The Best 7 Storage Furniture Pieces

Anyone living in a relatively compact home knows how much smart storage can improve everyday life. When storage is planned well, it makes everything easier to find and gives every item a logical place. When it is poorly designed—or missing altogether—it can quickly become a daily source of annoyance.

After moving from a 3,150-square-foot house into a 1,400-square-foot home, we had to rethink how we stored nearly everything. We went from 14 rooms to just six, and we also lost the garage, attic, large outdoor shed and workshop. Even our bedrooms presented a challenge: of the three bedrooms, only one had a closet when we purchased the house.

Over the following 16 months, we discovered several storage solutions that serve more than one purpose. They helped us make better use of limited space while keeping everyday necessities accessible. These are seven of our favorite pieces, along with the reasons they work so well and ideas for similar solutions.

1. A Coffee Table With Hidden Storage

Problem: There was not enough storage near the front entrance.

Solution: Use a coffee table with deep drawers to conceal frequently used belongings.

Because our front door opens directly into a small sitting area, we do not have a conventional foyer or mudroom. We made the most of the nearby laundry closet for storing hoodies and backpacks, but there was still plenty that needed a home. That is where our storage coffee table became useful.

We especially like it because it provides a surprising amount of storage without looking like a storage unit. At first glance, it simply appears to be a substantial wooden coffee table because the handles are not immediately noticeable. However, both ends open to reveal two large, deep drawers that glide smoothly.

One drawer holds extra shoes beyond the flip-flops that remain on the front porch, along with a basket containing things we regularly need before leaving, such as keys, sunglasses and the dog's leash.

The opposite drawer is used for jackets that are worn less frequently or are appropriate only for certain seasons. You would never know that all of those items were tucked inside the coffee table, which makes it a particularly effective solution.

2. An Under-Bed Book and Toy Storage System

Problem: Finding a practical place for our daughter's growing collection of books and toys.

Solution: Choose a platform bed with built-in cubbies underneath so the storage remains accessible while making use of otherwise wasted floor space.

When we were choosing beds for our new home, we knew that using the space beneath them for storage would be a smart move. Our daughter's bed has turned out to be especially useful.

Her book collection continues to grow, and she also has four large baskets filled with Legos and other toys. A traditional bookcase or large storage cabinet would have occupied valuable room that she wanted to use for other things, particularly the desk we eventually placed across from the bed and the dressers that also function as nightstands.

That is why we have become such fans of this platform bed with built-in storage compartments. It holds a remarkable amount while preventing everything from simply being pushed underneath the bed and forgotten.

We chose the twin-size model, which has eight compartments in total: three along each side and two larger sections at the foot. The larger compartments are ideal for her big Lego containers.

She decides what belongs in each compartment, so she always knows where her belongings are. She also enjoys being able to reach her things directly from the bed, which makes the storage both practical and kid-friendly.

The bed originally came with two fabric storage bins, which she uses for toys. We also found larger plastic containers that fit perfectly into the two compartments at the foot for her Lego collection.

At first, I was unsure about using cubbies instead of drawers. After all, under-bed drawers are common for a reason. But our experience with our son's bed showed us that drawers can easily become obstacles for feet and require enough open floor space to pull out properly. Since children's rooms rarely have much free floor space, we eventually removed those drawers and replaced them with smaller felt baskets.

Now we are definitely fans of cubby-style storage.

3. A Large Weather-Resistant Outdoor Storage Bin

Problem: There was limited room for outdoor belongings such as beach equipment and bicycle helmets.

Solution: Place a generously sized wicker-look storage container on the covered porch.

One of the biggest adjustments after moving was no longer having a spacious garage or shed where outdoor items could simply be stored. Beach chairs, umbrellas, outdoor toys and similar belongings all needed somewhere to go.

Although our old garage and sheds often became dumping grounds that eventually required entire weekends of cleaning and organizing, we still needed a practical storage solution. This faux-wicker outdoor bin on our covered porch solved the problem.

We like the container because it hides a large amount of equipment while blending naturally with the surrounding furniture. It even helps disguise some unattractive pipes nearby.

The interior turned out to be much roomier than expected. We measured carefully before buying it to ensure that it could accommodate our beach chairs and umbrellas. The inside measures approximately 64 inches long, 30 inches wide and 34 inches high, which also left enough room for beach toys, bike helmets, sports balls and other outdoor equipment.

There was one lesson we learned after the fact. Although the lid is waterproof, the sides are not completely sealed against water. The container originally came with a waterproof liner that attaches inside with Velcro, but because we planned to keep the bin beneath a covered porch, we decided not to use it.

In retrospect, we wish we had kept the liner stored safely inside the bin. If the container ever needs to be moved to an uncovered location, having that extra protection would be useful.

4. An Extra-Long Credenza-Style TV Cabinet

Problem: We wanted to store media equipment, games and other belongings together in one section of the family room.

