The best under bed storage ideas don’t require a bigger apartment, a new bed frame, or a weekend project. They just require actually using the space that’s already there.
Most people walk past it every single day. It just sits there — dark, dusty, maybe hiding a forgotten gym bag or a box of stuff from the last move. Meanwhile, the closet is overflowing, the dresser drawers won’t close, and there’s a pile on the chair that’s been there since October.
The under-bed zone is the most underused storage space in most bedrooms. Not because it’s hard to use, because nobody stopped to think about what actually fits there, what gets damaged there, and what storage systems hold up after a few months.
This guide covers 23 practical under bed storage ideas organized by category — clothes, shoes, small bedrooms, dorms, and DIY options — so you can find exactly what works for your space and budget.
First: Measure Your Bed Clearance
Before you buy anything, get on the floor with a tape measure. The clearance between the bottom of your bed frame and the floor determines everything.
Low clearance — under 7 inches
You’re limited to flat, zip-up fabric bags and vacuum storage bags. Hard-sided bins won’t fit. Wheels are out. The good news: fabric bags compress down to almost nothing, which means you can pack a surprising amount of off-season clothes into this space.
Standard clearance — 7 to 12 inches
This is the sweet spot. Most under bed storage containers are built for this range. You’ll have access to rolling drawers, lidded bins, and fabric boxes with handles.
High clearance — 12 inches or more
If you have a platform bed or a bed on risers, this is your best-case scenario. You can fit almost anything here — stackable containers, larger bins, small rolling carts. If you have a platform bed or a bed on risers, this is where the best under bed storage ideas actually shine. More clearance means more options.
Under Bed Storage Ideas for Clothes and Linens
1. Flat zip-up fabric storage bags for seasonal clothes
These are the most practical options for most bedrooms. A set of two or three flat fabric bags — the kind with a zipper on top and a carry handle on the side — can hold a full season of clothes. Winter sweaters, heavy jeans, thick hoodies. You pull them out twice a year, wash what needs washing, and swap.
SONGMICS and Utopia Bedding both make solid versions in the $15–25 range per bag. Get ones with a clear window on top so you can see what’s inside without unzipping everything.
Common mistake: buying bags that are too tall for your clearance. Measure first.
2. Vacuum storage bags for bulky items
Duvets, comforters, and thick blankets are impossible to fold small. A vacuum storage bag solves this. You stuff the item in, seal it, and use a vacuum hose to suck out the air. A king-size duvet can compress down to about three inches thick.
The Space Bag brand works fine. Generic versions from Amazon are hit or miss — the valves sometimes fail after a few cycles.
Renter-friendly: completely no-drill.
3. Divided fabric bins for folded clothes by category
If you have the clearance, a fabric bin with interior dividers keeps folded clothes from collapsing into a pile every time you pull the bin out. One bin for gym clothes, one for loungewear. Handles on both ends make it easy to slide out without crawling under the bed.
4. Clear plastic bins with lids for linens
Extra pillowcases, guest towels, table linens — the stuff you need a few times a year but can’t justify a drawer for. Clear plastic bins with snap lids (IRIS USA makes good ones) let you see exactly what’s inside. Stack two if your clearance allows.
Label the outside. You won’t remember what’s in each one after three months.
5. Vacuum bags inside a fabric bin
This combination works well if you have medium clearance. Compress your off-season clothes into vacuum bags first, then slide the bags into a fabric bin. The bin keeps the bags flat and makes them easier to pull out. It also protects the vacuum bags from dust and any moisture near the floor.
6. Sweater cubes with handles
For clothes you rotate more regularly — not fully off-season, just out of rotation — fabric cubes with handles are easier to live with than full vacuum bags. IKEA’s SKUBB boxes are cheap and sized specifically for under-bed use. Around $15 for a set of six.
Under Bed Storage Ideas for Shoes
7. Clear drop-front shoe boxes
The most functional shoe storage under a bed. Each pair gets its own box. You can see the shoes through the clear front panel, and the drop-front door means you don’t have to lift the box out to grab a pair.
IRIS makes a version that stacks. Songmics has a good one too. Around $3–6 per box.
This works especially well for dress shoes, boots you wear occasionally, or seasonal footwear you’re not reaching for every day.
8. Under-bed shoe organizer with fabric pockets
If you have a lot of flats, sneakers, or casual shoes, a long fabric organizer with individual pockets works well. It slides under the bed like a flat tray, and each pocket holds one pair.
The Container Store sells a nice version. Budget-friendly alternatives are easy to find on Amazon. Most fit 12–16 pairs.
9. Rolling shoe drawer
A low-profile rolling drawer specifically for shoes. Fits about 6–8 pairs, depending on size, sits on wheels, and slides out completely so you can see everything. Better for people who wear most of their shoes regularly, since it’s faster to access than individual boxes.
10. Original shoebox system
If you’re not ready to buy new storage, keep your original shoe boxes, stack them two high if clearance allows, and take a photo of the shoes and tape it to the front. Ugly, works fine, costs nothing.
Under Bed Storage for Small Bedrooms
Small bedrooms especially benefit from under-bed storage because the floor and closet space is already maxed out. A few specific setups work well here.
11. Bed risers to create storage space
If your bed sits directly on the floor or has very low clearance, bed risers are an easy fix. They lift the frame by 3–8 inches and cost $15–30 for a set of four. Slipstick and Utopia make good ones.
Check your bed frame’s leg type before buying — some frames don’t work with all riser styles.
