walls of your apartment—basically anything at or above seven feet from the floor. By placing simple shelving units in these areas, you’ll dramatically increase your available storage space, and you’ll be doing it without having to sacrifice prime real estate elsewhere in your home.
Step 1: Find some good locations. As we’ve mentioned, the upper wall in most rooms will do nicely as a spot for some DIY shelving, but there are other areas that work nicely, too. How about the refrigerator, or along the wall in a stairwell? How about the wall above your toilet? Or above a door? Look through your entire apartment, and see where some new shelves would be least intrusive, and most usable. Don’t be afraid to put shelves up high or in hard-to-reach locations; these will come in handy for items that you use only rarely, and you can always use a ladder or a step-stool when you need to access them.
Step 2: Get some wooden boards. Purchase some wide, flat wooden boards from your local hardware store. Be sure that the boards are wide enough to support whatever you plan on storing on them, and thick enough to hold up under the intended weight. Also purchase some shelf supports or shelf brackets (at least two per shelf that you plan on installing).
Step 3: Measure and cut. Using a tape measure, find out exactly how long you need your shelves to be. Cut your wooden boards to this length. Many hardware stores will be happy to do any of your cutting for you, so have your measurements ready when you arrive to purchase your wood (or be prepared to do the cutting by yourself).
Step 4: Sand and paint the boards. This step is optional, but if you want your shelves to look their best, consider sanding them down and applying a coat of paint.
Step five. Install the shelves. Use a stud finder to locate wooden studs in your wall, and then attach the shelf supports or brackets where they will be most secure. If you can’t find a stud in the desired location, then use drywall anchors to ensure that your shelf will stay where you put it. Once the shelf supports and/or brackets are in place, add the shelf. The end result is an inexpensive and easy-to-install storage space that won’t get in your way.
Improve Your Tiny Closet
Tiny closets can be a real headache when you’ve got more to store than easily fits. But with a bit of creativity, you can make the most of your closet space, no matter how little of it you may have. Here are some suggestions:
Shower Curtain Rings:
We wish we would have known about this trick ages ago. It’s great for storing scarves, tank tops, jewelry, belts… whatever you’ve got. Simply purchase a pack of shower curtain rings or hooks and attach them to the bottom of a sturdy hanger. This makes it possible to hang tons of items on one hanger! No need to go buy a fancy contraption.
Stagger Rods in Your Closet:
If you need more hanging space, but have some longer pieces, stagger the rods in your closet. This way you can have a bar to hang long dresses, a bar for regular t-shirts and a shorter bar to hang shoes or shorts. Brilliant!
Install a Pegboard:
Many of us think of pegboards as the kind of thing that belongs in a garage or a workshop, but consider just how useful one could be in your closet. By installing a pegboard, you’ll have dozens of movable hooks on which to hang individual items. Just purchase a pegboard, cut it down to the desired size, and then drill it directly into the closet wall (make sure to attach to to wall studs or use drywall anchors). Get some pegboard hooks, and start hanging things!
Create New Space
If your bedroom is just straight up small, you need to create space! But where? Well, under the bed, of course. Your bed is taking up the most space in your room (most likely) and all that area underneath it is probably not being utilized to the fullest extent.
Under Bed Storage:
This under bed storage idea is a brilliant Ikea hack (of course you don’t have to use Ikea) that will take you less than a few hours to complete.
Step 1: Purchase 3 Ikea bookcases that when placed together in a U-shape will hold your mattress without room on the sides. (You will also need to purchase nails and possibly bins, if you want to)
Step 2: Purchase a piece of sturdy plywood to go over the top of the bookcases. This will help to hold the weight of the mattress and you. Otherwise, there will be a big hole in the middle of the bookcases for the mattress to sink down into!
Step 3: (Optional) Paint your bookcases if you’re not crazy about the color selection at Ikea.
Step 4: Put the bookcases together (This will arguably be the most frustrating part of this entire process)
Step 5: Place the bookcases in the U-shape with the opening meeting the wall.
Step 6: Secure the bookcases together with nails.
Step 7: Place the plywood over the top of the bookcases.
Step 8: Place the mattress over the top of the plywood.
Step 9: Make your bed, take some artsy pictures and brag about your fab bedroom on all your social media platforms (lets face it, you would have done this anyway)
Done! This is a perfect day project that will save you some serious space.
Think Small
Sometimes, the most difficult items to store aren’t the big things. After all, we’ve got closets and chest-of-drawers for those. No, the toughest items to find a place for are often the little things that just don’t have anyplace to go—screws and nails, coins, small food items, etc. But with a wooden board, some nails, and a few nice-looking canning jars, you can make a fun and accessible storage space that will also give your apartment a touch of personality.
Step 1: Acquire your supplies. Get some mason jars with screw-on lids (these lids often come in two pieces), and a flat wooden board.
Step 2: Put hole sin the lids. Remove the lids from the canning jars, and place the lids to down on the wooden board. Using a small nail, hammer a single hole into the flat center of each lid. Remove the nail and the lids, and then locate a smooth underside surface from which you would like your mason jars to hang (we recommend the underside of kitchen cabinets). Using a screw placed through the small hole in the center of each lid, attach the lid to underside surface.
Step 3: Hang the jars. With the lids securely in place, just screw the mason jars up and into the lids. Fill the mason jars with whatever items you want to keep on hand. Consider labeling the individual jars, so you always know at a glance what you’re keeping in each one.
We hope you’ve enjoyed discovering some new DIY storage solutions for your bedroom. Let us know in the comments what your favorite was and be sure to share this article with your friends and family!