41 Brilliant Under Stairs Storage Ideas

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If you’re like most homeowners, the space under your stairs is probably an unused and underutilized area in your home. Instead of letting it go to waste, why not turn it into a valuable storage space for your home?

With a little creativity and planning, the area under your stairs can be transformed into a functional and stylish storage solution.

In this article, we will explore a variety of under-stairs storage ideas that can help you make the most of this area. From simple solutions such as adding shelves to more elaborate options like building a custom wine cellar, the possibilities are endless.

Whether you’re a homeowner looking to maximize your space, or a renter looking for a creative solution, this article will provide you with inspiration and practical tips to help you make the most of your under-stairs area.

Maximizing Space: 41 Creative Under Stairs Storage Ideas

1. Give It a Vintage Twist

Most stairs have plenty of room underneath them which can be used to place cabinets, chairs, or both. A rustic vintage cabinet is just what you need to give your room an aesthetic yet functional appeal. It can be used as a display case or as a storage essential.

2. Convert the Space Into a Pantry

Quit worrying about where to keep your favorite items and create a pantry under your stairs. This sectioned space can be used to store all your dry ingredients efficiently and quickly. You can use wooden or metal doors based on your interior design to make it look better.

Check out these pantry organization ideas to keep your pantry organized.

3. Use It To Keep a Desk

Not many people would think of using the cozy little space under the stairs as a studying nook but we think it’s the perfect spot! What’s better is that this works for even small under stair spaces as all you need is a desk and a chair.

4. Compartment for Heavy Tools

Don’t have a garage to keep all your heavy tools? Get a little creative and convert your unused under stairs space into pullout shelves. This idea gives you enough room to store all the heavy-duty items and still have some space for other difficult-to-store items.

5. Hang Your Bicycles Upside Down

This upside-down bicycle hanger is one of the most unique and quirky under the stairs storage ideas. If you are someone who has bikes but not much outdoor space to park them, then use the space beneath stairs for your bicycle.

6. Doorway Under-Stair Rack

Having a layout that puts the stairs right near the entrance has its share of pros and cons. One of them is being able to convert the space under the stairs into a coat rack/dresser for visitors.

7. Display Favorite Items

You must have once thought that it would be nice to have a glass showcase for displaying your precious items but the lack of space can be a bummer. This idea shows you how to create a glass shelf display case under your stairs and give your house a modern uplift without creating extra space.

8. Use the Stairs Itself

When we hear the term ‘under-stair storage,’ we often think of the space below the stairs, but what about under each stair? You can make clever use of block stairs so that you can stuff your rarely used items in them.

9. Clothing Rack

Having a studio bedroom that you share with someone else can leave little space to use, which is why we suggest you use every nook and corner to organize your necessities. This staircase clothing rack is an excellent way to have a fully organized wardrobe without worrying about extra space.

 10. Every Book Lover’s Dream Storage

We know one idea that will instantly snatch every reader’s attention – an under staircase library. This idea comes in handy when you have plenty of books but  not the space they deserve. The best part is that you can design it any way you want.

11. Under Stair Doghouse

Having pets in your house can sometimes lead to a significant invasion of privacy, no matter how adorable they are. So this idea of creating a doghouse in the space under your stairs is not only helpful but also quite creative as it gives them a separate space but still allows them to be in the house.

12. Extra Corner Space

A lack of space can often be embarrassing, especially when you have people over but less space to sit. This idea is a great way to fix that. Create an extra corner space underneath the stairs that you can use for reading, seating, etc.

13. Wine Storage For The Win

If there’s one thing every house decorator wants in their house, it’s a wine cellar. But, not everyone can afford an entire room for that, which is why we totally recommend this brilliant idea of using the under stairs space for wine storage.

14. Shoe Storage Space

Entryway staircases are useful for a lot more than just connecting floors, as they can be used as shoe storage spaces. Tiny wide pullout cabinets are perfect for anyone who wants a clean space for storing their shoes.

15. Extra Space For Your Kids

Sometimes, keeping your children engaged can be task, especially when they scatter everything around house. If you struggle to find a dedicated playroom space for your little ones, then this idea will definitely help you out. It gives the kids a free room to play around without arranging for extra space.

16. Sports Equipment Holder Hooks

If you’re out of space but not out of items to store, one idea is hooking them up. Hanging your sports equipment, tools, etc., under the staircase seems like a good idea for anyone with too much stuff. This is also an excellent solution for those who cannot have drawers under the stairs.

17. Store Towels And Toiletries

The best use of space is only possible if you customize every drawer with the design of the stairs. Having drawers built under the staircase is one of the most accessible and most efficient ideas as it can be used to store many items like towels and toiletries.

18. Hidden Coat Closet

 If you’re also a Pinterest ideas lover like us who loves clean, sleek, and modern homes, then having a coat stand in the middle of your entryway might not be the best for you. Instead, you can have a hidden coat closet like this one by using the space available under your stairs.

19. Transform It Into a Seating Space

 There might be limitations as to how you can use open staircases as everything underneath is open to see. Using that space for extra seating, with shelf space for books sounds like an appealing idea. Just add some beautiful lighting and you’ll have to yourself your new favorite corner of the house.

