16 Crazy Smart Under Bed Dorm Storage Ideas That Are Actual Lifesavers
Want to know the best ways to fit in extra storage under your dorm bed? Here are 16 brilliant under bed storage dorm ideas that will double your storage space.
Let’s be honest, storage in the dorm is basically nonexistent. You have one tiny closet, a small dresser, and a desk, and somehow you are supposed to fit your entire life into that space. Sound familiar?
That is exactly why under bed dorm storage is one of the most important things you can set up when you first move in. The space under your dorm bed is basically a hidden storage goldmine that most people completely underestimate. And once you know how to use it properly, it changes everything!
Before you start shopping, make sure you check how high your dorm bed is lifted so you know which ideas will actually fit. Most dorm beds can be raised even higher with bed risers if you need more room.
Whether you are looking for rolling drawers, vacuum bags, shoe organizers, or creative ways to keep everything hidden and your room looking cute and clean, this post has you covered.
Here are 16 of the smartest under bed dorm storage ideas that you need to know about before moving into your dorm.
And once you have your storage sorted, make sure you have everything else covered with this complete college dorm room essentials list!
This post is all about the best under bed dorm storage to make your room feel twice as big.
Best Under Bed Dorm Storage:
1. Drawer Unit
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A solid drawer unit is great for storing smaller items and supplies that you don’t necessarily need deep drawers for.
For example, any extra school supplies, makeup, toiletries, that don’t have a home anywhere else in your dorm can go in these drawers. You can also label the drawers to keep yourself super organized!
You’re probably going to need more than a shower caddy and a desk drawer to fit all of your beauty and skincare staples, so this is a great way to give yourself a ton more space to keep these items organized.
2. Mini Fridge Food Storage
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If you don’t already have a mini fridge in your dorm (double check on your school’s website), get one to go under your bed. This one is a good size so you can fit a ton of drinks and snacks in it (also has a freezer box for sweet treats :)) but can still fit under your bed.
A mini fridge, even though it’s smaller, still takes up a lot of space in the dorms, so if it can go under your bed, that will free up a lot of extra space in your room! Plus you’ll have easy access to all of your food and can still fit a lot more under your bed next to your fridge.
3. Laundry Basket
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A lot of people put their dressers that their school provides underneath their beds so it’s easy to access all of their clothes when they hop out of bed in the morning. So adding a laundry basket under your bed and next to your dresser will make your life so much easier.
That way you can use your closet space for other items and it’s super easy to throw all of your dirty clothes under your bed and into the basket. So there is no excuse for dirty clothes on the floor. 😉
4. Shoe Organizers
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No one wants to go digging through their closet to find a pair of shoes, so put a shoe rack under your bed instead. It’s a lot easier to grab a pair of shoes from under your bed when you’re in a hurry.
There’s also a lot of vertical space under your bed to work with, so a tiered shoe rack will help keep all of your different shoes organized and displayed so you know exactly what shoes you have (if your shoes are hidden away in the closet, it’s easy to forget what shoes you brought with you and what shoes you haven’t worn in a while).
A shoe organizer is one of the most practical under bed storage for dorm rooms solutions because shoes take up so much more space than you realize until you are trying to find a place to put them all.
5. Under Bed Desk Area
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If you don’t mind having a lofted bed, it’s a great way to give yourself a ton more space underneath to create your own (more) private space.
This is a great place to put your desk and create a study nook with added storage for all of your school supplies.
You can also turn this area into a lounge/seating area by adding a small couch or a few chairs. You can honestly do so much with this space! And if you’re running out of room in your dorm, just know you can always loft your bed and it will double your storage space.
6. Plastic Drawer Towers
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These plastic drawers are a super easy and affordable way to get extra storage space for your clothes! Because if we’re being honest, the dresser the school provides probably won’t fit all of your clothes.
You can line a couple of these up side-by-side and stack them (depending on how high your bed is) to create your own mini dresser situation under your bed.
And if you don’t end up using all of them at first, you can just collapse some of them and stick them in your closet until you have a use for them so no space is going to waste!
Plastic drawer towers are one of those under bed storage ideas that sounds too good to be true but actually delivers every single time.
7. Foldable Fabric Drawers
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The great thing about fabric drawers is you don’t have to worry about breaking or chipping like plastic storage containers. And even when you move out of the dorms, you can continue to use these under your bed for storage.
These are great for clothes that you don’t necessarily use every day, but more seasonal items that you only need to get to a couple times during the year.
They’re not super convenient for everyday use, but if you store your seasonal items in these, you can switch them out throughout the year and rotate your clothes in the closet and dresser.
8. Slim Utility Carts or Caddies
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Utility carts are your best friends when it comes to squeezing in extra storage in your dorm room! If you have a small sliver of storage space, you might be able to fit a compact utility cart in there and get a lot more storage!
Any extra makeup, skincare, school supplies, shower essentials, haircare, hair tools, etc. are all great items to keep in these carts. And it’s super functional because you can just roll your cart out from under your bed and bring it over to your desk, the bathroom, or wherever you need it.
For even more ways to maximize your small dorm space, check out these dorm room organization ideas that will help you make the most of every single inch!
