Storage Tips for Tiny Houses

When every square foot counts in a tiny home, you can store items under stairs, inside furniture, above doors, along walls, and in other spots that might go unused in a larger home. Start by getting rid of things you don’t need, then look for ways to use vertical space and make furniture do double duty. For belongings you want to keep but don’t use regularly, off-site storage can help you free up valuable living space. 

Key takeaways

• Declutter before adding more storage to your tiny house. 
• Use walls, doors, corners, and the space near the ceiling for additional storage. 
• Choose furniture with built-in storage whenever possible. 
• Turn stairs into drawers, cabinets, or cubbies. 
• Add storage beneath beds, sofas, benches, and other furniture. 
• Use hooks, pegboards, magnetic strips, and hanging organizers to keep counters and floors clear. 
• Keep frequently used belongings easy to reach and move less-used items to harder-to-access spaces. 
• Store seasonal and rarely used belongings outside your main living area when possible. 
• Use a storage unit for belongings you want to keep but can’t justify giving permanent space inside your tiny house. 

Declutter first

Before you install another shelf or buy another basket, go through what you already own. Storage solutions won’t help much if you’re trying to find places for things you don’t actually want or use. 

Work through your belongings one category at a time. You might start with clothing, books, kitchen supplies, toiletries, tools, hobby supplies, or paperwork. 

For each item, decide whether you use it enough to justify giving it space in your tiny house. Then, donate, sell, give away, recycle, or toss things you no longer need. 

Don’t feel like you have to get rid of everything that isn’t essential, though. A tiny house is still your home. You can keep sentimental belongings, hobby supplies, collections, and other things that make you happy. You just may need to be more selective about what stays inside. 

Look up

When you don’t have much floor space, vertical space becomes valuable storage. 

Look for unused areas above: 

• Doors 
• Windows 
• Kitchen cabinets 
• Toilets 
• Desks 
• Sofas 
• Beds 
• Clothing rods 

Install shelves where they won’t interfere with how you move around the room. High shelves are particularly useful for belongings you don’t need every day. Put frequently used items lower where you don’t need a step stool every time you want them. 

Just remember that open shelves can look cluttered quickly in a small space. Baskets, bins, and matching containers can help keep smaller items corralled. 

Put your walls to work

Walls can hold much more than pictures. Hooks are one of the simplest ways to create storage without using floor space. Depending on the room, you can hang: 

• Coats 
• Hats 
• Bags 
• Towels 
• Kitchen utensils 
• Pans 
• Cleaning tools 
• Jewelry 
• Craft supplies 
• Tools 

Pegboards provide even more flexibility. You can move hooks, baskets, shelves, and other accessories around as your storage needs change. Magnetic strips can also hold certain metal kitchen utensils, tools, and other small items. 

Before mounting anything heavy, make sure the hardware and wall can support the load. 

Turn your stairs into storage

If your tiny house has stairs leading to a loft, don’t let the space underneath go to waste. 

Stairs can double as: 

• Drawers 
• Cabinets 
• Cubbies 
• Bookshelves 
• Shoe storage 
• Clothing storage 
• Pantry space 

Deep drawers can be particularly useful because they let you access the entire space without reaching into the back of a deep cabinet. 

You could even use different steps for different categories. For example, one drawer could hold shoes, another could hold linens, and another could store tools or household supplies. 

Use the space under your bed

Your bed takes up a lot of room, so make that footprint work harder. A platform bed can include drawers, cabinets, cubbies, or open storage underneath. You can also use low-profile bins that slide under the bed. 

Under-bed storage works well for: 

• Extra bedding 
• Shoes 
• Out-of-season clothes 
• Towels 
• Books 
• Hobby supplies 
• Luggage 

If you’re designing or renovating your tiny house, you could also consider a lift-up bed that provides access to a larger storage compartment underneath. 

Keep everyday items in the easiest-to-reach sections. Use deep storage for things you need only occasionally. 

Buy furniture with hidden storage

In a tiny house, furniture that only does one job may be taking up more room than it’s worth. Look for pieces with built-in storage. An ottoman can hold blankets. A bench can hide shoes. A coffee table can include drawers. A sofa can have storage beneath the seats. Even stools can provide storage inside. 

