9 Hidden Storage Types We Regularly Rely On

One of the most common challenges in any space, big or small (but especially small) is the need for smart storage solutions. Whether your rooms are large and open concept or divided up into smaller spaces, accessing your things easily while keeping them out of sight has such an impact on enjoying your home! That’s why today I wanted to share the 9 hidden storage types of furniture and decor that we regularly rely on. I hope today’s post will give you some fresh ideas on creating a more functional space that’s stylish, too (we can’t forget about the ‘pretty’!).

 

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9 HIDDEN STORAGE TYPES WE REGULARLY RELY ON

***Since a few of these pieces were purchased locally and well before I started the blog, I will link up what I can and also provide alternatives at various price points for you to determine what best suits your needs.***

1. TV Media Console

Very early on after moving into our home,  I was on the hunt for a TV console that met my style and function needs and eventually landed on this one. Our main requirement? Storing away our go-to DVDs.

Inside, there is a dedicated drawer for storing some of our go-to shows and movies and even space to fit in a slim sound bar.

I also took advantage of the open areas along the sides with containers to house even more of our movies.

This has been a great purchase that I’ve been happy with, 10 years on. The one downside? Dust. All those slats collect dust, so I do have to take my duster every so often and clean them out, but it cleans up easily.

Shopping Links 

You can find a variety of TV media consoles HERE, at various price points and some that are similar to mine, below, including the one we own (the first on the left, below):

2. Tall Chest of Drawers

Tall chests are one of the most practical closed storage solutions for small or tight spaces that will add a little extra vertical storage. When we first moved into our home, we wanted to add some additional storage in our guest bedroom and mudroom, so we purchased this classic IKEA Malm dresser/chest of drawers (find it on the Canadian site here or the US site here).

I use it as overflow storage for bed sheets or towels and leave some drawers empty for guests to use.

Similarly, in our narrow mudroom, we use the same IKEA Malm dresser for quick access to winter accessories like hats, gloves and scarves, and more.

I love how deep and roomy the drawers are.

This dresser is one of the most versatile and functional pieces in our home which is why we purchased two. We’ve had both for years and their minimal design makes them an easy style choice suitable for most interiors.

Shopping Links

Besides the IKEA Malm (find it here on the Canadian site and the US site), I also found similar options online below.

3. Nightstands With Storage

In at least 3 rooms in our home – our guest bedroom, main bedroom, and our den with a sleeper sofa – we have these classic nightstands with storage. While pedestal tables are lovely, they are just not functional enough for us (I think our cat, Burger would agree).

For a small guest bedroom like ours that has a sizable queen size bed, these IKEA nightstands fit perfectly in this space.

Shopping Links

Although it looks to me like they’ve discontinued the nightstands pictured above, the IKEA Malm in an oak finish (Canadian site or US site) is a good alternative, as is the IKEA Hemnes in black-brown, grey, or white (Canadian site or US site).  

You can also check out similar options below:

4. Compact Wall Cupboards

For my husband, wall hung cabinets are the ultimate hidden storage pieces to add to a room and he’s hung up a few, including one in the garage, one above his work bench in the basement, and one in our teeny-tiny laundry room below:

This one has a bar for hanging up towels, too.

These wall hung cabinets are compact and affordable and a great option if you have no floor space, but need that bit of extra storage.

Shopping Links

When shopping online, you can look for “wall cabinet” or “wall mounted bathroom vanity” like this one at Walmart (Canada) or this one at Walmart (US).

Here are other similar options online that you can click through:

5. No-Lid Baskets

Okay, so you may be thinking that woven baskets without lids is not exactly ‘hidden’ storage, but I would argue quite the opposite.

Hear me out!

No-Lid Woven Baskets

Woven baskets are a great way to add style while still keeping things out of sight – even those with no lids. Much of what’s inside is actually hidden and anything inside can easily be obscured with towels, pillows, and throw blankets, too.

Here are examples of how I’ve incorporated no-lid woven baskets into our space while keeping items inside hidden.

An oversized basket next to our sofa stores magazines, remotes, and a box of tissues.

A large striped basket just behind our sofa contains a mix of items hidden from view with a simple tea towel on top.

Next to our TV media console is another oversized basket that is stuffed with textiles like pillows and throw blankets.

Even this closet in our foyer space has ‘hidden’ storage along the top shelf where I’ve placed a series of baskets keeping things neat and tidy.

I am still able to hide things away in those no-lid woven baskets, while still adding some style and warmth.

Shopping Links

You can find similar options in the following links:

Mid-size/Large rectangular basket: You can find similar ones HERE, HERE, and HERE.

Black and white striped round basket: You can find a similar one HERE, HERE and HERE.

Large, round woven basket: You can find similar ones HERE, HERE, and HERE.

Here are a variety of other woven baskets suitable for shelving and surfaces:

No-Lid Plastic Weave Baskets

Arguably the cupboard doors that are opened and closed most frequently throughout the day are those in the kitchen. Our are nearly always on full display, which is why I have things tidied up with several of these small storage baskets.

 

I use these medium small baskets for multivitamins, tea (we have LOTS of it) and other items.

I also have these slim ones that enable me to use the entire shelf and maximize storage all the way across.

Shopping Links

There really are a lot of great small plastic storage options to choose from at your local dollar store or on Amazon here. 

You can also check out other online options by clicking through the image below:

6. Buffet Tables

Buffet tables are a great way to add both style and function to a space – and not just for your best plates or dishes. In fact, the two buffet tables we have store very little that is related to dishware.  

