Under stairs storage ideas can turn one of the most wasted spots in your home into one of the most useful. The space under a staircase is often left empty, filled with a random pile of boxes, or closed off as a dark closet no one wants to open. With the right plan, it can hold shoes, coats, cleaning supplies, pantry overflow or even a small desk.
The trick is that the space isn’t a simple box. It’s a triangle, tall at one end and almost nothing at the other, so the best ideas use each part for what it can actually hold.
Key Takeaways
- Quick answer: The best under stairs storage ideas match storage to height: a closet, coat hooks or desk nook at the tall end, pull-out cabinets in the middle, and shallow drawers or rolling carts at the low end.
- Use the tall end for hanging and tall items, and the low end for drawers and bins.
- Pull-out drawers make the deep space under the stairs easy to reach.
- Check local building rules before you enclose the space with walls and doors.
Time: 1 hour to a weekend · Cost: $30–500 · Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Plan by Height First
Before choosing drawers or shelves, look at the space from the side. The tall end is where you can stand or walk in, the middle suits pull-outs, and the low end needs shallow storage you can reach without crawling.
Safety matters too. Check for pipes, wires and ducts before you open up the space, and never cut into the stair stringers that hold the stairs up. If you turn the space into an enclosed closet with a door, building codes also call for drywall on the inside. For example, this stairs tip sheet based on the International Residential Code says enclosed accessible space under stairs should be protected with 1/2-inch gypsum board. Local rules vary, so check with your building department before a big build.
Quick Pick: Under Stairs Storage Ideas by Goal
| Your goal | Best ideas |
|---|---|
| Hide everyday clutter | Pull-out drawers (#1), pull-out cabinets (#2), closet with a door (#5) |
| Store coats, shoes and bags | Closet with hooks (#5), door organizers (#7), drop zone (#13) |
| Cleaning supplies and vacuum | Cleaning station (#9), rolling cart (#8) |
| Use it as a room | Office nook (#11), reading nook (#12), pet nook (#14) |
| Display or entertain | Open shelves (#4), wine storage (#15) |
| You rent | Freestanding storage (#18), baskets and carts (#8) |
18 Under Stairs Storage Ideas
1. Build in pull-out drawers
Pull-out drawers are the most efficient way to use the full depth under a staircase. Each drawer slides out so you can reach the back without crawling in. Taller drawers at the high end hold shoes, bags and baskets, while shorter drawers at the low end hold flat items like wrapping paper or board games (our wrapping paper storage ideas show how to keep rolls from crushing).
2. Add tall pull-out cabinets on rollers
A tall cabinet on heavy-duty casters slides out sideways like a pantry pull-out. It’s ideal for jars, snacks, cleaning bottles or towels, because everything is visible from both sides. If you’re using it as pantry overflow, our pantry organization ideas show what to store on each level.
3. Add storage on the stairs themselves
Not all under stairs storage ideas use the space below the steps. Some staircases can hold small drawers built into the steps themselves. It’s an advanced project that depends on how your stairs are built, so it’s best left to a carpenter, but it’s a clever spot for slippers, chargers or kids’ treasures.
4. Fill the triangle with open shelves
Built-in shelves that step down with the stairs turn the space into a library or display wall. Mix books with baskets so it doesn’t look busy. For a simple DIY version, see our DIY floating shelves guide.
Under Stairs Closet Storage Ideas
If your stairs already have a closet, or cupboard under the stairs as it’s called in the UK, the goal is to stop it from becoming a dark, deep pile.
No closet yet? A storage closet under the stairs is one of the most practical upgrades for this space. The usual approach is to frame a wall along the open side, add a door at the tall end and line the inside with drywall. If the space is long, a second small door or a pull-out at the low end lets you reach the back without crawling. Plan the inside before you close it in: hooks and a light at the tall end, slim shelves along the side wall and a rolling bin for the low corner.
5. Hang coats on hooks along the tall side
Put a row of hooks on the tall wall for coats and bags. Hooks are easier than a rod in an awkward space, and they keep the floor free for other things.
6. Add a light
Most under stairs closets are dark. A battery-powered motion light or an LED strip means you can actually see what’s at the back.
7. Use the back of the door
An over-the-door organizer holds gloves, hats, umbrellas or cleaning sprays. It uses space that would otherwise sit empty.
8. Roll storage into the low corner
The low end is hard to reach. A rolling cart or a basket on casters slides into the corner and pulls out when you need it, so nothing gets lost back there.
9. Create a cleaning station
The tall end is a perfect home for the vacuum, mop and broom. Add a small shelf or wall rack for sprays and cloths, and cleaning day gets faster.
10. Label bins on shelves
Slim shelves along the side wall with labeled bins stop the closet from turning into a junk drawer. Group by category: batteries and light bulbs, pet supplies, seasonal items.
Ways to Use the Space as a Nook
11. Tuck in a home office
If the tall end is open, a floating desk, a chair and a lamp make a compact office. Keep the desk where you can sit up straight, and use the lower part of the slope for shelves. Our desk organization ideas show how to keep a small desk like this clear and easy to work at.
12. Make a reading nook
A cushion, a few pillows, a small lamp and a shelf of books turn the space into a cozy reading corner, especially for kids.
