Your home's entrance is a hardworking space which requires smart hallway storage ideas to avoid clutter. As the first room your guest see on entering it sets the tone for the rest of the house.
It's for that reason a pile of discarded shoes, coats, umbrellas and keys, which always have a habit of accumulating by the front door, might not be the most welcoming of scenes, giving guests the wrong first impression.
Put hallway storage at the forefront of your mind when planning your decorating scheme. Especially with a small hallway idea, where a tidy entrance can make limited space work harder. With smart storage solutions you can create an area that's both attractive and practical for you and your family to use everyday.
Hallway Storage Ideas
Hallways can often become an overlooked space where clutter builds up, but it can easily be organised to include a few extra storage solutions. With some clever research and budgeting you can find furniture that fits narrow hallways or more challenging spaces, bringing about a huge difference in your home.
No more cluttering up the hallway with rows of shoes or searching for somewhere to hang your coat. Rethink your hall and under-stairs space and boost storage potential. Stop using it as a dumping ground and make it work harder.
Take a fresh look at your hallway or under-stairs area and work out what space you could use – even a row of hooks can make a big difference.
1. Make a display feel fashionable
Dress your hallway to impress with a fashionable open shelving unit to keep coats and shoes on display. 'Functional storage does not have to compromise your interior style,' says Kate Gibson, Home Buying Manager, Habitat.
'On-trend rattan and wicker pieces offer practicality as well as a stylish, handcrafted appeal,' Kate adds, suggesting a style for storage baskets on display.
She then warns, 'Avoid an overcrowded hallway by only keeping the everyday essentials on display. Off-season items such as winter coats, scarves and gloves can be packed away in a storage trunk or lidded basket to keep mess to a minimum.'
2. Utilise space under the stairs
Smart under stairs storage ideas are the ultimate dream for hallway storage. Having bespoke storage cupboards built under the stairs uses the space underneath to maximise potential.
Cupboards helps to keep everything concealed, making the immediate entranceway feel streamlined and free of clutter – excellent if you're after storage solutions for your small hallway.
While this can be an expensive solution, we have seen fine examples of DIY jobs that make it happen on a budget. This couple quoted £1000 for under stair storage built their own – for just £175!
3. Choose freestanding storage
Make storage easy with freestanding, multifunctional furniture choices – ideal for those avoiding DIY, such as renters.
'In more compact entrances, opt for multifunctional storage pieces complete with hooks, drawers and shelving to maximise space. Slim vertical designs work well in narrow areas and are ideal for renters who are unable to hang shelves.'
4. Put up a simple peg rail
Awkward hallways and under stairs often have bags of storage potential. Under stairs space can be one of the most difficult to make the most of often due to limited access and lack of light but this home owner has introduced a bright hallway colour scheme to make a feature of the space.
Pop in a simple peg rail, bench and a feature hallway wallpaper idea to open up the space to make it feel more inviting. It's a place to sit and remove shoes before walking through the rest of the house.
Store handy storage boxes or baskets under the bench for a simple shoe storage idea. 'Assigning a basket to each member of the household will ensure the space is kept tidy and encourage kids to take ownership of their belongings,' suggests Kate Gibson, at Habitat.
5. Make storage adaptable
Banish the build-up of household mess and maintain order with these easy-to-live-with storage solutions. Keep frequently used shoes and coats neatly displayed in a hallway.
Keep the storage out of the path of the front door, to keep a clear pathway. Leave just one jacket per person in the hallway and move out of season coats to a bedroom wardrobe. Keep your coat and shoe display to a minimum to stop it feeling too distracting from a neat and tidy entranceway.
6. Hang a handy hallway shelf with a mirror
Hallway storage ideas are not just reserved for shoes and coats. Where do you keep sunnies, lipsticks and even keys? Rather than have them on display on a sideboard or console table, give smaller items a dedicated storage space with a wall-mounted shelving unit.
This smart design from Cuckooland features a handy mirror to ensure you can carry out a quick hair, teeth or lipstick check before you dash out the front door.
7. Try an IKEA hack in a hall
If you are short on floor space in the hall this hack is perfect for keep shoes neat and tidied away. Mount a row of four IKEA Trones shoe cabinets to elevate shoes off the floor.
Top the storage units with a length of oak to create a smart hallway shelf and storage system that will keep the floor space nice and tidy, while also providing a ledge to store and display bits and bobs. We've actually painted these smart units to match the hallway colour scheme, which you can do if you get the right paint finish to use on plastic.
Buy now: Trones Shoe Cabinet, £22 for pack of 2, IKEA
8. Make storage multi-functional
Multifunctional smart storage solutions can go a long way to making even the smallest of hallway space feel more airy and clutter-free. This practical wall shelf combines a hall mirror idea, to bounce light around the small white hallway, which cleverly conceals a storage compartment in the back. Providing a hidden space for storing keys, sunglasses, wallets and more.
9. Keep it simple and stylish
'The hallway is the first impression of your home. But keep it simple and don’t clutter. Start from everyday functions and think about how to make those functions elegant' suggests CMO at String Furniture, Bo Hellberg.
'Like a simple mirror or pendant light. Or stylish hooks to hang anything that looks good.'
10. Keep the hall tidy with concealed storage units
Free up a hallway space from piles of discarded shoes by stowing them in a shallow unit, with doors to conceal them from view. Stored out of sight helps to minimise the impact they have on the surrounding space, essential to prevent a small hallway idea from feeling overwhelmed.
Hang a cubbyhole unit in the hallway to keep pens, diaries, notebooks and sets of keys close to hand. Finally, store kids’ wellies in a basket that you can easily pop into the car. This hardwearing hallway flooring idea is perfect for busy families too!
11. Opt for slim solutions
Calm the chaos of a busy hallway with slimline storage units. Create as spacious a feel as possible with unobtrusive furniture, then add boxes and baskets for bonus storage. Multi-functional furniture is the key to keeping a busy home entrance from chaos.
Look for timeless pieces with in-built storage. Add a long Shaker-style peg rail to hold bags, coats and a basket for the family post. Keep your colour palette neutral for a seamless look that is pleasing on the eye, like in this grey hallway idea.
12. Factor in flexibility
Put an end to kicked-off shoes and abandoned coats with compact cubbies and baskets to stop clutter from escaping into family life. A sideboard with multi-use cubbies is ideal for family life. Simply swap the boxes round to suit, then add a big basket for larger belongings.
13. Coordinate a colour theme
We're all no strangers to keeping a colour scheme consistent in any given room of our homes, whether that's a bedroom or bathroom. So why not apply the same principle to your hallway storage area?
As above, you can also play with different hues of the same colour, from a calming mint all the way through to a moodier forest green for a cohesive feel in your hallway.
14. Keep storage open
We realise this might not be a good option for the hoarders among us. But on the other hand, it will encourage you to keep your space organised and pristine.
In fact, you’ll find it easier and faster to find things if you are in a rush to get out of the front door. The open-plan approach does require a tidy nature though. And try not to fill hangers to bursting, or your hallway will quickly descend into chaos.
15. Build bespoke storage to maximise space
Don’t shy away from making a big statement in a small hallway. While it reminds you of breezy shorelines and the rolling seas, this nautical look is all about creating a laid-back room that has storage exactly where you need it.
Don’t let good, functional storage become an afterthought. Give it the wow-factor by making it the main feature and decorating it with soft furnishings and smart hallway lighting ideas, such as the wall lights shown above. A bespoke bench and lockers will provide enough storage for you and all the family for a tidier hallway, forever.
16. Squeeze in a console
Need a table but working with a narrow hallway that lacks floor space? A compact console could be the answer. When space is tight, shoehorning in a large desk or storage solution for small spaces will only make your room appear smaller.
An unobtrusive console can do the job of any of the above without taking up as much floor space. A streamlined console is perfect for a narrow hallway and will serve as a handy spot to put down the post when you come through the front door.
17. Simplify storage with baskets and boxes
Baskets and boxes are a simple but highly-effectively solution for storage in any room, but particularly hallways. They are a budget-friendly hallway shoe storage idea that will prevent your home's entrance from being littered with kid's footwear.
Kate Gibson, Home Buying Manager at Habitat comments, 'Matching storage boxes are a great way to carve up open shelving into separate zones, where items can be organised and stored away.'
18. Repurpose a sideboard for shoe storage
A stylish solution for alternative hallway storage is to find a low sideboard unit to fit within the lowest part of the stairs for storing shoes. Give your piece of furniture a unique sense of character with stickers that can be easily replaced as often as you wish.
How do you build storage in a hallway?
Build storage in a hallway to make the most of every inch of useable space. Whether that's utilising the space under the stairs, wall-mounting solutions to free up floor space or seeking modular furniture that can be adapted to your needs – storage in any hall has to be smart.
'A hallway is a part of your home with a lot of traffic, meaning floor space is in scarce supply. But it’s also the first impression of your home, so you really shouldn’t skimp on style or interior design,' advises CMO at String Furniture, Bo Hellberg.
'There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to hallways. Which is why String is a good option, with all its flexible options,' Bo goes on to suggest.
'And it’s modular, meaning you can add more or change it around at any time. Generally speaking, in a narrow hallway you should make use of the height and wall spaces as much as possible. But if you have space under the stairs you could design an almost extra small room, with a desk, cabinets and shelves.'
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