Last updated on September 14th, 2021. Storage in a high rise apartment isn’t exactly abundant…at first glance. When most of us think of ‘home storage’, we imagine closets, an attic, a basement, garage space and so on. Even smaller houses and condos offer some of these amenities. Of course, living in a high rise translates to not needing as much storage space – no lawn mowers required! However, many people who move into a high rise apartment for the first time are taken aback by the lack of traditional closet and storage space. Like all things in life, this lack of storage can also be adapted to and overcome. Let’s talk about a few creative ways to store your stuff in a smaller high rise apartment.
Storage In A High Rise Apartment: By Location
As stated earlier, making room for storage in a high rise apartment requires a bit of creativity. To do this, let’s break down potential storage solutions by location – more specifically, methods of storage in various locations around your place. Here are our categories:
- Furniture-Storage Combinations
- Under-Bed (Or Couch) Storage
- Wall Mounts & Wall Storage
- Ceiling-Hung Storage
- Securing & Hiding Valuables
We’ll also point out the types of items that can be stored in each!
For this list, we’re assuming that your building does not offer in-building storage lockers or something similar – that is quite nice when available, particularly if it’s included in the rent. We’re really talking about storage inside the apartment itself.
We’ll also avoid creating additional storage space in existing closets for this article.
Furniture-Storage Combinations
If we can accomplish two things at once, why not? That’s why the utilization of furniture with built-in storage is number one on this list. There are quite a few different styles of furniture out there that also feature storage compartments. Let’s get right into some specific models, by category.
Bed Frames With Storage Underneath
If you’re buying a new bed frame anyways, it makes sense to look for one that includes built-in storage. Here’s an example:
As you can see above, many bed frames with built in storage feature drawers. This can remove the need to have a dresser or at least allow for a smaller dresser for storing your clothes and the like.
Other beds allow for the entire mattress to lift up, which creates a large compartment for storing anything that will fit.
Click here to check out more bed frames with built-in storage.
Ottomans With Storage Compartments
Next on our list of furniture with built-in storage is…the ottoman.
Nowadays, there are ottomans and footstools with built-in storage in all shapes, sizes, styles, etc. Here are examples of a small and large ottoman that feature built-in storage:
Click here to check out some more ottomans with storage inside.
The best part about ottomans with storage built in is that you can have one in multiple rooms, so the cumulative storage space begins to add up. Smaller footstools can store items like stationary, chargers, electronic accessories and other small items, while larger footstools can fit clothes, outerwear, lots of small items and a hodgepodge of whatever items you can fit.
Kitchen Island On Wheels
If your kitchen is particularly lacking in kitchen storage, there is a variety of rolling kitchen islands out there to choose from. Here are some in various sizes that can be used to store all sorts of “kitchen stuff” – pans, cutting boards, cutlery, cooking tools and a whole lot more.
If your island gets in the way, it can simply be rolled to wherever isn’t in the way.
Under-Furniture Storage
Let’s say you’re living in a one-bedroom apartment with a queen-sized bed. Perhaps there’s 12-inches of clearance underneath it.
Woohoo! You’ve got quite a bit of storage space. According to the Better Sleep Council, the average queen-sized mattress is 60″ x 80″ – that’s nearly 35 square feet (and cubic feet) of space to utilize.
What can be stored underneath furniture? There’s obviously not much vertical space underneath furniture, so items that can be laid flat are best.
A few items that fit this description include clothes (especially out of season items), linens, towels, foldable furniture and shoes. Files, books and small items also work.
How To Store Items Underneath Furniture
Let’s talk about how to actually store items underneath furniture! Here are a few solutions for doing so, which also help protect your items as well:
Plastic Under-Bed Storage Bins
Plastic storage bins are best for damage-protection and stickability (although there’s not much under furniture).
Click here to see more plastic under-bed storage ideas.
Fabric Under-Bed Storage Bins
Fabric storage containers are not as protective as plastic, but they’re great for aesthetics and for fitting in tight areas that need a little give. Because of this, they work well for being stored in visible locations or even by themselves.
Click here to see more fabric under-bed storage ideas.
Wall Mounts & Wall Storage
Storage space is often thought of in terms of closets and floor space. What we don’t normally think of is using the walls! Assuming you aren’t an art collector or someone who literally covers the walls with pictures, there’s quite a bit of unused ‘real estate’ we can take advantage of on the walls.
Here are some ways to create storage in a high rise apartment by using the walls.
Wall-Hooks
Wall-mounted hooks come in a variety of types, strengths and styles. Some are meant to be ‘decorative’ and useful, while others are strictly meant to provide strength. These work for hanging and storing anything from jackets and other clothing items to shelving, towels, robes, bags, athletic equipment and whatever else you can think of.
Wall-Storage For Large Items
Need to store a large, specific item? There’s probably a wall-mount system to do it. Here are a few ways you can hang anything from guitars, bikes, TVs and even a desk on your wall. Just makes sure that your wall meets the requirements of the manufacturer!
Click here to see more wall-mounted storage ideas.
Wall-Mounted Shelving
Lastly, you can create some serious storage space by installing wall-mounted shelves. The biggest advantage of wall-mounted shelving over, say, a bookshelf, is that you can install shelves on the wall even where there’s no floor access directly below. Examples of this include hanging a shelf (or shelves) behind the couch, above counters, over doorways and anywhere else you’ve (safely) got free wall space available. Here are some ideas:
Click here to see more wall-mounted shelving ideas.
Ceiling-Hung Storage
Ceiling-hung storage isn’t super common in high rise apartments for one reason – most high rises have concrete ceilings.
Of course, there are ways to hang items from a concrete ceiling – just make sure that your building is OK with it and that you follow all of their rules AND safety protocol!
Assuming you’ve got the go-ahead to hang items from the concrete ceiling in your apartment, here are some ceiling-mounted storage solutions:
Click here to see more ceiling-mounted storage ideas.
Securing & Hiding Valuables
Last but certainly not least on our list of high rise apartment storage needs are methods to secure and hide your valuables.
Although apartments are less likely to be broken into than a single family house, there’s still a chance that you accidentally leave the door unlocked and someone enters when you’re not home.
For times like these, it’s important to secure your valuables. But how? In a house, someone can have a relatively large safe! Even if someone finds it, there’s no way they can carry it off without a lot of work and time. How can I secure my valuables in an apartment?
Well here are a few ways to do secure valuables in your high rise apartment using discreet, easy-to-hide safes to store jewelry, watches, cash, important documents and more:
Storage In A High Rise: Wrapping It Up
Truth be told, we’re barely scratching the surface of all the different ways you can create storage in a high rise apartment. In fact, we’re planning to put together a complete guide for all types of storage and space-saving products in the near future. In the meantime, we hope you’ve found this guide helpful and informative. Thanks a lot for reading!
