IKEA storage school

Lesson 2

Big ideas for small bedrooms

An open BOAXEL wardrobe combination revealing hanging and folded clothes, shoes, bags and boxes inside.

A cupboard for your clothes, a bedside table for your book. It’s a great start, but bedroom storage can be so much more personal and practical when we look beyond the basics. Add some spatial considerations into the mix and things really start to get interesting! If you’ve got a small bedroom or are about to move into one, you’ve found yourself in the right place. Ready to take things up an imaginative notch? Then let’s dive in!

Curtains: for windows and wardrobes!

Wardrobes – while they do hold a lot – don’t tend to be the most space-shy of furnishings, especially those with hinged doors that open out into your bedroom.

One way around this is swapping out doors for curtains – which take up no space at all and add a wonderful, bedtime-beckoning softness. They’re also quick and easy to swap out, should your taste or colour scheme change.

A small bedroom with a dressed bed in front of slightly parted curtains covering a wardrobe system.

Shifting your bed in front of your clothing storage might sound outlandish at first (and flat out outrageous if you’re short on space), but hear us out! The simple addition of curtains makes for a soft backdrop and divide, hides your cupboards and drawers, and saves on space as you no longer need the swing of solid wardrobe doors. 

A stack of five transparent SAMLA boxes filled with clothes and linen, partially covered by a set of cream drapes.

Hide the things you don’t necessarily want to see all the time, like these stackable, transparent SAMLA boxes. They pack a storage punch that's perfect for seasonal clothes and other less frequently reached for items.

The magic of the forgotten spot

If you’re looking for more room, go vertical. And not just up, but down too. Under the bed and on top of taller units live underutilised space just begging for a purpose. It’s not simply about finding the physical space, but the right piece for the task. Now you can take advantage of these hidden, dusty gems in an organised way.

A bedroom with two FREDVANG underbed storage/bedside tables under a bed in front of wardrobes with shoe storage on top.
A FREDVANG underbed storage/bedside table pulled out from under a bed, filled with books and clothes.

This FREDVANG underbed storage unit makes for seamless organisation, especially in a small bedroom where dual-purpose pieces are a must. Roll it out at bedtime and roll it back under in the morning.

A bedroom with a bed in front of a white shelving unit holding books, plants, boxes and other decorations set against a wall.

A backdrop for your bed - but better!

Shelving units and hooks behind and above the bed are attractive and practical ways to squeeze in some more storage while exhibiting your favourite objects. Beauty and function in one go? Yes please!

A red reading lamp clamped to a wooden shelf behind a bed. There is a shelf above covered in plants and one below with books.

Place a few shelves right behind the bed and you’ve got yourself some sneaky extra space for private items like journals, or things you don’t use quite as often.

When ‘nightstand’ doesn’t cover it

Depending on the size of your bedroom or how you’ve used the space, you may not have enough room for a traditional nightstand. The good news is there are many side table alternatives that give you more storage, take up less (or no) floor space, or serve more than one purpose.

A bedroom with two pendant lamps above a dressed bed next to a grey credenza.

If you have a credenza or chest of drawers, double up on purpose by placing it right next to your bed.

A VATTENKAR wall storage attached to a wall with a white lamp clamped to it and headphones hanging from a hook.

A well-positioned small pegboard or hook could be all you need for your bedtime essentials.

An open book lying on top of a SYMFONISK WiFi bookshelf speaker attached to a wall.

A sleep meditation dispenser and nightstand in one? Why not! Mount the SYMFONISK WiFi bookshelf speaker horizontally next to your bed for room-filling sound and a home for your novel.

Accessible parking spots for those plan-to-wears

But it doesn’t all have to be packed away of course. For get up and go accessibility, a few well-placed hooks and rails can be a great help without taking up any space at all!

A black rail with jeans and other items hanging from hooks above a white VIHALS storage unit holding clothes.
A corner of a bedroom with clothing hanging from a HÖVOLM rack with 6 knobs as well as another wall-mounted rack.

Clutter-free, inside and out

You have guests coming over and it’s oh so tempting to stuff those final bits and bobs into a drawer... where, if we’re honest, they’ll live until the day you furiously hunt for them. Avoid the rigmarole with inside organisers that suit your needs, so the next time guests arrive, you can bypass the tidy up panic dance altogether. 

Overview of an open dresser drawer with jewellery stored in NOJIG organisers.
An open drawer with KOMPLEMENT boxes inside housing accessories and fabric items.

Give your smaller clothing items the same treatment with soft felt KOMPLEMENT boxes. They come in two sizes but for a perfect fit, pair with some KOMPLEMENT drawers.

And there you go – even a small bedroom can have it all!


You can tick lesson two of our storage school off your to-do list and are invited to learn more about our range of storage solutions at your local IKEA website. Sweet dreams!