Narrow Cabinets and Storage for Keeping Even the Smallest Spaces Organized
Whether you deeply despise organizing your home, or love finding a place for absolutely everything, everyone can agree that the final result always feels better than what you started with. But not all organization feats are equal, and some spaces are much more difficult to sort than others.
Yes, it’s obvious that small spaces typically have less storage, but it doesn’t mean larger homes don’t have the same problem. Odd little nooks and crannies seem to pop up everywhere, like the space by your toilet, areas between shelves in your closet, or a gap next to your couch. While they all might seem like befuddling storage dilemmas, they’re places where you can really get creative with how you arrange things. One of the best ways to tackle this? Incorporating narrow cabinets and other slim forms of organization, which can look just as slick as the furniture around them. It’s just a matter of finding the right fit—stylistically and physically.
Below, we’ve rounded up products like cabinets, shelves, and ledges that’ll accommodate your smallest spaces perfectly.
1. Display Your Books With a Narrow Shelf
Bookworms alike dream of having their very own library, but if your home is currently a bit more on the cozier side, a small cabinet can help accommodate a smaller portion of your book collection and keep it from spilling onto the floor. This modern, minimal version from Wayfair gives you enough space to organize without taking up too much space itself.
Buy: George Oliver Jaimes 1 Door Accent Cabinet, $146.99 from Wayfair
2. Maximize Storage for Linens and Textiles
Not every space is blessed with a large linen closet—or any closet for that matter. A narrow cabinet, such as this wooden one from Walmart, removes towels and sheets from precious shelf space and keeps them tucked away in their own designated area.
Buy: Kyoto Double Linen Cabinet, $141.97 from Walmart
3. Keep Not-So-Stylish Items Hidden Away
Not everything can be a testament to your eye for style. Cooking utensils, spices, tools, and other odds and ends need a space too, just preferably not out in the open. A narrow “pantry,” like this one from Hammacher Schlemmer, is only four inches wide and is perfect for those awkward little areas in your kitchen or for small cooking spaces that can’t fit a pantry.
Buy: The Tight Space Kitchen Pantry, $129.95 from Hammacher Schlemmer
4. Separate and Organize Garments
We’re not sure what it is about socks and underwear, but they always get lost somewhere between the hamper and dryer. If they do happen to survive, they somehow never end up back in their designated spot. Narrow organization drawers, like this find from Target, can contain the clothing items that get tossed about from drawer to floor.
Buy: mDesign Vertical Dresser Storage Tower with 4 Drawers, $49.99 from Target
5. Beef Up Bathroom Storage
Behold proof that the area by your toilet can look cool. This sleek, narrow cabinet from Bloomingdale’s looks updated and modern, but also has wheels for easy access and refills. This is an ideal workaround for spaces that can’t squeeze in a full-size cabinet or shelf for storing cleaning products and extra rolls of toilet paper.
Buy: Yamazaki Tower Rolling Slim Bathroom Cart, $120 from Bloomingdale’s
6. Invest in a Storage Tower
Turn even the tiniest bit of spare room in your kitchen or bathroom into a storage-savvy display with a compact pull-out drawer cabinet. This slim tower from The Container Store is small enough to squeeze between your toilet and sink, but offers enough storage room for all your cosmetics and beauty supplies.
Buy: Like-it White Slim Tower, $75.95 from The Container Store
7. Consider Picture Ledges
Slim, sleek, and super easy to install, wall-mounted picture ledges—like MOSSLANDA ledges from IKEA—provide just enough room to store tiny cosmetics and toiletries (like nail polish and perfume) and are small enough to fit anywhere in your bathroom. You can even install them on the wall, then push your furniture up to them to create sneaky slim shelves inside vertical gaps, like IKEA has done in this kitchen above.
Buy: MOSSLANDA Picture Ledge, White, $9.99 from IKEA
8. Narrow Floating Wall Storage
In dire need of some bedside storage, but hardly have the room for a nightstand? The LACK wall shelf unit from IKEA fits nicely next to your bed and offers way more storage potential than a bulky single-drawer nightstand.
Buy: LACK Wall Shelf Unit, $59.99 from IKEA
9. Find a Slim Side Table With Hidden Storage
Looking for an affordable way to score more living room storage? The web is filled with sleek, and more importantly, insanely slim side tables with built-in storage—like this flip-top end table with a shelf as seen on Hayneedle—that’ll fit perfectly between two sofas.
Buy: Convenience Concepts American Heritage Rectangle Wood End Table with Flip Top and Shelf, $111.12 from Hayneedle
10. Score a Door Storage Cabinet
Why carve out a little bit of storage room behind the door when you can install a whole darn storage cabinet? This storage cabinet from Amazon attaches directly to your door’s hinges and offers eight whopping shelves of storage space.
Buy: Cabidor Classic Behind The Door Storage Cabinet, $148.99 from Amazon
11. Discover Pull-Out Solutions
The KOMPLEMENT hanger from IKEA is designed for just this kind of dilemma. install it so it stays tucked next to your hanging clothes in the closet, or contort yourself to install one in a tiny, vertical space in the kitchen or bathroom, like IKEA has done in this kitchen.
Buy: KOMPLEMENT White, Multi-Use Hanger, $6.99 from IKEA
12. Get Accustomed to a Basket Rolling Cart
A little rolling cart goes a long way in a cramped (and storage-deprived) room. This wheeled wonder from Amazon comes equipped with three spacious storage baskets and will set you back less than 20 bucks.
Buy: Household Essentials 05121 Slim Line 3-Tier Metal Storage Cart, $19.99 from Amazon
13. Buy a Clutterbuster
If you don’t already know about space-saving potential of a Clutterbuster then now’s the time to wise up. Designed for hanging clothes, coats, and towels, this swiveling cutie attaches directly to your door hinges for unexpected storage space.
Buy: Household Essentials Hinge It Clutterbuster Towel Bars and Hook Valet, $21.44 from Amazon
14. Employ a Floating Bookcase
Believe it or not, the tiny sliver of wall space between your door and wall can actually offer some serious storage potential. Follow in the good folks at Darn Crafty’s footsteps and install a slender floating bookcase (or three) in a cramped corner to earn some extra storage.
Buy: GNEDBY Shelf Unit, $60 from IKEA
15. Get Magnetized
Magnetic spice racks and knife holders can essentially be installed anywhere—think: the side of your fridge or cabinet or in the small wall space between your oven hood and stove—for a bit of unanticipated storage opportunity and easy access to your kitchen supplies.
Buy: Modular Magnetic Walnut Spice Rack, $42 to $58 from Food52
Source: https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/slim-cabinets-for-storage-259332