Best of the Week: 32 Brilliant Clothes Storage Ideas
Wardrobe doors not closing? It may be time to re-think your clothes-storage strategy – here are 32 ideas to inspire
Georgia Madden
30 August 2019
Having an organised storage set-up for clothes and shoes not only keeps your bedroom tidy, it can help you speed through your morning routine. But it’s not always easy – particularly if your bedroom is small and storage is in short supply.
If your cupboard doors refuse to budge and you’ve become the accidental owner of a floordrobe (get it?!), here are 32 smart and practical storage ideas to get your clothes and accessories under control.
And remember, you can get more details of a project and see more of a professional’s work by clicking on a photo.
If your cupboard doors refuse to budge and you’ve become the accidental owner of a floordrobe (get it?!), here are 32 smart and practical storage ideas to get your clothes and accessories under control.
And remember, you can get more details of a project and see more of a professional’s work by clicking on a photo.
1. Location: New Jersey, USA
Designer: Tailored Living of Mercer
Features: Measuring up exactly what you need to store – as the owners have clearly done here – allows you to make the best use of space in a custom-made wardrobe.
Designer: Tailored Living of Mercer
Features: Measuring up exactly what you need to store – as the owners have clearly done here – allows you to make the best use of space in a custom-made wardrobe.
2. Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Designer: Move2
Features: A custom wall cabinet above the bed provides plenty of space for clothes without impinging on precious floor space. It even features under-cabinet lights so the owners can read in bed at night.
Find a local wardrobe designer or professional organiser on Houzz
Designer: Move2
Features: A custom wall cabinet above the bed provides plenty of space for clothes without impinging on precious floor space. It even features under-cabinet lights so the owners can read in bed at night.
Find a local wardrobe designer or professional organiser on Houzz
3. Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Features: Hanging storage downstairs and a cosy bed nook upstairs – delightful!
Features: Hanging storage downstairs and a cosy bed nook upstairs – delightful!
4. Location: Hawaii, USA
Designer: Plus Interiors
Features: A deceptively simple made-to-measure design that includes oodles of space for shoes, accessories, folded clothes and hanging items. Sliding doors are a great option for small spaces as they won’t protrude into the room when open.
Browse more wardrobe ideas
Designer: Plus Interiors
Features: A deceptively simple made-to-measure design that includes oodles of space for shoes, accessories, folded clothes and hanging items. Sliding doors are a great option for small spaces as they won’t protrude into the room when open.
Browse more wardrobe ideas
5. Location: Kansas City, USA
Designer: Hufft
Features: This matt-blue freestanding wardrobe makes a statement in a child’s room. Positioning the drawers at the base of the unit makes them easier for little hands to access.
Designer: Hufft
Features: This matt-blue freestanding wardrobe makes a statement in a child’s room. Positioning the drawers at the base of the unit makes them easier for little hands to access.
6. Location: Los Angeles, USA
Designer: Lisa Adams, LA Closet Design
Features: A pull-out trouser rack prevents wrinkles, saves space and offers easy access.
Designer: Lisa Adams, LA Closet Design
Features: A pull-out trouser rack prevents wrinkles, saves space and offers easy access.
7. Location: London, UK
Designer: Precious McBane
Features: Do you have a small bedroom with tall ceilings? Boost your storage potential by taking built-ins right to the ceiling and adding a ladder, as the owners have done here. Best for out-of-season clothes or items that you don’t have to access every day.
Designer: Precious McBane
Features: Do you have a small bedroom with tall ceilings? Boost your storage potential by taking built-ins right to the ceiling and adding a ladder, as the owners have done here. Best for out-of-season clothes or items that you don’t have to access every day.
8. Location: Miami, USA
Designer: The Revolving Closet Organizer
Features: A revolving unit such as this one can double your shoe-storage potential.
Tips for Storing Your Leather Shoes in Humid Weather
Designer: The Revolving Closet Organizer
Features: A revolving unit such as this one can double your shoe-storage potential.
Tips for Storing Your Leather Shoes in Humid Weather
9. Location: Toronto, Canada
Designer: Pause Designs
Features: No space for a wardrobe? Just hang a clothes rail from the ceiling instead. The owner of this Toronto unit in Canada has used plumbing pipes for a quirky touch.
Designer: Pause Designs
Features: No space for a wardrobe? Just hang a clothes rail from the ceiling instead. The owner of this Toronto unit in Canada has used plumbing pipes for a quirky touch.
10. Location: Sussex, UK
Designer: Alistair Fleming Design
Features: This brilliant headboard conceals two wardrobes and dressing areas…
Designer: Alistair Fleming Design
Features: This brilliant headboard conceals two wardrobes and dressing areas…
11. Location: Connecticut, USA
Designer: Built-Rite Closets
Features: A pull-out laundry hamper built into your wardrobe makes it easy to keep washing under control.
Designer: Built-Rite Closets
Features: A pull-out laundry hamper built into your wardrobe makes it easy to keep washing under control.
12. Location: London, UK
Designer: Kia Designs
Features: Deep drawers in the base of the bed are great for storing folded items, and won’t encroach on floor space.
Designer: Kia Designs
Features: Deep drawers in the base of the bed are great for storing folded items, and won’t encroach on floor space.
13. Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Designer: Architecture Architecture
Features: Who said rails need to go from left to right? Here, they run from back to front, allowing the owners’ shirt collection to remain on display. We also love how the owner has dispensed with cupboard doors and opted for a cosy curtain instead…
Designer: Architecture Architecture
Features: Who said rails need to go from left to right? Here, they run from back to front, allowing the owners’ shirt collection to remain on display. We also love how the owner has dispensed with cupboard doors and opted for a cosy curtain instead…
…here’s another view of that curtained wardrobe.
14. Location: Essex, UK
Designer: Pocknell Studio
Features: Open box shelving on wheels makes it easy to access folded items – plus, you can move the unit around to suit your needs.
Designer: Pocknell Studio
Features: Open box shelving on wheels makes it easy to access folded items – plus, you can move the unit around to suit your needs.
15. Location: San Francisco, USA
Designer: Sforganized Interiors
Features: Handbag storage can pose just as much of a challenge as clothes – especially if you have an extensive collection. We’re loving this made-to-measure cubby solution, where not a centimetre is wasted.
Get it in the Bag: Storage Tips for Your Designer Bag Collection
Designer: Sforganized Interiors
Features: Handbag storage can pose just as much of a challenge as clothes – especially if you have an extensive collection. We’re loving this made-to-measure cubby solution, where not a centimetre is wasted.
Get it in the Bag: Storage Tips for Your Designer Bag Collection
16. Location: Dublin, Ireland
Designer: DMVF Architects
Features: A sloping loft ceiling is no impediment to smart storage. Here, the owners have managed to squeeze in cupboards, drawers and open book storage. Genius.
Designer: DMVF Architects
Features: A sloping loft ceiling is no impediment to smart storage. Here, the owners have managed to squeeze in cupboards, drawers and open book storage. Genius.
17. Location: Houston, USA
Designer: Cabinet Innovations
Features: Acrylic drawer dividers are a stylish and simple way to keep your t-shirt and sock drawer organised.
Designer: Cabinet Innovations
Features: Acrylic drawer dividers are a stylish and simple way to keep your t-shirt and sock drawer organised.
18. Location: London, UK
Designer: GenesisDecor - London
Features: Frustrated with trying to squeeze everything into your small bedroom? Take a tip out of this homeowner’s book and opt for a shelf bedside table that attaches to the door of built-in cupboards in place of a bulky side table.
Designer: GenesisDecor - London
Features: Frustrated with trying to squeeze everything into your small bedroom? Take a tip out of this homeowner’s book and opt for a shelf bedside table that attaches to the door of built-in cupboards in place of a bulky side table.
19. Location: Dallas, USA
Designer: Tailored Living of North Dallas
Features: A dream clothes storage set-up featuring open and closed storage, hanging space, and pull-out racks and baskets…
Designer: Tailored Living of North Dallas
Features: A dream clothes storage set-up featuring open and closed storage, hanging space, and pull-out racks and baskets…
…and a close-up of that nifty pull-out shoe rack.
8 Questions to Help you Confidently Declutter Your Wardrobe
8 Questions to Help you Confidently Declutter Your Wardrobe
20. Location: Kent, UK
Designer: Whitstable Island Interiors
Features: The headboard in this guest bedroom has just enough space for a hanging rail and open shelves. Beautifully considered.
Designer: Whitstable Island Interiors
Features: The headboard in this guest bedroom has just enough space for a hanging rail and open shelves. Beautifully considered.
21. Location: Hawaii, USA
Designer: Plus Interiors
Features: Adjustable open shelving is a boon if you have a lot of folded items of different thicknesses, such as t-shirts and jumpers.
Designer: Plus Interiors
Features: Adjustable open shelving is a boon if you have a lot of folded items of different thicknesses, such as t-shirts and jumpers.
22. Location: UK
Designer: The Wee House Company
Features: We’re loving how the owners of this bedroom have used gaps in their built-in cupboards as bedside tables to free up storage space for clothes above and below.
Designer: The Wee House Company
Features: We’re loving how the owners of this bedroom have used gaps in their built-in cupboards as bedside tables to free up storage space for clothes above and below.
23. Location: New York, USA
Designer: transFORM Home
Features: A slender cavity is no impediment to creating your dream built-in wardrobe, as this style illustrates.
Designer: transFORM Home
Features: A slender cavity is no impediment to creating your dream built-in wardrobe, as this style illustrates.
24. Location: London, UK
Designer: RDA Architects
Features: This brilliant built-in wraps around a wall and has cupboard storage on one side and drawers and open display space on the other.
Designer: RDA Architects
Features: This brilliant built-in wraps around a wall and has cupboard storage on one side and drawers and open display space on the other.
25. Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Designer: Holly Marder
Features: The look of a bespoke wraparound wardrobe for a fraction of the cost… the owners here have paired two existing built-in wardrobes with a row of Ikea cabinets above the bed to create a custom look.
Designer: Holly Marder
Features: The look of a bespoke wraparound wardrobe for a fraction of the cost… the owners here have paired two existing built-in wardrobes with a row of Ikea cabinets above the bed to create a custom look.
26. Location: Philadelphia, USA
Designer: k YODER design
Features: Sleek floor-to-ceiling joinery conceals an elaborate storage set-up, including a headboard that flips down to reveal space for books and toiletries; deep drawers and cupboards for clothes; and even a hidden recharging station for a smartphone and tablet…
Designer: k YODER design
Features: Sleek floor-to-ceiling joinery conceals an elaborate storage set-up, including a headboard that flips down to reveal space for books and toiletries; deep drawers and cupboards for clothes; and even a hidden recharging station for a smartphone and tablet…
…here’s a close-up of the drawers and recharging station.
9 Smart Charging-Station Solutions for Decluttering
9 Smart Charging-Station Solutions for Decluttering
27. Location: Sydney, NSW
Designer: Clever Closet Company
Features: Double your shoe-storage potential by storing footwear upright as the owners have done here. Storing them in pull-out drawers keeps the rest of your room tidy.
Designer: Clever Closet Company
Features: Double your shoe-storage potential by storing footwear upright as the owners have done here. Storing them in pull-out drawers keeps the rest of your room tidy.
28. Location: Cologne, Germany
Designer: CABINET Schranksysteme AG
Features: Soft tones, lashings of space and a mix of different storage types to accommodate all your clothes, shoes and accessories… every fashionista’s dream.