13. Set up a shoe and coat drop zone
If your stairs are near the front door, use the space as an extension of your entry with hooks, a bench and shoe baskets. Our small entryway ideas cover how to zone it. For a full plan by height, see our under stairs shoe storage guide.
14. Give your pet a spot
A pet bed, food bowls and a basket of toys fit neatly under a staircase and keep pet gear out of the main room.
Under Stairs Wine Storage Ideas
15. Build a diagonal wine rack
A diagonal wine rack is one of the most popular under the stairs storage ideas because the angled cubbies follow the slope of the stairs naturally. Bottles rest on their sides, and a small cabinet at the tall end can hold glasses. Keep the rack away from heat sources and direct sunlight.
16. Add a small bar cabinet
If you don’t need a full rack, a compact cabinet with a few bottles and glasses is enough for occasional entertaining.
Easy Ideas for Renters
17. Use freestanding furniture
Low bookcases, cube shelves and small dressers can be lined up under the stairs from tallest to shortest, with no drilling at all.
18. Rely on baskets and carts
Large baskets and rolling carts are the simplest under stairs storage. They slide in and out, and you can take them with you when you move.
How to Plan Your Under Stairs Storage in 5 Steps
- Clear and measure. Empty the space, then measure the height at the tall end, the length and the depth.
- Check what’s inside. Look for pipes, wires, ducts and supports before you plan anything built in.
- Decide what it’s for. Pick one main job, such as shoes and coats, cleaning, pantry or a nook.
- Match storage to height. Walk-in or tall items at the high end, pull-outs in the middle, shallow drawers at the low end.
- Keep it reachable. Avoid deep, fixed shelves you have to crawl to reach. Choose pull-outs, carts and baskets.
The before-and-after above shows how much a plan changes the same space: instead of a pile you can’t reach, every part of the triangle has a job. That is what good under stairs storage ideas have in common.
Save the checklist
Six ways to use every part of the space under your stairs, on one page. Pin it so you have it when you start planning.
Save to PinterestCommon Under Stairs Storage Mistakes
- Deep, fixed shelves. Anything at the back becomes impossible to reach.
- Ignoring the low end. It’s small, but shallow drawers or carts can use it well.
- Cutting into the structure. Never remove stringers or supports without a professional.
- No lighting. A dark closet quickly becomes a dumping ground.
- Skipping the rules. Enclosed under-stair storage may need drywall lining under local code.
Under Stairs Storage FAQ
What is the best way to use the space under the stairs?
It depends on what you need most. Among under stairs storage ideas, pull-out drawers or cabinets give the most hidden storage, a closet with hooks suits coats and cleaning supplies, and an open nook works as a small office or reading corner.
How do you turn the space under the stairs into a storage closet?
Frame a wall along the open side, add a door at the tall end and line the inside with gypsum board, which building codes typically require for enclosed space under stairs. Then add hooks, a light, slim shelves and a rolling bin for the low corner. Check your local rules and never cut into the stair supports.
How do you organize an under stairs cupboard?
Use hooks on the tall wall, a light, labeled bins on slim shelves, an over-the-door organizer and a rolling cart for the low corner so nothing gets lost at the back.
Is it safe to store wine under the stairs?
It can be, as long as the space stays fairly cool and stable, away from heat sources and direct sunlight. Bottles with corks should rest on their sides.
How much does under stairs storage cost?
Most under stairs storage projects cost about $30 to $500, depending on how much you build. Baskets, a rolling cart or freestanding shelves sit at the low end, while built-in pull-out drawers or a framed closet with a door cost more, especially if you hire a carpenter.
What can I put under the stairs in a living room?
In a living room, open shelves, a reading nook or a small desk nook work best, because the space is always on show. Built-in shelves that step down with the stairs can hold books and baskets, and a cushion, lamp and a few pillows turn the tall end into a cozy reading corner.
How do you use the space under stairs in a kitchen?
Near a kitchen, the space under the stairs works well as pantry overflow. A tall pull-out cabinet on heavy-duty casters holds jars, snacks and cleaning bottles where you can see them from both sides, and the tall end can hold a vacuum, mop and broom as a small cleaning station.
The space under the stairs is also one of the best spots for seasonal bins and an upright tree bag. Our guide to Christmas decoration storage shows how to pack ornaments, lights and wreaths so they fit neatly and come out undamaged.
Thinking of turning the space under your stairs into a small loo? Our guide to downstairs loo design covers the sizes, headroom and ventilation to check first.
Enclosing the space with a door? Our guide to under stairs cupboard doors shows how to measure the slope and which angled, sliding or hidden door suits it.
Still short on space? Look up as well as under: our loft storage ideas show how to use the space above the ceiling for seasonal and rarely used things.
Final Thoughts
The best under stairs storage ideas treat the space like what it is: a triangle with a tall end, a middle and a low end. Give each part the right job, keep everything reachable, and check the structure and local rules before you build. Start with one change, like a rolling cart or a row of hooks, and build up from there.
Save this guide to Pinterest for your next storage project.
How this guide was made: researched and written with the help of AI tools, fact-checked against trusted sources and published by Mohamed Elber. Images are AI-generated illustrations. See our Editorial Policy.
