12 Bedroom Storage Mistakes and How to Fix Them
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All of these bedroom storage mistakes are super common. And thankfully, there are some easy fixes that will restore peace in your bedroom again.
Most of these bedroom storage mistakes start out as good intentions. But after a while, it’s plain to see how much of a mess it really is. Take a peek at all of these common issues and see which ones you are struggling with.
Wondering where to begin? Get our FREE guide, The 30-Minute Organizing Secret, and discover easy ways to overcome the chaos of clutter – even with kids at home!
Accidental Clutter – It Happens
It’s so easy because it happens slowly over time. You start out with a clean and organized shelf with individual containers all neatly in a row.
Then, little by little, you begin to outgrow your boxes and tubs. Shoes begin to pile up on the floor and scarves fall on top of each other in your closet.
You don’t mean to have piles of things laying haphazardly, but over time and with a busy schedule, it just happens.
And it happens to everyone. Even the most organized people struggle with storage mistakes that don’t work eventually.
What’s in this guide
This is your complete guide to bedroom storage mistakes. Use this table of contents to jump around between sections and solve the exact problems you are struggling with
- Keeping Too Many Clothes
- Stacking Purses On Top of Each Other
- Not Labeling Boxes
- Storing Things Too High Vertically
- Leaving Deadspace Unused
- Not Using Under the Bed Storage
- Outgrowing Storage Boxes
- Keeping All Seasons in One Place
- Only Using Wall-Space for Decor
- Not Using Enough Organizers on Top of Dressers
- Oversimplifying Bedroom Storage
- Keeping Things Where They Don’t Belong
12 Common Bedroom storage Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Which of these issues are you currently dealing with? Chances are it’s at least one of them. Thankfully there is an easy solution for each one.
#1 Keeping too many clothes
Take a peek in your drawers and closet. Are your shoes overflowing? What about your shirts or pants?
One of the most common bedroom storage mistakes is trying to keep too much stuff for the space you have. This inevitably leads to crowded drawers and a closet that is too full to shut properly.
The solution
You have two solutions: either downsize what you own (by doing the KonMari Method). Or, you can move to a bigger place.
Those are really the only two solutions you have. If you own too much stuff to keep in your bedroom, you need to find somewhere else to keep it or make your bedroom larger.
A less convenient idea could be storing things in long-term storage. But that requires driving to the storage unit and paying extra to keep it. It’s just easier to get rid of the things you don’t treasure and only keep what you need.
#2 Stacking purses on top of each other
Another very common mistake is stacking purses on top of each other. This creates a mountain of leather and buckles that could topple at any moment. It’s not only unsafe but it can damage your bags, leaving unsightly creases and scuffs.
The solution
You have a few options from which you can choose. Either way keeps your bags scuff-free and organizes that messy pile.
Hang up your bags in the closet. There are some helpful products out there that will sort and store your bags on a closet rod. These are made to protect the handles of your purses.
The one in the Instagram above is from Luxe Bag Care.
If you want to save money, you can always use a hang too. Or you can invest in a vertical hanging purse storage organizer too.
Another idea is to use a coat rack to store all your purses. This can use that often-ignored corner space in bedrooms and keeps your bags off the floor.
This coat rack on Amazon has a few shelves on it too, so you can store even more bags on it.
Finally, you can store your bags on a bookshelf or another shelf-system in your closet. This is the best solution for really pricy bags that you want to display with pride.
Some people even choose to store their bags inside the original boxes to prevent them from getting dusty.
#3 Not labeling boxes
Storing things in bins and tubs is one of our favorite storage hacks. But it becomes a problem when you can’t find what inside the tubs. Out of frustration, you might end up just putting a bunch of random things together in the same box.
Does this sound familiar?
Then when it comes to finding something, you have to sort through a bunch of random boxes.
The solution
There are lots of ways to label boxes. It doesn’t have to be intricate or time-consuming. But it is so important to do.
Here are some super-easy box labeling ideas:
- Chalkboard labels
- Label maker
- Taping handwritten labels to the box
- Handwritten tags
#4 Storing things too high vertically
That space between the top shelf of your closet and the ceiling is a fantastic storage space. But be careful. If you store too many shoeboxes on top of each other, all the way up the ceiling, you could make it nearly impossible to access.
Then when you need something in the bottom box, it’s more of a pain to reach than it’s worth, so you end up just leaving it out instead of putting it away.
The solution
Keep your boxes and stored items easily accessible. Use shelves to separate them so you can pull them out and put them away without any extra effort.
And always remember: store your most-used boxes on the top.
Even better, if you find there is a box you barely ever touch, store it somewhere else. Perhaps you can store it in the basement or the attic. Only keep things in your bedroom that you need for personal care or other bedroom activities.
Find storage for everything else in another place.
#5 Leaving dead space unused
What does dead space mean? It’s the space that is often pretty difficult to reach or use. Common dead space areas in the bedroom include:
- Corners
- Near the ceiling
- Behind the door
- Any unused wall space
The solution
If you are having trouble finding creative storage places in your bedroom, look around and see if there is any dead space you can utilize.
So if you have corners in your room just collecting dust, put a corner cabinet in there.
Hang up an organizer on the back of your bedroom door.
Buy a bed frame that comes with storage in the headboard.
There are so many creative ideas out there that will turn your ignored spaces into storage havens.
#6 Not using under the bed storage
This is one of the biggest bedroom storage mistakes of all. Under the bed is a prime storage area. There is so much space underneath and it’s simple to utilize.
The solution
Get rid of the dust bunnies and forgotten slippers. Use this space in smart ways.
The easiest way is to buy a bed frame that comes with drawers and cabinets underneath the bed. You can store extra blankets, clothes, and even books in these drawers.
#7 outgrowing storage boxes
What starts out as a good idea can turn into a big mess. All those storage bins that you carefully labeled and stacked in your closet can very easily become difficult to close and too small.
If you notice that you aren’t using the lids or things are overflowing from them, then you have outgrown your storage bins.
The solution
Go through your boxes. Is there anything in them that is expired, broken, or you haven’t used in the past 6 months? Get rid of it.
Are you just amassing a larger collection than you anticipated? Create a new storage system. This will not only protect your precious possessions but it will make it look a lot less chaotic as well.
Above all, don’t just keep stuffing things in storage boxes that are too small. This could break your bin or hurt your stuff.
#8 Keeping all seasons in one place
Rotating clothes and accessories each season is time-consuming. But it’s also worth it. If you keep your sweaters next to your tank tops and sandals, you have a mess on your hands.
It’s not only overwhelming to look at, but it is also a confusing mess when you are trying to find something to wear.
The solution
Use storage bags to store seasonal clothes and accessories when you aren’t using them. These are the perfect size for storing extra sweaters, sweatshirts, and fuzzy blankets.
#9 only using wall space for decor
There are so many amazing storage hacks that use wall space. This is one of the most underused places in most bedrooms.
There is a balance between using walls for storage and making them look junky. You have to find that balance and maintain it.
The solution
Hang up things like jewelry or hats and get them off the tops of your dressers. Create small containers or storage hacks that will keep things separated and easy to find.
As you create DIY home organization hacks on your wall, try to make your ideas fit in with your decor. You want them to look cute on your wall, not stick out or look chaotic.
#10 Not using enough organizers on top of dressers
One of the most chaotic and messiest places in a bedroom is the top of the dresser. It’s so easy to just pull something out and fail to put it away. These horizontal surfaces almost attract clutter like a magnet, don’t they?
The solution
Create some organizers on top of your dresser. Use things like jewelry boxes and even mason jars for DIY organization.
Always use very small boxes that fit what you are storing. So if you just have one watch and a few bracelets, use a small dish.
Keep everything separated and off your dresser. Everything should have a home.
#11 Oversimplifying bedroom storage
In our quest to conquer the bedroom mess, sometimes we rush through the chore without taking time to think it through. This leads to a bunch of things in large boxes together.
The problem with oversimplifying the storage is that our brains can’t process or remember what is in these boxes of stuff. So when you’re busy, you might keep putting more and more things that don’t belong in the same box.
The solution
Instead, you need to organize inside of boxes. Yes, you want smaller boxes inside of boxes. Or, just use a bunch of smaller containers, to begin with.
I’m talking about using things like small drawer organizers. Or you can just take some cardboard and create sections within your storage bins.
In fact, common drawer organizers can also be used in storage bins to keep your things neat and tidy.
#12 keeping things where they don’t belong
Finally, another super common bedroom storage mistake is putting things where they don’t belong.
This means shoving stuffed animals under the bed or stacking a large book collection on top of your dresser drawers.
The solution
If you don’t know where something belongs, create a place for it.
If something’s home is too difficult to reach or get to, make it easier.
Above all, you want everything to have a home and you want that home to be easy to reach. Before you go to bed for the night, do a quick sweep of the room and put things back where they belong.
This is the simplest solution for keeping an organized bedroom that helps you relax.
Bedroom storage products you need in your life
Now that you know how to solve these common bedroom storage mistakes, let’s look at some bedroom organization products that will make this entire process easier.
hanging organizers
Find hanging organizers that you can use for anything you need to store. Choose the one with the amount of pockets that you need to store your stuff.
Drawer organizers
You can use drawer organizers in your boxes, bins, and on top of your dressers too. These little boxes are extremely useful.
Over the door hanger organizer
The bedroom door is a really under-utilized storage area. And there are so many different things you can store there. Get a few and store things on the back of your bathroom door too.
Corner cabinet
As you read earlier, a corner cabinet will give you a lot more storage space in an area you are probably ignoring.
You can store things like extra books, beauty products, or toiletries inside this cabinet.
Pants or scarves hanger for your closet
Store more pants or scarves in a smaller area with these genius hanging organizers. They keep things stored vertically without wrinkling them.
Storage bins that you can label
If you are going to store things in a basket or bin, make sure there is a way to label it. These bins have a space for labels built on them.
Bedroom Storage Mistakes – solved for good
Which of these storage mistakes have you made? They are all pretty easy to make, especially if we are too busy to organize our rooms regularly.
Thankfully, there are lots of organization products that make this a much simpler chore. Break it up into easy-to-accomplish chunks and you’ll have an organized room in no time at all.
Struggling to get motivated? Sign up to get our FREE guide, The 30-Minute Organizing Secret, and discover easy ways to overcome the chaos of clutter – even with kids at home!
More Bedroom Organization Articles
After you solve your biggest storage problems, here are some more articles that will help you whip your bedroom into shape.
- Bedroom Organization – the Complete Guide
- Shared Bedroom Organization – How to Stay Organized in a Small Space
- Kids’ Bedroom Organization – Tips for Keeping The Mess Contained