Try nesting furniture

Furniture doesn’t always need a permanent footprint. Here are some ideas:  

• Nesting tables fit underneath one another when you’re not using them.  
• Stackable stools can provide additional seating when guests visit and take up less room afterward. 
• Folding chairs can hang on a wall or tuck into a narrow storage space. 
• A drop-leaf or folding table can serve as a dining table or workspace when needed, then shrink down when you want more floor space. 
• A Murphy bed can fold away every morning. 

Add storage to your doors

Doors offer another vertical surface you may not be using. Over-the-door organizers can hold shoes, toiletries, cleaning products, accessories, pantry items, craft supplies, and other small belongings. You can also add hooks for towels, robes, bags, or clothing. 

Don’t forget cabinet doors. Small racks or organizers attached to the inside of kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors can store lightweight items. 

Just make sure anything you add doesn’t prevent the door from closing. 

Use the sides of cabinets

Look at the ends and sides of your cabinets, too. An exposed cabinet side could hold hooks, a spice rack, a small shelf, a magnetic organizer, or a hanging basket. 

In the kitchen, you might use this space for measuring cups, utensils, dish towels, or frequently used supplies. Even a few inches of unused vertical space can become useful storage. 

Make your kitchen storage work harder

Tiny kitchens can get cluttered fast because so many items compete for limited cabinet and counter space. Start by keeping as much as possible off the countertops. 

Use: 

• Wall-mounted racks 
• Hooks 
• Magnetic strips 
• Shelf risers 
• Stackable containers 
• Under-shelf baskets 
• Cabinet-door organizers 
• Drawer dividers 
• Lazy Susans 

Shelf risers can add an extra level inside tall cabinets, so you’re not stacking dishes into a wobbly tower. Store similar items together and put the things you use most frequently in the easiest-to-reach places. 

Rethink your kitchen appliances

Small appliances can eat up a surprising amount of tiny-house storage. Before giving an appliance permanent cabinet or counter space, think about how often you actually use it. 

If you use your blender every morning, it probably deserves easy access. If you use your waffle maker twice a year, that’s a different story. 

Multipurpose appliances can also reduce the number of individual gadgets you need to store. 

Use narrow spaces

See a six-inch gap? You may be looking at storage. Narrow rolling carts can fit between appliances, next to cabinets, beside a bathroom vanity, or in other tight spaces. 

Slim shelves can fit into narrow stretches of wall that aren’t large enough for standard furniture. You can use these spaces to stash canned goods, spices, toiletries, cleaning products, books, or other small belongings. 

Measure carefully before buying anything. An inch can be the difference between a clever storage solution and a cart that doesn’t fit. 

Add storage to your bathroom walls

Tiny-house bathrooms may have very little cabinet space, so look above and around your fixtures. Shelves above the toilet can hold towels, toilet paper, and toiletries. Wall-mounted baskets can hold everyday supplies. Hooks can keep towels and robes off the floor. 

You can also use a medicine cabinet with storage behind the mirror rather than a flat mirror. If your vanity has open space underneath, add baskets or bins to keep toiletries and cleaning supplies organized. 

Use corners

Corners are easy to overlook. Corner shelves can provide storage without protruding as far into the room as some standard shelves. They can hold books, plants, toiletries, kitchen supplies, or decor. You can also use corner baskets, hooks, or other organizers depending on the room. 

Look at corners near the ceiling, too. A high corner shelf could hold something you want to keep but rarely need. 

Use containers inside cabinets

Don’t assume a cabinet is organized just because everything fits behind the door. Bins and baskets can divide larger cabinets into smaller storage zones. Instead of pulling out six things to reach something in the back, you can pull out one bin. 

Store things where you use them

In a small house, you don’t necessarily need traditional storage rules. Put things wherever they’re easiest to use. If you always read on the sofa, store books near the sofa. If you put on shoes by the door, create shoe storage there. If you work on crafts at the dining table, keep supplies in a nearby rolling cart. 

You don’t need a linen closet if a storage bench next to the bathroom works better. Design your storage around your habits instead of trying to make your habits fit your storage. 

Create storage zones

Even in a very small home, assigning storage zones can help prevent clutter. 

You might create a zone for: 

• Outdoor gear 
• Cleaning supplies 
• Paperwork 
• Crafts 
• Tools 
• Pantry goods 
• Clothing 
• Shoes 
• Pet supplies 

Keep similar items together whenever possible. This also makes it easier to tell when you have too much of something. If the designated space is full, it’s time to use what you have, reorganize, or reduce the category. 

