Last Updated on June 20, 2022
Living rooms can often accumulate clutter, especially if you don’t have a lot of storage space. But with a few clever ideas, you can make the most of your living room and create more space for yourself. Looking for some cool hidden storage ideas that will help you keep your living room organized and tidy? Get ready to declutter your life with these tips for creating extra space.
If There’s a Hollow Version, Get It
One of the first hidden storage ideas people jump to when decorating a small space like a condo is the storage ottoman, but have you considered how many furniture items can contain hidden storage? For example, many coffee tables come in a hollow lift-top version that can be used for storing blankets or magazines. If that’s not a deep enough space to store your items, consider swapping out the idea of a coffee table entirely and use a vintage trunk instead. Not only is it built for storage, but it’s also a stylish statement piece.
Foldout couches are already a great way to hide more sleeping space, but storage couches and sectionals take it one step further by allowing you to lift up the seating space to reveal storage space underneath. Some versions have built-in drawers underneath instead, like the frames of the captain’s bed style. Consider this option if you’re short on closet space and need a place to store extra bedding.
If your living room includes a staircase, you’ve hit the jackpot of DIY hidden storage. The area below the staircase and even the stairs themselves are ideal places to install pull-out drawers. This is a great way to make use of otherwise wasted space and keep items like shoes, umbrellas, or winter gear hidden away but within reach.
Common living room furniture that can include hidden storage:
- Ottomans
- Benches
- End Tables
- TV Consoles
- Coffee Tables
- Couches and Sectionals
Take a look around your living room and see where you could include hidden storage space in your furniture. It’s even possible to DIY a hidden storage space in places like the fireplace mantel, so don’t hesitate to think outside the (figurative) box.
Underutilized Space? Not Anymore
One of the best ways to take advantage of hidden storage is by using dead space in your living room. Is there a gap between your couch and the wall? Look for a narrow rolling cart, or fill the space with a shelf to reduce the need for an end table. Both of these will give you some extra space to store things like books, magazines, or even knick-knacks, and if your goal in decorating your living room is to make a small space feel larger, eliminating the need for a piece of furniture by utilizing dead space frees up valuable floor space.
Does any of your furniture have exposed legs? If it does, that means there’s a space underneath between it and the floor. Under-bed boxes don’t have to be limited to the bedroom and can provide a convenient place to store lesser-used items out of sight.
If you’ve seen the DIY projects for spice cabinets that fill narrow spaces between refrigerators and walls or counters, consider applying the knowledge to pieces like entertainment consoles, bookshelves, and other large, boxy furniture items. You can even create the space yourself by pulling a piece of furniture a few inches away from the wall—just be sure that tall pieces of furniture remain properly anchored.
Sometimes, extra storage doesn’t have to be hidden to be aesthetically pleasing. For example, an unused wood-burning fireplace can be converted into a bookshelf or magazine holder by installing shelving in the empty firebox.
Use Convertible or Foldaway Items That Are Only There When You Want Them
This goes beyond tables with extra leaves that you put in when you have guests over. With the proper setup, you can do things like create an instant office space with a desk that folds down from the wall or a computer screen that folds down from underneath a cabinet or hutch. Some people even use this method for dining tables and put artwork on the underside, so when it’s not in use it becomes wall art.
If your living room is a good working environment, a lifting coffee table can serve a dual purpose. The added height typically makes it more comfortable as a desk and the hidden storage space can be used to store a laptop and other work materials.
Murphy beds are a great way to convert a living room into a guest room overnight, and in their hidden form can blend into bookshelves or built-in media consoles around a TV.
Furniture designed for small spaces often serves multiple purposes, and there are quite a few fun options out there that can transform from one use to another.
Ready to Get Decorating?
Hidden storage furniture is the perfect way to declutter your living room and make full use of otherwise wasted space. In addition, by using furniture that hides away when not in use, you can create a functional and stylish space that meets all of your needs without feeling crowded. Try out a few of these ideas and see how much more open your living room feels!