20. Combine Hooks And Seat Under Stairs

 One thing we all struggle with is the lack of a stool or chair when we sit to tie our shoes. This problem can be quickly chased away by using the space already available to you and transforming it into a makeshift coat and shoe rack as shown here.

21. Hide the Washer Under the Stairs

Laundry is a task you cannot get out of, but you can have a separate laundry room to yourself. It is a good thing that you can simply keep your washer under the staircase and hide it with a curtain. You can also choose to have doors if that’s more fitting for your space.

22. Turn It Into a Home Office

 Working from home or completing orders needs space and privacy, one that you can hardly find if your house is full. Turning the space under the stairs into a home office is quite an excellent way to manage your home and work at the same time without spending money on a bigger space.

23. Design It To Be Used As a Powder Room

 While this may seem like a weird idea at first, it’s definitely one of our favorites. Staircases are diagonally advantaged, and having a powder room situated there would work perfectly for most homes. If you have kids and no extra bathroom space, this will be a great help.

24. Compartmentalize Your Cutlery

Stop risking your special cutlery and utensils by placing them under the bed or in cabinets you can’t reach and start building compartments underneath the stairs to stack them up. This is not only accessible but also makes most of the space.

25. Pile Up Those Containers

Having big containers always comes in handy, especially when you have to organize stuff on a quick note. But where do you keep such containers? Under the stairs, of course! This idea of piling containers is brilliant if you’re looking to create space in a basement, warehouse, etc.

26. Add a Wet Bar Under Your Stairs

 If you don’t have enough space to build a man cave or a bar in your house then this is your idea. Create a wooden aesthetic wet bar under your stairs without carving out any extra space at all. It is luxury at an affordable price.

27. Create a Minimal Kitchen

You can hop onto the trend of minimalism and cutting down on living space by building a minimal kitchen sink underneath your stairs. This is also very helpful for someone who needs a separate yet small cooking area in the limited household space.

28. Install a TV Under Your Living Room Stairs

Who doesn’t enjoy having an expansive, luxurious space that you can manage smartly? Installing the TV under the staircase and using the space around it for cabinets is one such brilliant idea to make the most of what you have.

 29. Use These Under Stair Cubbies For Extra Storage

Don’t have time to build cubbies? Get them made and ready to use! These under stair cubbies for extra storage can be used for shoes, displays, books, etc. The best thing is that the cubbies can be detached and organized in the layout you want, depending on the design of your stairs.

30. DIY Modern Wooden Storage Cabinets

What if your stairs are your storage but in a much more creative, modern, and fancy way? These DIY wooden storage cabinets are very sleek in style yet functional for storing anything you want. If you aren’t looking for open display cabinets like these, you can hide them with a door.

31. Under-Stair Aquarium

Save up space by removing aquariums from corner tables and desks and placing them in a charming unused space under your stair. This will help you use the emptied space for other things while keeping your aquarium out of the way as well.

32. Fireplace For a Cozy Living Room

If you’re more of a fireplace than an aquarium kind of a person, we think this idea will be suitable for you. Built-in fireplaces are quite a trend, but they also occupy a lot of wall space as it is. So, installing them this way will help you stay warm without reducing your house space.

33. Mudroom Under Stairs

Houses in coastal areas prone to rain and mud have a separate mudroom right near the entry to reduce the chances of dirtying the whole house. This idea combines the cleaning space and the under stair storage space to provide a grand mudroom for you.

34. Double-Duty Storage Shelves

Using the narrowest stairs is a task in itself, but using the space under them for storage is a challenge. However, we don’t think any space should go to waste so, we came across these double-duty storage shelves that use minimum space. You can use them for both display and storage of keys, frames, etc.

35. Add a Pop Of Color To Your Stair Closet

Who knew you could turn a boring old staircase into a colorful storage cupboard or closet for all your everyday items! This idea includes color, design, and creativity to help you make the most out of your diagonal storage space.

36. Art Station Supply Storage

All artists would agree that their supplies need more space than their own self, which is why this art station supply storage idea is on our list. It is an easy and affordable way to keep everything you need organized and in one place.

37. Seamless Cupboards to Store Everything 

Seamless designs are famous for two particular reasons. One, they hide the mess very well and second, they give the room a modern look. These cupboards can vary in size and style depending on how big or small you want them to be.

38. Build an Under Stair Barn Door

A barn-style sliding door may not solve all your storage problems, but it sure can lessen them when used correctly. It reduces the space a regular door takes up and hides away all the baskets and shelves inside simultaneously!

39. DIY Movable Dresser Drawer

A movable dresser drawer seems like one thing that we got to have in our house. Not only does it make moving stuff around easy, but it also uses no extra space when kept under the stairs. It can also be used as a movable bar/ bottle holder.

40. Horizontal Modern Shelves

One way to store stuff without making it apparent that you are using under-stair space is to blend it in. These horizontal shelves are a modern idea that uses both the top and bottom space of the stairs quite creatively.

41. Under Stair Hidden Storage

Every stair in your house is full of space ready to be used and this idea shows you exactly how to do it. If all the other ideas in this list don’t work for you, then this hidden storage definitely will. It is also one of the best ways to store shoes and other rarely used items.