Storage Beds and Under-Bed Space

The space under the bed

The area under a standard bed is one of the largest unused volumes in a bedroom. Depending on the frame height, it can hold several boxes or a good share of a chest of drawers’ worth of items. Using it can free a wardrobe or let you remove another piece of furniture, which matters in a small room. But under-bed space is awkward to reach and tends to collect dust, so how you use it makes a difference.

There are three broad approaches: a bed base built with storage, a bed with a lift-up mattress platform, and loose boxes under an ordinary frame. Each has a different balance of capacity, access and cost.

Drawer beds

A drawer bed has drawers built into the base, usually along one or both long sides or at the foot. The drawers slide out on runners or wheels, and often hold a solid amount of items.

Strengths

• Items are easy to reach and see, and no mattress lifting is needed.
• Drawers keep dust off contents, and the bed looks tidy.
• They can replace a dresser in a small room.

Limits

• The drawers need floor space to open. Check the clearance beside the bed against the drawer depth, or the bed will block its own storage.
• The capacity per drawer is less than a single large compartment because of the drawer walls and runners.
• Drawer slides vary in quality, and heavy loads can strain cheap runners.
• Beds with drawers on one side may not suit a bed placed in a corner or pushed against a wall.

Drawer beds suit clothes, bedding, towels and shoes, if you keep the weight reasonable and follow the maker’s limits.

Lift-up bases

In a lift-up bed, the mattress platform rises on gas struts or a mechanism, revealing one large compartment beneath. Some open from the side, others from the foot.

Strengths

• The largest capacity of the three types, because there is no divider or runner mechanism in the way.
• Good for bulky items such as duvets, suitcases, spare pillows and out-of-season clothes.
• Does not need floor space beside the bed to open.

Limits

• Reaching items means lifting the mattress, which has weight, so check that the mechanism feels manageable. People with back or shoulder issues, or limited strength, may find it awkward. In that case, a drawer bed may suit better.
• Items at the back or middle of the compartment can be hard to reach, so a layout with boxes or bags helps.
• The bed must be made around the lifting action. Fitted sheets help, but heavy bedding may shift.
• Moving the bed can be difficult due to its weight, and a lift-up mechanism adds parts that can fail. Consider the feel of the mechanism when buying, and see what the warranty says. If you are looking for weight and mechanism details, careful reading of product specifications pays off.

Do not store anything that needs frequent access in a lift-up base. It suits items used seasonally.

Under-bed boxes and rolling trays

For an ordinary frame with enough clearance beneath, a set of shallow boxes, trays or fabric bags is the cheapest and most flexible approach. Shallow boxes on wheels are easy to pull out, and lidded boxes protect against dust.

Strengths

• Cheap, and can be added gradually or removed when you move.
• Fit a wide range of frames, so they are good for renters who cannot change furniture.
• Can be sized to the clearance beneath your bed.

Limits

• Clearance matters. Measure the height from floor to the lowest part of the frame, including any slats, central supports and legs.
• Boxes on carpet may drag, while boxes on hard floors may scratch. Floor protectors or wheels designed for the surface solve this.
• Access means kneeling or bending, and you may need to move the bed or sit on the floor to retrieve items.
• Bed skirts or valances can hide the boxes but get in the way of access.

Comparing the three

Costs and capacity vary with the design, so treat the table as a general guide only.

What to store, and what not to

Under-bed space suits things that are bulky, light and used occasionally: spare bedding, off-season clothes, extra pillows, travel bags, shoes and gift wrap. Use sealed boxes if you are worried about dust or pests.

Avoid storing:

• Items that need frequent access, as the effort will discourage you.
• Heavy items in a lift-up compartment, because they make lifting harder.
• Anything damp, or items that could attract pests, such as open food.
• Anything that should not be near sleeping areas, including solvents, batteries or chemicals. Never store flammable items under a bed. Fire safety guidance generally recommends keeping the area around beds free of anything that could ignite.
• Valuable documents or electronics, which are better in a safer, dry location.

Dust, air and cleaning

Closed drawers and lidded boxes keep dust off stored items. Open space under a bed is easy to vacuum and keeps air moving, but with boxes you must remember to clean around and below them from time to time. For people with allergies, a clear, easily cleaned floor is often better than a packed under-bed space. Mattresses on solid bases also need airflow, so check the maker’s guidance, as some mattresses prefer slatted bases for ventilation.

Choosing for the room

• In a small bedroom where floor space is limited, a lift-up base can avoid the clearance needed for drawers.
• In a room with space beside the bed, drawers are the most convenient everyday option.
• For renters or shared rooms, boxes are flexible and inexpensive.
• In a child’s bedroom, check that the mechanism cannot trap fingers or pose a risk, and avoid storing heavy items.
• Combining approaches is fine: a drawer base on one side and boxes on the other, if the frame allows.

Measure the room and the bed footprint before buying, and test any mechanism in person if you can. A storage bed that is awkward to use will quickly become the place you stop storing things.