Solution: Replace a conventional media console with a long cabinet that takes advantage of nearly the entire alcove.

Our television hangs on a long wall in the upstairs living room. We have traditionally placed furniture underneath our TVs, but typical media consoles were not ideal here. Most are relatively low and considerably narrower than the available wall space.

Instead, we created a long credenza using two wide IKEA Besta cabinets and installed them so they appear to be one continuous piece.

If we had mounted the cabinet directly against the wall without legs, it would technically have become what is sometimes called a “fauxdenza.” For now, however, we decided to keep the legs. We removed the extra center legs that would have interrupted the streamlined appearance.

We may eventually customize the piece further by adding a substantial wooden top or perhaps a stone surface. Even without those changes, the amount of storage is fantastic.

The cabinet is almost eight feet wide and provides room for old photo albums, newer photo books, a large collection of board games, yearbooks and various sentimental items. It feels considerably more useful than the narrow media cabinets we could have purchased ready-made.

As for our actual television equipment, there is very little to store. We stream nearly everything, so we do not have a cable box or DVD player. At the moment, the small device included with our frame-style television sits underneath the cabinet, tucked against the wall where it remains mostly hidden.

5. A Drawer Unit Beneath a Desk

Problem: We wanted useful storage beneath a built-in desk without sacrificing legroom.

Solution: Slide a compact freestanding drawer cabinet underneath one side of the desk.

Earlier this year, our son asked for a simple desk in his bedroom. Our children now have a larger shared workspace upstairs for crafts, art and bigger school projects, along with smaller desks in their individual rooms.

Because we could not find a ready-made desk that fit his space properly, we decided to build one ourselves. The desk is connected to his bed and appears to float above the floor, supported by simple wooden braces along the side and back walls as well as the bed itself.

We considered installing drawers or cubbies beneath the entire desktop, but that would have taken away too much legroom. Instead, we used the open space beneath one side of the desk for a compact file drawer unit.

The drawer cabinet even has soft-close drawers. We removed its wheels because we preferred the cleaner appearance, and doing so also created an additional usable surface on top.

We also primed and painted the faux-wood top using leftover paint from his bedroom mural because the original finish was darker and more reddish than the chair at his desk.

He likes having a dedicated place for papers, art supplies, coloring books and activity books. We like that it keeps the desktop much easier to maintain, while hiding the inevitable mess inside the drawers.

6. Bookcases With Both Open Display and Closed Storage

Problem: We needed somewhere to hide unattractive necessities while still having room to display attractive objects.

Solution: Use customizable bookcases that combine drawers with open shelving.

No list of our favorite storage solutions would be complete without the IKEA Fjalkinge bookcases. They have been some of the hardest-working storage pieces in our smaller home.

We originally purchased them for our home office in Richmond. After moving to Florida, we first used them in the kitchen before eventually relocating them upstairs to the family room.

Their biggest advantage is the combination of concealed and visible storage. The configuration can be customized with different numbers of shelves and drawers, and the shelves can be positioned at different heights. The drawers can also be placed wherever they work best for you.

Our favorite arrangement has four drawers along the bottom and three open shelves above them. This setup has worked beautifully in multiple rooms.

In the kitchen, we used the open shelves for bowls, mugs and cups so they were easy to grab, while the drawers held snacks and other food items that would normally be kept in a pantry.

Once we added a dedicated pantry cabinet, the bookcases moved into the family room. There, the open shelves hold books and decorative pieces, while the drawers conceal files, camera equipment, paperwork and miscellaneous work supplies.

Like many of the other storage pieces in our home, these bookcases are especially appealing because they combine useful storage with an attractive appearance.

7. A Wall-Mounted Spice Rack

Problem: We did not have enough drawer space for all our spices and did not want them covering the countertop.

Solution: Install a slim spice rack on the wall beside the stove.

Our final storage favorite is also one of the smallest, but it has proven extremely useful. It is especially helpful for anyone who does not have enough floor space for another piece of furniture but has an unused section of wall, the back of a door or even the side of a refrigerator.

After we built in our refrigerator, we discovered an empty wall beside the stove. Its location was perfect because the spices would be within easy reach while cooking.

This compact rack has become one of our favorite kitchen additions. Besides spices, it can hold paper towels and a dish towel. Depending on the setup, it can be attached to a wall or cabinet, or placed directly against the side of a refrigerator because its back is magnetic.

There are countless storage products based on this same concept, and putting spices, knives or paper towels on the wall rather than inside drawers or across the counter is certainly not a new idea. But it was new to us, and we have found it extremely convenient.

We also purchased matching spice containers with printed labels covering a wide range of seasonings, along with blank labels for anything unusual. Two rows fit neatly across the small rack, allowing us to store 18 containers while still leaving room for more.

Larger salt containers remain alongside our salt and pepper grinders. We also love the simple combination of the crisp white rack and wooden dowels, which gives this tiny storage solution a clean and attractive look.