9. Small Dressers
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These dressers are great because unlike a lot of other ones, they’ll actually fit under your dorm bed, and they’re super affordable, so you could even get two and line them up next to each other under the bed for double storage!
It’s a lot easier to access your clothes when you’ve got some kind of drawer system to work with. The number one thing students always run out of storage space for is clothes, especially if you need seasonal clothes like winter jackets and coats that take up a TON of room!
This is also a good transitional piece because you can use it when you move into your first apartment too so you won’t have to buy a whole new dresser.
If you are looking for dorm under bed storage drawers specifically, a set of rolling drawers is by far the most organized and accessible option you can get.
10. Plastic Storage Bins
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If you’re trying to save money, a good old plastic bin will get the job done! It may not look the prettiest, so you might want to add a bed skirt to cover them up, but you’ll definitely get a ton more storage to fit extra clothes and items that don’t have a home.
If you’re going to go for the plastic bins, make sure to buy them in a pack instead of individually to save money. It’s always cheaper when it’s in bulk!
If you are also looking for the best appliances to keep in your dorm, check out this post on dorm appliances every college student actually needs!
11. Small Media Stand
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If you’re going the lofted bed route, and you want to turn the space under your bed into a little media center/living space, get a small TV stand that will give you storage, hold your TV, but won’t take up too much space.
If you want to collaborate with your roommate on this one, you can either loft both of your beds, and put a media stand and TV under one of the beds (facing out towards the other side of the room) and have the other roommate but a small sofa or a couple of chairs underneath their bed to create a functional living space without making your dorm feel crowded.
You also won’t have to sacrifice any walking space to create this setup. Instead of chairs or a small sofa on one side, you can leave the dorm bed un-lofted and use it as a daybed to watch TV.
12. Double Storage Ottoman
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Storage ottomans are a great hack for getting that extra space, while also adding another sitting area in your dorm. The best dorm ideas are ones that have multiple functions. You don’t have a big space to work with, so we’re trying to be as efficient as possible!
If you’ve ever been in the dorms, you know how tall the dorm beds are (without even lofting them). And if you plan on adding a mattress pad on top too, it’s going to be a couple inches taller. Which doesn’t seem like a lot, but combined with all of the fluffy bedding, it can be a struggle to get up to your bed.
To make your life easier, get a double storage ottoman, sticking one part of it under your bed and leaving the other part sticking out. You’ll have a step stool, more hidden storage, and you can pull it out when friends come over for another place for them to sit.
This is easily one of the best ways to make the most of your dorm and kill two birds with one stone.
13. Printer Station
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If you are someone who prints a lot of assignments and papers, having a printer in your dorm is a total game changer. And instead of letting it take up precious desk space, tuck it under your bed on a small rolling cart or shelf so it is out of the way but still super easy to access whenever you need it.
Set it up with your paper and ink nearby so everything is in one spot and you are never scrambling to print something right before class. Future you will be very grateful for this one!
And once your storage is all set up, check out my dorm room decor ideas to make your room look just as cute as it is functional!
14. Bed Skirt
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I know this isn’t technically a storage idea, but it’s a super helpful way to keep your under bed storage hidden! If you don’t have a bed skirt to cover up the area under your bed, it’s going to be completely exposed. Which is totally fine! But it’s definitely something to keep in mind because if it doesn’t look organized, it’s going to make your room feel chaotic.
If you have been wondering how to hide under bed storage without sacrificing the aesthetic of your room, a bed skirt is genuinely the simplest and most effective answer.
15. Cubby Unit
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A cubby unit is one of the most versatile under bed storage dorm options out there because you can use each cubby for something completely different. One for shoes, one for baskets with smaller items, one for your printer, one for extra snacks, the possibilities are endless!
It also keeps everything way more organized than just shoving random items under your bed and hoping for the best. If your dorm bed is high enough, this is one of the best investments you can make for your under bed storage setup.
16. Desk Station
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If you want your under bed storage to actually look cute, tiered basket storage is the way to go. Instead of hiding everything behind a bed skirt, you are putting it on display in a way that looks intentional and aesthetic.
Use different sized baskets on each tier to store shoes on the bottom, folded clothes in the middle, and smaller items on top. It is such a clean and organized look that makes your dorm feel put together even when you have a ton of stuff stored under your bed!
Before move in day, make sure you have checked off everything on this college move in checklist so you are not scrambling at the last minute!
Bonus Dorm Tips:
- Use bed skirts to hide storage bins and keep the space looking clean
- Color-code storage by category for quick grabbing before class
- Measure your bed height before buying storage bins (many are too tall!)
Ready to Make the Most of Your Dorm Space?
Under bed dorm storage is honestly one of those things that makes such a massive difference in how your dorm looks and functions, and it costs way less than you would think. Even just implementing two or three of these ideas will completely change how much space you feel like you have in your room.
Which of these under bed dorm storage ideas are you going to try first? Drop a comment below and let me know! And if you found this post helpful, save it to your Pinterest boards so you can come back to it when you are getting ready for move in day.
If you want to keep the organization going, check out my posts below on dorm room organization ideas and college dorm room essentials so your entire dorm is set up for success from day one!
This post was all about the best under bed dorm storage to make your room feel twice as big.
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