Dining Room Buffet Table 

Since we already have plenty of space for dishes in the kitchen, I use this buffet table for other items I need to access, such as placemats, tea lights, and even gift-wrapping supplies and cards. I wrap all my gifts on our dining room table, so it made sense to store these items here. 

In fact, I shared the process of decluttering and organizing this buffet table (and other areas of our home) on my YouTube channel earlier this year. It was a satisfying process that Burger had to get involved in, too 😉

You can check out the full video on YouTube here –>“Declutter & Organize With Me: Simple Organizing Ideas.”)

After decluttering and organizing the entire buffet, we are now able to maximize its use using simple dollar store baskets.

Shopping Links

If you like the look of this buffet table, it is made of solid acacia wood – pricey, but solid and long-lasting. You can find similar ones online below:

Foyer Buffet Table

Our other buffet table/credenza is located in our entryway. Like the one in our dining room, it is a great storage piece. It’s the perfect spot for accessing items needed on the way out the door, like sunglasses, umbrellas, or hand sanitizers.

As for the bottom shelving, I currently use it to store my everyday decor which still needs to be decluttered and organized.

Shopping Links

This buffet table is made of solid mango wood and if the ‘industrial’ vibe speaks to you, here are similar options to peruse online:

7. Fabric Bins

I cannot say enough about fabric bins! I have a LOT of them!

Let me share with you how I’ve used them in two key areas of my home that has made ALL the difference when it comes to keeping things accessible and out-of-sight.

Craft Room Bins

Keeping things streamlined and visually minimal was really important to me in my craft room. While many like to see their supplies out, I prefer them hidden away. After putting this IKEA Kallax system together in my space – you can see two flanking the desk, below –  I purchased several of these IKEA fabric bins.

They are great for throwing in miscellaneous items and just keeping things tidy. I love the pocket pulls on the exterior of each container, making it easy to slide out.

Because I had several storage bins, I knew I had to label them to make it easy to locate items.

I used basic cardstock to label each bin and Scotch tape to attach them. 

Much to my surprise, I have only had to replace one of the pieces of tape since having attached the labels two years ago. Scotch tape for the win!

Along the bottom row are these Amazon fabric bins –>Canadian Site or US site – colour options may vary depending which site you go to. At the time of purchase, they were slightly more affordable than the IKEA option and at 33 X 38 X 33 cm, were slightly more snug than the IKEA bins. Overall, a great fit for these Kallax storage systems.

The one downside: the handles come scrunched up and creased so I had to take my steamer to relax the wrinkles just enough so that my labels would stay on. Other than that, I have no big complaints about them.

Linen Closet Bins

Reorganizing our linen closet with a mix of wire baskets, undershelf baskets, woven baskets, and these no-lid fabric storage cubes with handles has really helped keep things neat and tidy.

I use these fabric bins for smaller items that I like to keep on the main floor such as tissue boxes and paper towels. 

But I also wanted to store away some of the less-used and – may I say – uglier towels?

And perhaps a bit silly, but if I’m honest, I really love accessing things from our linen closet. Just between you and me, I sometimes open the closet just to look at how well-organized it all is 😉

Shopping Links

For more great options online, click through the items below:

For linen close organization tips, see “How To Organize A Linen Closet & Maximize Space.”

8. Ottomans

My favourite kinds of ottomans are ones with storage. And although I have only one in the corner of our bedroom, it’s been the perfect little versatile piece that offers a few functions. Not only is it great for putting my feet up as I read a book, it provides additional storage, too.

One of the coolest features is that the lid functions as a tray when flipped over, so you can put a hot beverage or book on it, too. 

Shopping Links

I purchased this ottoman at Bed, Bath & Beyond, aeons ago, so I don’t have a link for this exact piece, but you can find many affordable options, like this one HERE as well as these other options below:

9. Storage Towers

Under-Sink Storage Towers

Even when we’ve got cupboards and drawers in our home, I often find that items under the sink always need a bit of tidying up with semi-hidden storage. That’s why I love these metal 3-drawer systems that I’ve featured here on the blog before. 

They are narrow enough to fit around plumbing and tall enough to house some of our most basic toiletries.

I wanted something sturdy and lasting and wipe-able, too. These are great and nearly always available on Amazon.

Storage Tower Hack

These stacked towers located just beneath my desk are a bit of a ‘hack’ that came out of a desperate need to store lots of tiny bits and bobs in my ‘office’ space, located in the middle of my craft room.

These come as a single unit with 3 drawers, which I simply stacked on top of each other on both sides of my desk.

 

Here I store miscellaneous items from post-its to pens, pencils and more. 

If you go this route, a couple of things to note: 

–  The taller the stack, the more wobbly it is, so be sure it’s in a spot that won’t get knocked about.

–  If you decide to purchase these and stack them as high as mine, you might want to add some anti-slip furniture pads underneath.

I’ve had these towers for a couple of years and they really serve their purpose for me! You can find them as a single, 3 drawer unit here or in multi-packs to save some money, like this 2-pack here and this 6-pack here.

Shopping Links

Here some other options online:

FINAL THOUGHTS

I hope that you got some ideas from seeing the 9 hidden storage types we regularly rely on. Our home is far from perfect, but I am determined to continue finding ways to make our home more usable, more functional, and a whole lot more livable, too.

Happy organizing 🙂

 

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Get more organizing ideas from A Pretty Fix below: