Ideas for choosing bedroom storage

Wardrobes and drawers
In small bedrooms you can create the illusion of a larger space with mirror-fronted wardrobes. Frosted glass, gauze or fabric-fronted wardrobes are lighter and less obtrusive. Store shoes on a rack inside the cupboard or stash them in fabric hanging shelves attached to the rail. Hat boxes and other lidded boxes also provide great bedroom storage for socks, gloves and scarves if you are short of drawer space. You can even get boxes with windows so you can see what's inside without having to rummage. Coat hooks or tie racks on the back of cupboard doors are good for hanging bags and belts. Keep your drawers in order with dividers to create separate compartments for smaller items.

Shelves
Bedroom shelves should be saved for the items you want to show off and not stacked high with things you would rather not see, although sliding fabric panels are a good way to conceal the unsightly items that won’t fit anywhere else. If you keep books in the bedroom, arrange them by size so they don't look too chaotic or by the colour of their spines to create a rainbow effect. A great bedroom design tip us to arrange box shelves symmetrically, to showcase stylish objects. Take a look at our gallery 12 of the best shelving ideas for more inspirational design advice.

Utilise storage space under your bed
The space under your bed doesn't have to be a guilty hideaway for unwanted junk. In fact, it is too easy to accumulate things you no longer need in this unseen enclave, so have a clear out and reclaim that area as useful bedroom storage space. Use large flat lidded boxes or sliding plastic or wooden trays with castors to make it more accessible. Use the space on top of your wardrobe for items you seldom require, with a mix of patterned and brightly-coloured storage boxes to complement your colour scheme. This useful design tip can provide much needed bedroom storage space and can look very decorative.

Dressing tables
Jewellery and perfume bottles make a bedroom dressing table complete, but the nail varnish remover is probably best left in the drawer. Try hanging necklaces on a stand and use a jewellery box for smaller items. A large wooden box covered with a flat square cushion makes a great dressing table stool and is a good way of teasing out a few extra cubic feet of hidden storage.

Desk
If your bedroom doubles as your office it can be hard to keep a work/life divide. There is nothing less conducive to a good night's sleep than staring at a pile of paperwork, so use a fold away screen to separate your desk from your sleeping space. You can easily buy ready-made screens with bold prints in the shops, but if you want something cheaper and more bespoke you can make your own with the fabric of your choice stapled to wooden canvas stretcher frames that can be bought in art shops. Use three panels fastened together with two hinges at each join. Alternatively, use free-standing open-backed bookshelves perpendicular to the wall to create a division. If you are really short of storage space in your bedroom you can buy single or double loft beds with space underneath for a desk or hanging clothes. Keep your bedroom free from loose papers using magazine files.