21 Fun Room Organization Ideas

Room organization hacks and ideas are a dime a dozen. If you do a quick Google search, you can easily get flooded with a sea of room organization ideas. So, how do you know which ones are worth DIYing and which ones you should buy? How do you know which ones will work best for your space and needs? The short answer is that you don’t know. However, this is where we’re going to help you.

No matter if you have a tiny closet or a larger living room or extra space to use up, we’ve put together a list of fun room organization ideas you can try in your own home. They’ll help you get a more organized and spacious room, whether or not you’re currently tight on space. So, we invite you to check out our room organization tips and get inspired to try a few in your home this weekend.

1. Install Shelves by the Ceiling

No matter if you live in a large house or a tiny apartment, storage space is usually at a premium. This simple and fun room storage idea takes advantage of previously unused dead space by your ceiling. There is barely any space less used than the 12-inches or so right below your ceiling, and you can use it to create a running storage solution.

All you have to do during this room organization project is hang shelves and have them run around the perimeter of your room. Keep them between 12 and 14-inches from the ceiling. This can easily add dozens of square feet of storage space to any room. It’s great for books, knick knacks, or smaller items that you don’t seem to have room for in your current space.

1 Ceiling Shelves
Clutter by John Verive / CC BY-SA 2.0

2. Get a Bed Frame with Storage Compartments

When you think of your bed frame, you typically don’t think of it as being something that will help with room organization. After all, it takes up valuable floor and wall space if you attach a headboard to it. However, this is actually the perfect place to have more storage options, and it’s relatively easy to build or buy one with hidden storage compartments attached.

It’s possible to get a large headboard with cubbies in it that you can use to store a large range of smaller items. Some headboards come with compartments that slide out the sides. This room organization idea allows you to maximize your storage space without taking up even more floor space. Some frames also have drawers along the bottom of the bed.

2 Bed Frame Storage
Concealed Storage built into a bed by Jeremy Levine / CC BY 2.0

3. Create a Crown Molding Shoe Rack

Do you love your high heels but hate trying to find a space to store them? This clever room organization idea allows you to showcase all of your favorite heels while keeping them within easy reach. You should note that this won’t work well for flats because the back of the heel hooks over the crown molding and the flat portion of the shoe sits against the wall.

For this DIY room organization project, all you have to do is get a few strips of crown molding. Cut them to the length of your chosen wall. You can mount them straight to the wall using simple nails and a nail gun. They can match the wall color or stand out. Once you get them hung up, you can carefully arrange your shoes on the rack to free up valuable storage space in your closet.

3 Crown Molding
trim carpenter hanging molding by The Finishing Company Richmond Va / CC BY 2.0

4. Create a Home for Individual Items in Drawers

Bedroom clutter is a huge problem, and it seems to add up very quickly. One way to help kick this habit is to create a home for every item. Hanging closet storage, dresser drawer organizers, and furniture pieces that you strategically place around the room will help you set up a home for every item to prevent clutter. This can also help them from stacking up on your chair or dresser.

For example, maybe you have several ties and no place to put them. You can get a small drawer organizer with individual slots. Roll or fold your ties to fit in these slots, and place one tie per slot. When you open the door, they’re right there. You can do the same thing for your accessories, jewelry, and all of the small odds and ends that seem to magically go into random piles around the room.

4 Space for Each Item
March 28, 2015 by osseous / CC BY 2.0

5. Use Shower Rings to Store Tank Tops

Your closet and drawer space is a hot item in your home, and this room organization tip will help free some up. If you have a host of tank tops cluttering up your closet or strewn around your drawers, this is for you. You can easily save yourself the hassle of having to fold them every time you put them away, and you’ll get many more stored without taking up a huge amount of space.

All you’ll need for this room organization idea is a hanger and shower rings, Attach your shower rings to the hanger. Hang one tank top up per shower ring. Once you fill the hanger, you can hang the whole thing up in your closet. As a bonus, this will keep your tank tops wrinkle-free until you want to wear them, and you can easily see what you have when you’re picking out an outfit.

5 Tank Top Organization
Shower curtain rings by pepperberryfarm / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

6. Get Cork Board for Jewelry Storage

No matter if you upcycle and make your own jewelry or have pieces that have been in your family for generations, storage and organizing them can be a hassle. The last thing you want is to be rushing out the door and end up with a tangled necklace or lost earring. This room organization idea helps remove the clutter from the top of your dresser and puts all of your jewelry somewhere that is easily accessible and they stay organized.

All you’ll need is a piece of corkboard and some push pins. If you want to get fancy with this room organization idea, you can frame your cork board and hang it up on the wall. Each necklace will get one or two push pins to secure them onto the board. You can group your necklace and earring combinations so they’re right there when you want to accessorize your outfit.

6 Cork Board Jewelry Storage
0406080815.jpg by Vik-Thor / CC BY 2.0

7. Hang Pegs for Shoe Storage

The entryway of your home is a magnet for clutter, especially if you have a bigger family or many different pairs of shoes you routinely wear. Leaving shoes scattered all over the hallway looks sloppy and unorganized, but it’s also a tripping hazard for anyone who walks through it. This room organization tip requires a length of wood, pegs, nails, and a hammer. You may also want to paint or stain it to match your decor and make it more durable, but this is 100% optional.

Decide where you want to hang your shoes. Measure the space and cut your length of wood to match it. Get pegs and attach them to the length of wood around two or three inches apart. If you’re going to paint or stain it, now is the time to do so and allow it to dry. Once it’s dry, attach it to the wall. Hang one shoe per peg, keeping paris side-by-side.

7 Peg Shoe Storage
Peacock Feather Coat Rack by picksnoz / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

8. Add Storage Organizers to Your Drawers

Chances are, you already know how valuable desk organizers are for your workspace. However, did you know that they work just as well in your kitchen to organize the junk drawer or in your bathroom or bedroom to prevent clutter? You can buy or make them, and they come in several different sizes with different compartments to allow you to mix and match to suit your needs.

First, empty out your drawer and sort through your items. Toss anything that is broken or you have no idea what you’d use it for. Put a drawer organizer in the bare drawer. This can be a desk drawer, but they also work well in dresser or vanity drawers. Put your hair pins, hair ties, comb, brush, or whatever small items you want to organize in each slot. Make a point to keep everything grouped neatly when you add new items.

8 Drawer Organizer
My desk drawer by Shaofu Ku / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

9. Hang Jeans or Pants on S Hooks

Pants or jeans can take up a huge amount of closet or wardrobe space, especially if you have everyday jeans and business casual pants or slacks. They’re bulky, and they’re difficult to hang with other items unless you’re putting a full suit together. So, for this room organization idea, all you’ll need is some S hooks and a rod to hang them on if you don’t have one already. A typical closet rod works well too.

Start by taking all of your pants and jeans down and making sure they still fit and that they’re in good repair. Donate or toss any you don’t plan on wearing. Fold your pants or jeans in half longways with one leg on each side. Slip the S hook into the belt loop on the back of your pants, and hang the other end of the S hook over the rod. Make sure it’s tall enough so your pants don’t brush the floor.

9 S Hook Pants Hanger
S-hook by tmib_seattle / CC BY-SA 2.0

10. Hanging Fruit Basket to Store Seasonal Items

A hanging fruit basket with two or three baskets attached works for so much more than storing your apples, oranges, and bananas. You can easily turn it into a room organization hack that really shines in your entryway or mudroom. You can even hang it up over your entry table if you’re short on space but want to put it somewhere out of the direct walking path.

This room organization idea is wonderful for those pesky seasonal items that seem to find their way scattered throughout your house like gloves, hats, or even socks. Hang up your basket in your desired location and designate one basket per item. One is for gloves or mittens, one is for hats, and one can be for extra socks in the winter. Swap the items out in the summer to seasonal-appropriate accessories.

10 Hanging Basket
Fruit and Sun by Greg Grossmeier / CC BY-SA 2.0

11. Turn Bead Organizers Into Makeup Storage

Has your makeup collection grown and you’re now running out of ways to store or organize it? If you have a lot of eye shadow singles or MAC Paint Pot jars, this room organization tip is for you. All you’ll need is clear bead organizers and a space to put the bead organizers once you get them filled. These do sit nicely in drawers, or you could even get a stacking storage rack to sit on your counter.

Decide how you want to organize your singles and Paint Pot jars first. This could be by brand, palette, or shades that go well together. Slide one into each slot in the bead organizer. When you fill it, you can snap it shut and still see what’s inside when you look through the top. As a bonus, many of these have hinges with locks to keep everything organized while preventing spills.

11 Bead Organizer
Sorting Perler Beads by Janet / CC BY-ND 2.0

12. Tie, Belt, or Scarf Hangers

Scarves, belts, and ties may have much less fabric than your other clothing. However, they have much more length to them, and this can make it difficult to find room organization tips to help store them while keeping them neat and out of your way while being accessible. As a bonus, this idea allows you to utilize space on the side of your closet or in a cupboard that may be dead space otherwise.

Depending on how handy you are, you could create a sliding storage rack. However, the stationary one works just as well. All you’ll need is three or four rails that fit into the side of your cabinet or wardrobe. Screw them into the wall, working your way down the space. Leave 8 to 12-inches between each bar. Loop your scarfs, belts, or ties over each bar. They’ll stay out of your way and ready to use.

12 Scarf Hangers
Scarfs by minnakos / CC BY-NC 2.0

13. Tension Rods for Shoe Storage

This room organization idea works for both heels and flats, and it’s a great way to get them up off your floor or stop them from taking up valuable shelf space while making them easy to see. You’ll need two or three sets of tension rods for this project. You can install them in the bottom half of your closet to use up all of the dead space while creating storage.

For heels, you want to stagger the tension rods slightly. The heel part of the shoe will hook over one tension rod. Stagger the other rod slightly out and down to give the sole of the heel somewhere to rest. For flats, you can install two rods at the same height, a few inches apart. All you have to do now is set your flats across the rods. Match up the shoes in pairs to make it more convenient.

13 Shoe Storage
Shoes by Sally / CC BY-NC 2.0

14. Mount Magazine Racks Right to the Wall

If you don’t mind this magazine rack sticking out from the wall, this is a nice room organization idea to put by your front door or entrance. You can make or buy one, depending on how much of a DIYer you are. You do want to apply a protective coat of stain if you’re making your own magazine rack because it can help it last longer without warping or swelling.

All you have to do if you choose to buy a magazine rack is flip it on the side and screw it to the wall. Most magazine racks have a flat edge with two or three spaces for magazines. Hang the flat side facing up so you can use it as a shelf. Designate each space on the rack for one item. One can be mail pieces, and another can be pictures or a pad with a pen.

14 Magazine Rack
Magazine Rack by Danny Howard / CC BY-SA 2.0

15. Use Underbed Storage

What do you have under your bed? If the answer is nothing, you’re wasting valuable storage space. You can get a huge range of storage totes or compartments that come specifically designed to slide right under your bed. Some are on wheels to make them easier to move, and some sit flat to the floor if you don’t have as much clearance between your bed and the floor.

You can use this room organization tip for a huge range of items too. Maybe you have a large movie collection taking up space, or you have a lot of seasonal clothing. You can easily swap your seasonal items out to refresh your closet without having them all hanging up at one time. Just make sure that you don’t accidentally forget whatever you decide to store here.

15 Underbed Storage
Homemade under bed storage drawer by atravellingmom / CC BY 2.0

16. Hang a Laundry Hamper

If you have a problem with your laundry items cluttering up your floor, or if your floor space is at a premium and you don’t have room for a traditional hamper, this room organization tip may appeal to you. As always, you can buy or build this cloth laundry hamper, it just depends on how handy you are with a sewing machine or a needle and thread.

All you’ll need is a few hooks and the hamper itself. Make sure the hooks slip over the top of your door. Secure the hooks and hang up your laundry hamper. You’ll be able to tell right away when it’s starting to get full, and it’ll be behind your door out of sight until you need it. This can help you from tossing your dirty laundry at a hamper and ending up on the floor.

16 Laundry Hamper
Vendor selling laundry hampers at Waterside Market in Monrovia, Liberia. By United Nations Development Programme / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

17. Stack Old Luggage for a Nightstand

Anyone who has older luggage laying around gathering dust can easily turn it into a whimsical room organization idea. You’ll need three or four pieces of luggage, depending on how tall your bed is. You want to be able to use the top piece of luggage as a fun nightstand, so make sure that it’s not too low for you to reach comfortably when you lie down.

This makes our room organization idea list because each piece of luggage doubles as a storage compartment. Maybe you have an extra blanket lying around. If so, pop open the biggest piece of luggage, put the blanket in it, close it up, and return it back to the stack. There’s no gluing, cutting, or construction work involved. You just stack the luggage. It also works well out in other rooms in your home like your living room.

17 Vintage Luggage
Vintage Luggage by Sophiaaaaaa / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

18. Store Bed Sheets Under the Mattress

Maybe you’re someone who has enough bedding sets to outfit far more beds than your home actually has. If so, you could be tempted to pack them into a newly stained dresser, or you could even dedicate a whole shelf to excess linen. While there isn’t anything wrong with this per say, it’s very easy for it to get unorganized and avalanche on you when you open the door.

Rather than having messy piles, get into the habit of neatly folding your bedding sets and storing them right under the mattress on your bed. You will have to pay attention to how you fold, and only lay them out in a single layer. Doing so will help ensure that they’re flat enough that you don’t feel them when you lay down to go to sleep. Also, store them at the foot of the bed instead of in the middle or head of the bed.

18 Sheet Storage
Sheets by sweetjessie / CC BY-NC 2.0

19. Install Corner Shelving Units

Take a quick look around your home. Chances are, you have many corners that are sitting empty with dead space. It’s usually hard to get furniture items right up to the corners in rooms, and most people won’t put shelving right up against one wall because it doesn’t make a lot of sense. So, utilizing this space can easily help your room organization.

All you’ll need is a few shelving units. You can get or make specialized corner shelves, or you can get two or three regular shelves and put them right up to the corner of the wall. Once you get them in place, you now have room for small knick knacks, or maybe you have a few books that don’t fit in your collection. Make sure you don’t overload them though, so try and keep your items on the smaller side.

19 Corner Shelves
New Corner Shelves by Erica Minton / CC BY-NC 2.0

20. Store Hats on the Wall

If you have a more rustic interior design style, this room organization tip should appeal to you, especially if you’re a fan of western-inspired hats. All you’ll need to complete this look is a few hats, hat hooks, and nails or screws. (However they secure to the wall). Choose a space on your wall where you can have your hats stand out as a decor piece.

To start, decide where you want to hang them. Stagger your hat hooks across the wall. Once you get them up, you can hang your hats up on the hooks. This makes it easy to grab them as you walk by, but it also reduces the chances of accidentally crushing the hats if they get stuck in the back of your closet. It also frees up shelf space to use for other items.

20 Hats
Panama hats, Babylonstoren shop by flowcomm / CC BY 2.0

21. Make or Buy a Footboard

Many people don’t have footboards on their beds anymore, or they have a flat one that has zero storage possibilities. To take advantage of this room organization piece of furniture, you’ll need to get a footboard that has space for storage. It’s relatively easy to find one that comes with several shelving units in it. You can use these shelving units for books, odds and ends, or even blankets.

This will stick out slightly farther into your room, so you may want to consider other options if your floor space is at a premium. Also, try to find something that blends well into your current decor so it doesn’t clash or stick out should someone come in and see it.

21 Footboard
Cat bed by Observe The Banana / CC BY-NC 2.0

Bottom Line

These 21 room organization ideas can help you remove the clutter from your house and make everything easier to find. You can mix and match them to find out which ones work best for your space and needs. In turn, you’ll enjoy a space that is very organized, clutter-free, and relaxing.
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