Organizing a small bedroom can be hard. Organizing a tiny bedroom can be really hard. We’re often faced with having to get rid of things we love or getting new pieces that may not be exactly what we need. The big box store options may be cheap, but you get what you pay for and, often times, exactly what you need may not be waiting for you on aisle 7.
But don’t worry, that’s where we come in! We’re here with some space saving ideas for small bedrooms that will not only get you ready to tackle that problem room but do so with excitement!
How to Organize a Small Bedroom
We often get questions about how to organize a small bedroom—one of the most frequent? How small does a bedroom have to be to be considered a “small bedroom?” The standard sized bedroom is traditionally defined as a bedroom that is 146 square feet, including closet space. A smaller bedroom can be anywhere below that (though rooms in the 70 square foot range are considered “tiny” and covered in the next section).
It doesn’t leave a ton of wiggle room for storage and design so the first thing you’ll want to think about is the necessities. Here are a few questions to ask yourself:
What are my essentials? This can be one of the hardest questions for clients to answer but it’s really the most important. Given that you have a small space with which to work—making sure that you keep only what you truly need in that room means you’ll cut down on clutter and give yourself more breathing room.
What furniture do I have? What size bed? In a room like this, anything above a full means that your bedroom will literally be just that—a room with a bed in it. Do you have nightstands? Racks for clothes? Bookshelves? A desk? What furniture do you currently have that can be moved elsewhere in your home and what really needs to stay in there?
What furniture do I need? Oddly enough, moving into a smaller space can sometimes mean getting more things. Downsizing often means getting creative with storage spaces and shelving. Look at your list of essentials and start thinking about any additional pieces you may need to make sure the function and design of your room will make sense. Utility is key, here! Try thinking about pieces that can be used for multiple things. A book shelf that doubles as a coat rack or drawers under your bed.
What type of storage do I need? There never seems to be enough storage in any space, let alone a smaller space. If you have a closet area, see what you may be able to fit in there (besides 
clothes). If you have higher ceilings, don’t forget to look up, as shelves don’t always have to be right at eye level or below. Do you need storage for books? Shoes? Accessories? Think about what you may not need every day and what you may want to keep out of sight.
Organizing a small bedroom is often an exercise in? utility. Small spaces look cluttered even if everything is in place, so making the most of your storage options is crucial. It’s ok if you need to go through a couple of drafts of your list before you feel truly comfortable with what you need and what you don’t.
More than likely your second list will be much shorter than the first. It’s hard to think about either re-arranging your items into other rooms in the house or, in some cases, having to get rid of things completely. Just think about the end game: a room where everything has a space and you can relax!
How to organize a tiny bedroom
In order for a room to be considered habitable, it must be no less than 70 square feet. This is usually enough space for a twin bed and dresser but not every person can get by day to day with just two pieces of furniture, especially if you’re sharing the rest of the home with roommates or family members. Like our list for how to organize a small bedroom—organizing a tiny bedroom is all about essentials and utility.
Unlike the small bedroom, the necessity for slimming down your items and bulking up your storage is the most crucial part of your design plan.
Here are a few things to consider when thinking about how to organize a tiny bedroom:
What is the main function for this bedroom?
If this is more of a guestroom that won’t be used daily, then you have some more leeway when it comes to what needs to be included in the room. A dresser and a twin bed would be more than enough for a visitor who needs to spend a night or two. However, if this is a bedroom that will be used regularly then you need to think outside the box more so than you would a slightly larger room.
What can I do without?
It’s not a question of can I do without—it’s what can I do without? Your hat collection? Your 1,000 books? Those journals you’ve been keeping since elementary school? What do you not need on a day to day basis? Those should be the first items on your chopping block (but don’t worry, as we see in the next section they may not have to go away completely).
What challenge do I need to solve?
Besides the size of that space, that is. Is the bedroom stuffy? Is there not enough space to get dressed? Are things spilling out of the closet onto the floor? Do you have a closet at all? Do you not have a place to do your work? If you pick a specific problem or a small set of problems to solve, organizing your tiny room will seem less daunting and more like a fun adventure (ok, maybe not the most fun adventure but still pretty cool).
Space saving ideas for small bedrooms
Now that we’ve covered the basics of how to organize small and tiny bedrooms. We get to the fun part: space saving ideas for small bedrooms! There are a variety of store bought and custom pieces that you can use to create a true design masterpiece in your smaller spaces. Here are our 10 favorites:
Shelves!
Yes, yes, shelves may not be the most exciting option but here’s a twist: think about your room. Chances are your ceiling is not 5 feet high—the standard ceiling height is about 8 feet (12 if you’re fancy) and, we’d venture to guess that you are not, in fact, 8 feet tall. With that in mind: why not build shelves a little higher up? Maybe 12-14 inches from the ceiling you can have shelves built that line the perimeter of your room.Books, decorative item, plants, and more can be arranged on these high-up shelves to keep things off of the floor and to keep your more essential items within reach. Don’t forget above your door! That’s another space that won’t be used for anything else!
Under the bed storage.
Depending on the type of bedframe you have and how much space is underneath the bed, adding drawers under the bed is a great way to store items like linens, sweaters, and shoes you don’t use every day. They’re still within reach but not taking up valuable real estate in your closet or on your clothes rack.Don’t have space under your current bed? You can either raise the bed up to allow more space under the bed…or think about other bed options (psst: look at the next idea!).
Store your bed.
Say what? You heard us. Store.your.bed. When it’s not in use your bed is simply the thing taking up the most space in your bedroom. Let us introduce you to an ingenious little invention called the Murphy Bed. The Murphy Bed can fold up out of the way when not in use, either hidden away in a set of custom doors or into your closet. Whatever your space has to offer; the Murphy Bed can rise to the challenge (pun intended).An added bonus? Desks can be built into a Murphy Bed so when your bed goes up, the desk comes down. You double your room’s potential with one, simple build.
Wardrobe walls.
If you don’t have a closet then make one. Wardrobe walls are shallow builds that give you excellent, extra storage and, in the right color, can create a more dramatic or cozy element to your room. A wardrobe wall is just what it sounds like—a place to put your clothing, shoes, and accessories.Best thing? The wardrobe walls have doors that close, so you don’t have to stare at your stuff all day and night. Sleek, adult, and utilitarian? The perfect space saving idea for a small bedroom!
Racks.
We’re not just talking about a simple garment rack—we’re talking real racks for pants, scarves, ties, and more. If you have a closet space or a wardrobe wall, storing your pants in a pants rack is a huge space saver, so is using adjustable racks and valet rods to help organize your clothes.The most organized spaces are spaces where everything can be easily located. Utilizing racks for longer garments and accessories saves space and keeps everything in place.
Retractable mirrors.
If you only need to take a glance at yourself while you’re getting ready, consider adding a retractable mirror to your closet space. While it’s nice to think we DON’T really need a mirror, it’s just something we can’t get away from—even if it’s just to make sure your skirt isn’t tucked into your tights or that there’s not a rip in the seat of your jeans before leaving the house. We don’t always need mirrors out, so installing a retractable mirror gives you the option to take a look whenever you want and store it away whenever you don’t need it.
Window seats.
If your small/tiny bedroom has a window: awesome! Instead of lamenting the loss of wall space, consider the window seat as another avenue for hidden storage options. A window seat can double as a small book shelves or store hidden drawers for other items. Just make sure it’s study enough to support the weight of your daydreams. Dealing with a radiator? Talk to a designer about ways to create storage space or shelves around it. Just be sure you’re dealing with a professional who can help guide you on the safety precautions needed for build like these!
Sliding doors (with mirrors!)
If the retractable mirror idea didn’t thrill you then think about this: If you have a closet, wardrobe wall, or storage shelving along a wall you can have sliding doors that are mirrored. Not only does the mirrored wall make your space feel bigger but it can also help hide your items and give your space a cleaner, more organized feel.
Ditch your nightstand.
You may not have a choice on this one depending on your style of bed and size of your room. Consider light fixtures on either side of the bed or utilizing shelving by your bed to hold your phone charger, books, and other items you may need to keep close by.
Baskets.
Listen, we don’t mean your grandma’s version of baskets that may have been in every room collecting dust at some point in your childhood. We mean heavy duty, sliding baskets. These can be
built into your closet, shelving, or wardrobe wall to create more storage options. Again, keeping things off of your floor means you’re not tripping over things in the middle of the night and everything is in a place where you can easily locate it. If you love those old baskets your grandma had, you can use those, too! Hanging them from the ceiling or stacking them on some shelving can add a nice decorative touch—just remember that when you’re living in small spaces your pretty things should also be useful!
Organizing a small or tiny bedroom can be a challenge but we hope it’s also an exciting task that challenges you and dares you to be creative. Don’t forget to check out our hand ? guide for closets and utility space here.
Do you have a space saving idea for a small bedroom that we didn’t cover here? Be sure to share your thoughts with us on social!
