I’ll admit I use the space under our bed for storage. It’s not something I generally recommend, though as with so much about organizing – it all varies depending on the person and their situation. There are certainly pros and cons to not only whether you store things under your bed but also what sorts of things to store there.
First let me talk briefly about simply choosing to use that space to store things. There’s a great benefit to the space as it’s out of the way – you’ve got an area that will not clutter up your space by keeping things there. One of the reasons I use it is that I know the things are relatively protected there – there’s not going to be moisture problems, unlike the possibilities of an attic or basement. It’s fairly accessible if I need to get something from it. Interestingly one of the reasons I first started storing things there was that it kept my scared-y cat from hiding and crying out of my reach.
Next, if you choose the use the space under the bed for storage you want to make sure how much space you have – the height from the floor to the bottom of your bed. There are many beds that aren’t high enough to allow for the standard plastic under the bed storage containers. There are under the bed bags you can get which provide greater flexibility as long as you don’t stuff them too full. There are also super long plastic containers for under your bed, although if you don’t have enough room around the edge of your bed these become counter-productive.
If you are going to use the space under your bed for storage you need to be cautious about what you decide to store there. Think about:
- how often will you need or want to access those things?
- how much space will these things take up, will it all fit under one bed?
- how will you feel about having to pull them out from under the bed and then put them back under again? Consider your energy, flexibility, and reasons for wanting to store them there.
- are they things really worth saving if you’re relegating them to under the bed? i.e. magazines – why would keep them if you’re just going to stuff them under your bed, that makes them hard to access and unlikely that you would!
There’s a number of things I can think of that are fairly easily stored under the bed.
- If you want to keep some clothes that are not your current size, this can be a great place to keep them out of your way yet have them readily accessible for when you fit in them again.
- If you cycle your clothes with the seasons, this can be an easy place to switch clothes from twice a year. It’s close to where they’d move to so you’re not dealing with carrying loads of clothes to another floor of your home and back again. It would simplify switching clothes for the seasons.
- If you have memorabilia that you want to save, yet do not have another good alternative for where to put it. It’s likely to things you’re not going to look at frequently, yet still want to be protected and saved.
Under the bed storage can be quite useful since it’s out of the way while remaining fairly protected. Yet there are always aspects to consider when deciding whether to use the storage space under your bed. There’s even more than what I’ve shared, remember to consider your own circumstances and evaluate whether this is something beneficial for you.