Designer: CABINET Schranksysteme AG
Features: Soft tones, lashings of space and a mix of different storage types to accommodate all your clothes, shoes and accessories… every fashionista’s dream.
29. Location: Buckinghamshire, UK
Designer: Jonathan Silva Furniture & Specialist Joinery
Features: Keep a tie collection organised and out of sight in special, built-in cubbies with a flip-down door.
Designer: Jonathan Silva Furniture & Specialist Joinery
Features: Keep a tie collection organised and out of sight in special, built-in cubbies with a flip-down door.
30. Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Designer: Inbetween Architecture
Features: A two-in-one solution that includes generous clothes storage and a study area.
Designer: Inbetween Architecture
Features: A two-in-one solution that includes generous clothes storage and a study area.
31. Location: Singapore
Designer: Design 4 Space
Features: You don’t need a huge amount of space to create a practical and stylish walk-in wardrobe, as this narrow-space design demonstrates. Space-saving pocket doors and a simple storage layout are two of the features that work so well.
Designer: Design 4 Space
Features: You don’t need a huge amount of space to create a practical and stylish walk-in wardrobe, as this narrow-space design demonstrates. Space-saving pocket doors and a simple storage layout are two of the features that work so well.
32. Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Designer: Mittelman Amsellem Architects
Features: A wall of flat-fronted, built-in joinery provides plenty of space for folded and hanging items, and feels very much in keeping with the minimalist style of the rest of the room.
Tell us
What’s your secret to keeping clothes and shoes under control? Tell us in the Comments below. And while you’re at it, like this story, save your favourite images and join the conversation.
Designer: Mittelman Amsellem Architects
Features: A wall of flat-fronted, built-in joinery provides plenty of space for folded and hanging items, and feels very much in keeping with the minimalist style of the rest of the room.
Tell us
What’s your secret to keeping clothes and shoes under control? Tell us in the Comments below. And while you’re at it, like this story, save your favourite images and join the conversation.
Related Stories
More Rooms
Essential Walk-in Wardrobe Measurements You Need to Know
Take note of these key wardrobe measurements and tips for a wardrobe that works well for everyday use
Full Story
Most Popular
14 HDB Walk-in Wardrobes to Copy
In a housing typology that's not designed to have walk-in wardrobes, these designs are just the solution
Full Story
More Rooms
Get it in the Bag: Storage Tips for Your Designer Bag Collection
Maintenance of your luxury-brand bags includes proper storage – here are some tips to do it right
Full Story
More Rooms
How Do I... Design an Efficient Walk-In Wardrobe?
By Disa Tan
Don't let a poorly-planned wardrobe system wear you down. Here's how to get it right from the start
Full Story
More Rooms
Think You Haven’t Got Space for a Walk-in Wardrobe?
By Laura Wheat
Think again with these tips for maximising your clothing capacity and adding a dressing room feel
Full Story
More Rooms
Best of the Week: 24 Walk-in Wardrobes With the Wow Factor
By Niki Bruce
Be inspired by some of these walk-in wardrobes
Full Story
More Rooms
8 Times to Hire a Wardrobe Designer
These pros create order out of chaos, whether in bedrooms, playrooms or pantries
Full Story
More Rooms
Best of the Week: 19 Exposed Wardrobes to Showcase Personal Style
By Niki Bruce
If you’ve got lots of lovely clothes why not have an exposed wardrobe to show them off?
Full Story
More Rooms
7 Door Ideas for Your Built-in Wardrobes
Do you have a run of wardrobe with less-than-lovely doors? Step this way...
Full Story
Love number 1 and 21. Some very interesting ideas here ...
No.3, the children's room with the bed above and storage below is gorgeous! Practical but also so much fun. No.11, wouldn't want dirty laundry so close to clean, fresh clothes. No.26 is a fabulous idea for shoe storage! I love how you can see them all at once if you want to. Fabulous! Thank you for all the ideas.
thanks for the feature