Is your bedroom missing this one vital piece of storage furniture? Experts say you shouldn’t be without one

Whether you have a big bedroom or a small bedroom, there's one thing all of us seem to have in common, and that's never having enough storage.

No matter how much space you have, belongings seem to multiply at a rate of knots, which is why so many of us are on the hunt for bedroom storage ideas that will finally contain all of our 'stuff'.

But interior designers and home organisation experts say there's one simple bedroom storage trick we could be overlooking.

What is it? The storage ottoman, otherwise known as a storage bench or 'bed end storage', and experts say adding one to our bedroom layout can make use of one often under-utilised area of floorspace.

What is a storage ottoman?

What is a storage ottoman? It's a rectangular box that can be placed at the end of your bed. Or you can place a storage ottoman in a window alcove or against an empty wall. Most are upholstered, but you can also get wooden storage benches or blanket boxes that do the same thing.

Why add a storage ottoman to your bedroom?

'Incorporating a storage ottoman or bench at the end of the bed is a practical way to elevate any bedroom,' says Alysha Alli, group interior designer at Redrow Homes. 'It provides valuable hidden storage for items such as extra bedding, pillows, or seasonal clothing, while also serving as a useful seating area, ideal for getting ready in the morning.'

'I always encourage homeowners to make the most of underused areas,' Alysha shares, 'and the foot of the bed is often an overlooked opportunity.'

'A storage ottoman or storage bench is a great space-saving technique, particularly in a smaller bedroom, or for those struggling with bedroom clutter,' agrees Megan Thompson, buyer at Bensons for Beds. 'A clean and tidy sleeping space is a happy one, and it’s even been shown to promote better sleep, so an item such as this can help keep a bedroom clutter-free and organised.'

'There’s also an important aesthetic appeal to storage ottomans or storage benches,' says Megan. 'Available in a range of fabrics and colours, they can add to the cosiness or visual appeal of a bedroom, and also act as a footstool, seating bench or coffee table, making them useful and multifunctional, as well as visually appealing.'

According to Whinnie Williams, interiors expert at Dreams, placing a storage bench or ottoman at the end of your bed can also improve the feng shui of your bedroom. 'It can help boost the energy of the space,' Whinnie shares. 'This is especially true if your bed faces the door, which can sometimes feel a little unsettling. Placing an ottoman or storage bench at the foot of your bed offers physical separation from the room’s entrance and adds to the feeling of security.'

'An ottoman also reduces the need for extra furniture elsewhere, freeing up space and improving the flow of the room,' agrees Redrow's Alysha. 'Smart, intentional storage solutions like this not only enhance how a space looks, but also support a more relaxed, organised way of living.'

What to store in a storage ottoman

Of course, if you're anything like me, then the minute you add extra storage to your home, it can soon become a dumping ground for all and sundry if you're not careful. The exact opposite of improving your home's feng shui!

Luckily, home decluttering and organising consultant and founder of Tidylicious, Hester Van Hien, has some top tips for helping us (me) make the best use of this additional storage area.

'Storage benches and ottomans are best to store a few larger items in, rather than lots of smaller items,' advises Hester. 'They provide quite a deep storage space, and if you pile up lots of smaller items then it’ll be difficult to see what’s at the bottom. And what’s out of sight, often goes out of mind.'

Instead, Hester recommends using a storage ottoman to store larger items, such as bedding, cushions, pillows, sleeping bags, and towels. But there's a knack to making the best use of space.

'Store items upright, rather than piling them up,' Hester shares. 'Consider storing your bedding and towels upright, so that you can see them all, rather than the bottom ones being out of sight. I roll up my fitted sheets and duvet covers and then stand them up on their short side. It makes maximum use of the height of deep storage spaces such as storage ottomans or deep drawers.'

This vertical storage hack also makes accessing your bedding far easier, as you don't need to pull everything out of the ottoman to get to that one blanket at the bottom.

'If you do want to store smaller items in your storage bench, I’d recommend using separate containers for each category of items,' says Hester. 'For example, a container for everything related to swimming (goggles, hat, swimwear, beach shoes), another container for holiday-related items such as adapter plugs, wash bags, refillable mini travel bottles, yet another container for paperwork, and so on.'

'As storage benches and ottomans are quite long, they’re also good to store rolls of gift wrapping paper,' suggests Hester. 'You could take it a step further and dedicate your storage bench/ottoman to gifts, and use it to store everything related to gift giving: rolls of wrapping paper, birthday cards, gift bags, and gifts.'

Yep, it turns out a storage ottoman is the bedroom storage solution I never knew I needed until now.

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