12. Bed with built-in drawers
If you’re in the market for a new bed frame, choose one with under-bed drawers. This eliminates the need for any additional containers. The drawers are built into the base, usually on one or both sides. IKEA’s MALM and HEMNES frames both have this option starting around $300–400. The Sleep Foundation has a solid breakdown of storage bed options worth considering if you’re comparing frames.
Worth the investment if you’re staying in the space long-term.
13. Repurposed dresser drawers
If you have an old dresser or find one at a thrift store, remove the drawers and use them as under-bed pull-out storage. Add furniture casters to the bottom of each drawer ($8–12 for a pack of four at any hardware store), and you have rolling drawers for almost nothing.
Honestly, one of the best under bed storage ideas for small bedrooms on a tight budget.
Renter-friendly: no drilling involved.
14. Flat rolling cart for frequently used items
A low, flat rolling cart — the kind meant for craft supplies or workshop use — works surprisingly well under a bed for things you access regularly. A few books, a journal, headphones, and a spare phone charger. Everything in one place, easy to pull out at night, push back in the morning.
15. Modular stackable bins
If your clearance is generous, modular bins that connect side by side let you build a custom setup. One section for clothes, one for shoes, one for random items you don’t know where else to put. IRIS USA’s modular underbed system is around $40–60 total and holds a lot.
Under Bed Storage Ideas for Dorms
Dorm beds are usually raised high off the ground — sometimes 18 inches or more — which makes the under-bed zone the biggest storage space in the room. Use it aggressively.
16. Large rolling storage drawers
The under-dorm-bed drawer is its own product category at this point. Sterilite and Simple Houseware make wide, low-profile rolling drawers designed exactly for this use. Around $25–40 each. Get two — one for clothes, one for everything else.
17. Collapsible fabric bins for easy move-in and move-out
End of year, everything has to come out and go home. Hard-sided containers are annoying to transport. Collapsible fabric bins fold flat for the move, expand for storage during the year. Much easier.
18. A dedicated “overflow” bin
Dorm rooms accumulate random stuff fast — extension cords, printer paper, medicine, toiletries, backstock. Instead of letting it pile on the desk, one designated overflow bin under the bed keeps the room livable. Lidded, labeled, out of sight.
DIY Under Bed Storage Ideas
19. Rolling crate with casters
A standard wooden crate from a craft store or hardware store, four furniture casters screwed into the bottom, and you have a rolling under-bed storage solution for about $15 total. Sand and paint it if you want it to look finished.
Works best for items that don’t need to be contained: books, bags, extra blankets folded flat.
No-drill version: use adhesive casters on a plastic storage crate instead.
20. PVC pipe book tray
A flat wooden board with PVC pipe cut to size and attached along the sides creates a low-profile tray that holds books flat, rolls on casters, and keeps reading material accessible without taking up floor or shelf space. Takes an afternoon to build.
21. Drawer slides and plywood
If you’re comfortable with basic woodworking, full-extension drawer slides mounted under the bed frame create smooth pull-out trays. A sheet of plywood cut to size, drawer slides from a hardware store, and you have built-in storage that’s invisible until you pull it out.
This is not renter-friendly — you’d need to mount hardware to the bed frame.
What NOT to Store Under Your Bed
This matters more than most guides admit.
Don’t store:
- Anything that needs to stay dry if your building has any history of moisture or flooding issues
- Food of any kind — it attracts insects
- Items you use every single day — too much effort to access repeatedly
- Electronics long-term without moisture protection — temperature fluctuations under a bed can affect them over time
- Things you’re storing because you can’t decide whether to keep them — this is where old junk goes to become permanent
The floor-level position also means dust accumulates faster than on shelves. Anything stored under the bed should either be in a sealed container or cleaned off once or twice a year.
People Also Ask
What is the best thing to store under the bed? Seasonal items you need a few times a year work best — off-season clothes, extra bedding, spare pillows, shoes you wear occasionally. The general rule: the less frequently you need it, the better it fits under the bed.
How can I maximize underbed storage space? First, measure your clearance and buy containers sized specifically for that measurement. Second, use every inch horizontally, not just the center — most people only fill the middle of the under-bed area. Third, use stackable containers if your clearance is above 10 inches.
How do I create storage under a bed with no clearance? Bed risers are the fastest fix — they cost $15–30 and lift most frames by 3–6 inches. If you want a more permanent solution, consider a new bed frame with built-in storage drawers.
Is under the bed storage a good idea? Yes, with one condition: use sealed or lidded containers. Open bins under a bed collect dust faster than most people expect. Sealed containers keep everything clean and extend how long you can leave things stored there before needing to clean or reorganize.
How do you keep under-bed storage from getting dusty? Sealed plastic bins with snap lids are the cleanest option. Fabric bags with zip closures work too. If you’re using open bins, a thin flat sheet laid over everything before sliding it in acts as a dust cover.
Start Here
Before you buy anything: get on the floor with a tape measure and check the clearance. Then pick the two or three categories above that match your actual problem — clothes overflow, shoe storage, extra bedding — and start with one container per category.
The mistake most people make is buying a set of matching bins for the whole space at once, before they know what actually fits and what they actually need. Start with one section. See how you use it. Expand from there.
The space is already there. Most under bed storage ideas don’t require a single tool or a trip to IKEA — just a tape measure and a decision about what actually belongs there.
Looking for more bedroom organization ideas? See our guide to small bedroom organization ideas for the full room strategy, or small closet organization ideas if the closet is where things are really breaking down.