Are you looking for hidden storage spaces in your home? With a small house, I have to be creative in every room. As the kids get bigger and my house seems to get smaller, it is even more crucial that I make my storage space count. This post shares the ways I found storage spaces in my home. I designed and developed these areas in my house for more storage space. Also, I added quick wins for storage space solutions, along with additional findings on wasted space that may help you. I hope these help you find the hidden spaces you are looking for.
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DIY built-in projects
1. Adding storage to the bathroom
Built-in Bathroom Cubbies: I love this idea! In a bump-out wall with only one 4-inch pipe, we were able to make cubbies for knick-knacks and towels! We made a wooden box, added a frame around it to support it to the studs, then painted it and added molding. Looks great, right? It instantly creates the illusion of a wider space and adds much-needed storage.
2. Adding storage under stairs.
Under the stairs storage area: We built out a wall (to line it up with the other wall) and, as a result, created a great storage space under the stairs. We installed a door, and now it holds my extra party supplies. Because the staircase wraps around, it gives us even more storage than a straight staircase.
3. Adding storage to the garage.
Above our narrow single-car attached garage (affiliate), we created attic space. We reinforced the flooring with 2 x 6-inch studs and added flooring to reinforce the space. In a newer home, the framing consists of 2 x 4-inch studs. If you want to use attic space, it must have 2 x 6-inch studs. Reinforcing attic flooring studs in this area allowed us to store holiday decorations and other things, like coolers, that we only use seasonally. We also installed drop-down steps and flooring, and now it keeps a lot of stuff!
4. Adding storage to an unfinished basement
We built it with metal stud walls around the heater and hot water heater areas, which were placed on one side of the basement.
We added two doors, one for the heater and one for the hot water heater. Doing this added a place for long-term storage and room for supplies. We could also add a bookshelf (affiliate) to hold books and other reference material.
5. Inside Unused Cabinets
Look for space under cabinets in that room that is underutilized. It could be a bathroom sink cabinet with only a few things in it or a kitchen corner cabinet with only containers. You can find some items stored in their lidded bins.
Quick storage wins, anyone can do
6. Under-bed storage
Some bed frames (affiliate) have storage, such as drawers, that you can pull out under the bed (affiliate). The most significant unused space in the bedroom (affiliate) is under the bed (affiliate), so why not use it? If you need a bed frame with built-in storage drawers, you can buy under-bed bins to store shoes (affiliate) and other items.
7. Corner Units
You can add many things to corners to help maximize the space. The area is usually a little tight, so smaller items, like books, work best here.
Floating Shelves for corner Set of 4
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8. Use Closets
Some spare bedrooms have decent closets to store things. Adding shelving (affiliate) to these closets will make them more organized and easier to find things. Closets can also be in basements and bathrooms. Ensure that the items you store in these areas can handle the humidity.
Update for 2026: More wasted spaces
There are several additional places in your home you can check to see if they can be used for extra space. Below are some more tips to help you find that extra room in your home. Remember that clearing out the clutter is important, too. You may find that you do not need that additional space after all.
9. Vertical wall space above doorways - a shelf installed over a doorway holds books or seasonal items in any room.
10. Behind doors - over-the-door (affiliate) racks or hooks on bedroom (affiliate), pantry (affiliate), and bathroom doors. Check out my behind-the-door organizer tips.
11. The toilet's vertical space - an over-the-toilet shelf unit, a natural follow-up to your bathroom tip. Here are a bunch of toilet storage shelving options on Amazon (affiliate).
12. Stair risers - drawers built into the face of each step (a smaller-scale cousin of your under-stairs tip)
13. Toe-kick drawers - the dead space beneath lower kitchen and bathroom cabinets. You can buy products to change the space into a drawer.
14. Inside cabinet doors - mounted racks for lids, spices (affiliate), or cleaning supplies
15. The side of the refrigerator or end of an island - magnetic or slim slide-out storage
16. Above the washer and dryer - a shelf or cabinet in the laundry area
17. Window seats and benches - hinged-lid seating that doubles as a storage box
18. Ceiling space in the garage (affiliate) - overhead racks, complementing your attic tip
FAQs for how to find wasted storage spaces in your home
Some of the easiest to miss are the space above doorways, behind doors, under the bed, inside cabinet doors, and the toe-kick area beneath lower cabinets. Vertical and "hidden" spots like these often go completely unused, yet they can add real storage without a renovation.
Not at all. While some tips - like built-in cubbies or under-stairs storage - are DIY projects, many are quick wins anyone can do. Adding under-bed bins, corner shelves, over-the-door racks, or closet shelving takes little effort and no construction.
Be cautious. Before building into a wall, cut a small hole and check that nothing is blocking the area - walls often hide wires and piping you don't want to cut. If you find something, patch it and try a different spot. Always measure twice and cut once.
Clear out the clutter first. Once you remove what you no longer use, you may find you don't need the extra space after all. Decluttering before building or buying organizers helps you store only what truly matters.
When looking for space in your home, make a small hole in the wall and ensure nothing is blocking the space you need. There may be wires, piping, and other things you don't want to cut. If you see something, patch the wall and try a different area. Always remember to measure twice and cut once before taking action. Happy hunting for those hidden storage spaces!
Visit our other small space posts to help you maximize your home with minimal effort.
Please note these are affiliate links through Amazon (affiliate), and at no additional cost, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through and decide to make a purchase.
Nancy Haworth says
These are wonderful tips for creating extra storage space in a home. I love the bathroom cubby storage and the under stair storage ideas!
Seana Turner says
I love the bathroom cubby idea. We did a renovation in our old house where there was an 18inch space at the end of the tub/shower that was being wasted. We pulled out the wall and put in cubbies very similar to yours. It ended up being terrific storage for very little expense:) Good to think about what is behind your walls, right?
Janet Barclay says
Great suggestions. I especially like the one about using the upper part of the garage. If more people did this, there would be a lot fewer cars left outside subject to the elements because there's no room for them in the garage!
Linda Samuels says
What smart ideas for maximizing space. I especially love the bathroom cubbies that you built. We're in a small house too with no basement or attic, so storage space is at a premium.