Don’t forget outdoor storage

If your tiny house has outdoor space, you may be able to move some belongings out of your living area. Depending on your setup, you could use an outdoor storage box or shed for things such as gardening tools, outdoor furniture accessories, and other outdoor equipment. 

Before storing anything outside, consider whether heat, cold, humidity, moisture, or pests could damage it. Outdoor storage isn’t the best choice for every type of belonging. 

Rotate seasonal items

There’s little reason for a heavy winter coat to occupy prime closet space all summer. Rotate clothing, bedding, decorations, sports equipment, and other seasonal belongings. 

When a season ends, clean items as needed and make sure they’re completely dry before storing them. Move them to a less accessible storage area, outdoor storage (if the items can handle those conditions), or a storage unit. Then, bring the next season’s belongings into your main storage areas. 

Consider a storage unit

Some belongings are worth keeping even when they don’t deserve year-round space inside a tiny house. The goal isn’t to move all your clutter from your tiny house into another space. Use storage for belongings you’ve intentionally decided to keep but don’t need taking up valuable room every day. 

A storage unit can give you a place for things such as: 

• Seasonal clothing 
• Holiday decorations 
• Luggage 
• Camping equipment 
• Sports gear 
• Collections 
• Sentimental belongings 
• Extra furniture 
• Hobby supplies 
• Items you’re saving for future use 

Organize the unit so you can easily retrieve what you need. Label containers, keep an inventory, and leave frequently accessed belongings near the front. 

For items that may be affected by temperature or humidity changes, consider whether climate-controlled storage would be a better option. 

Follow a one-in, one-out rule

Storage gets harder when belongings keep coming in, but nothing ever leaves. Try a one-in, one-out rule for categories that tend to grow. 

Buy a new pair of shoes? Consider whether an old pair can go. Add a new kitchen gadget? See whether you no longer use one. 

You don’t have to follow this rule for every purchase. It can simply remind you to think about where something will live before bringing it home. 

Give everything a home

One of the easiest ways for a tiny house to feel cluttered is to have belongings without designated places. Decide where everyday items belong. Keys might go on a hook by the door. Mail might go into a wall organizer. Blankets might live inside an ottoman. Chargers might have their own drawer. You get the idea. 

When everything has a home, cleaning up becomes much faster because you don’t need to figure out where to put things every time. 

Tiny house storage FAQ

How do you maximize storage in a tiny house?

Use vertical space, hidden storage, multipurpose furniture, doors, walls, stairs, and the space under furniture. Keep frequently used belongings accessible and move less-used items into higher, deeper, or off-site storage. 

Where do you put clothes in a tiny house?

Use a small closet, drawers built into stairs or furniture, under-bed storage, wall-mounted clothing rods, hooks, or a combination of these options. Rotating seasonal clothing can also reduce the amount you need to keep in your main closet. 

How do you store things in a tiny house without making it look cluttered?

Use closed storage for smaller items and leave some open space on shelves and surfaces. Baskets, bins, drawers, cabinets, and storage furniture can hide visual clutter while keeping belongings accessible. 

What furniture is best for a tiny house?

Look for furniture that serves multiple purposes or can be folded, stacked, or nested. Beds with drawers, storage benches, storage ottomans, folding tables, and nesting tables can provide function without requiring as much permanent floor space. 

How do you organize a tiny kitchen?

Keep counters as clear as possible and use cabinet doors, walls, shelf risers, drawer dividers, hooks, magnetic strips, and stackable containers. Store frequently used items within easy reach and reconsider appliances and gadgets you rarely use. 

Where should you store seasonal items in a tiny house?

Use under-bed storage, high shelves, built-in compartments, or another less accessible area for seasonal belongings. If you don’t have enough room, you can move seasonal items into a storage unit and rotate them throughout the year. 

How do you prevent clutter in a tiny house?

Give everything a designated home, declutter regularly, and choose new purchases carefully. Storage zones and a one-in, one-out rule can also help keep belongings from gradually exceeding available space. 

Is a storage unit useful if you live in a tiny house?

It can provide additional room for belongings you want to keep but don’t need every day, such as seasonal gear, holiday decorations, collections, luggage, and sentimental items. Organize and label stored belongings so the unit doesn’t become a place where forgotten clutter accumulates.