12 Simple Storage Shelving Ideas For Small Spaces
Shelves are a great storage solution, but sometimes you don’t have enough available. Fortunately, you can DIY storage shelves for any room! Whether it’s for a small space, like a bathroom or bedroom, or for a larger area, like a garage or basement, we’ve got you covered. Here are 12 simple storage shelving ideas to help you maximize your space.
1. Heavy-Duty Utility Shelves
Store-bought shelving units are either flimsy, hard to assemble or awfully expensive. Here’s a better solution. These shelves are strong and easy to build. You can build this sturdy shelf unit to hold standard records storage boxes or modify it to fit plastic storage bins.
To build this shelving unit, you’ll need:
- 2x4s for the sides and shelves
- 2x2s for the back and support
- 1/2-in. medium-density fibreboard (MDF), plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) for the shelves
- Wood screws
- Drill and saw
2. Narrow DIY Storage Shelves: Stud Space Cabinet
When you can’t find a convenient nook for a set of narrow storage shelves, you can often create one by recessing the shelves into the wall itself. Choose the location for your shallow shelving unit before you build the project to make sure it will fit.
To build this shelving unit, you’ll need:
- 1x4s for the frame
- 1/4-in. pegboard for the back
- Wood screws
- Drill and saw
3. Behind-the-Door Storage
The space behind a door is a storage spot that’s often overlooked. Build a set of shallow shelves and mount it to the wall. Plus, when you open the door, they become storage shelves with doors! Measure the distance between the door hinge and the wall and subtract one inch. This is the maximum depth of the shelves.
To build this shelving unit, you’ll need:
- 1x4s for the sides, top, and shelves
- 1x2s for the hanging strips
- Metal shelf standards
- Wood screws
- Drill and saw
4. Joist Storage Space
Don’t waste all that space between joists in a basement or garage. Screw wire shelving to the underside of the joists. You’ll need an 8-ft. x 16-in. length of wire shelving and a pack of plastic clips.
To build this shelving unit, you’ll need:
- Wire shelving
- Plastic clips
- Drill and saw
5. Closet Nook Shelves
Salvage the hidden space at the recessed ends of your closets by adding a set of wire shelves, which are available in various widths. Measure the width and depth of the space. Then choose the correct shelving and ask the salesperson to cut the shelves to length for you.
To build this shelving unit, you’ll need:
- Wire shelves
- End mounting brackets
- Plastic clips
- Drill and saw
6. Shoe Storage Booster Stool
Build this handy stool in one hour and park it in your closet. You can also use it as a step to reach the high shelf. All you need is a 4- x 4-ft. sheet of 3/4-in. plywood, wood glue, and a handful of 8d finish nails.
To build this shelving unit, you’ll need:
- 3/4-in. plywood
- Wood glue
- 8d finish nails
- Drill and saw
7. Stacked Recycling Tower
Five plastic containers, six 2x2s, and screws, and one hour’s work are all it takes to put together this space-saving recycling storage rack. The frame fits containers that have a top that measures 14-1/2 inches x 10 inches and are 15 inches tall.
To build this shelving unit, you’ll need:
- Plastic containers
- 2x2s for the frame
- Wood screws
- Drill and saw
8. Assemble a Sandwich Bag Parts Organizer
Keep screws, connectors, nails, and other small parts in sight and handy with this resealable bag holder. You can build it out of a 3/4-in.-thick scrap of plywood.
To build this shelving unit, you’ll need:
- 3/4-in. plywood
- Wood screws
- Drill and saw
9. Two-Story Closet DIY Storage Shelves
There’s a lot of space above the shelf in most closets. Even though it’s a little hard to reach, it’s a great place to store seldom-used items. Make use of this wasted space by adding a second shelf above the existing one.
To build this shelving unit, you’ll need:
- Closet shelving material
- End supports and middle supports
- Wood screws
- Drill and saw
10. Back-of-Door Organizer
The back of a door that opens into a utility room or closet makes a handy hanging space. The trouble is, most doors don’t offer a good mounting surface for hardware. The solution is to screw a piece of 3/4-in. plywood to the back of the door.
To build this shelving unit, you’ll need:
- 3/4-in. plywood
- Construction adhesive (for hollow-core doors)
- Wood screws
- Drill and saw
11. Double-Decker Closet Rod
All you need to gain a lot of hanging space in your closet are two metal closet brackets and a length of closet rod. If your existing closet rod is at least 66 inches from the floor, there’s enough space to add a second rod below it and still hang shirts and slacks.
To build this shelving unit, you’ll need:
- Metal closet brackets
- Closet rod
- Wood screws
- Drill and saw
12. Glass Shower Shelf
Tired of shampoo and conditioner bottles cluttering the rim of your tub? This tempered safety glass shelf on a cable shelf bracket is an easy solution. The cable shelf bracket requires only two screws for support.
To build this shelving unit, you’ll need:
- Tempered safety glass shelf
- Cable shelf bracket
- Wood screws
- Drill and saw
What are 12 simple storage shelving ideas mentioned in the article?
Heavy-Duty Utility Shelves, Narrow DIY Storage Shelves: Stud Space Cabinet, Behind-the-Door Storage, Joist Storage Space, Closet Nook Shelves, Shoe Storage Booster Stool, Stacked Recycling Tower, Sandwich Bag Parts Organizer, Two-Story Closet DIY Storage Shelves, Back-of-Door Organizer, Double-Decker Closet Rod, Glass Shower Shelf
What materials are needed for the Heavy-Duty Utility Shelves?
2x4s for the sides and shelves, 2x2s for the back and support, 1/2-in. medium-density fibreboard (MDF), plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) for the shelves, wood screws, drill, and saw
What are the main components required for the Narrow DIY Storage Shelves: Stud Space Cabinet?
1x4s for the frame, 1/4-in. pegboard for the back, wood screws, drill, and saw
What is the concept behind Behind-the-Door Storage?
Building shallow shelves and mounting them to the wall behind a door, maximizing space by allowing the door to be used as a front for storage shelves
What materials do you need for creating Joist Storage Space?
Wire shelving, plastic clips, drill, and saw
How do Closet Nook Shelves make use of wasted space?
Adding wire shelves to the recessed ends of closets to save space for seldom-used items
What components are necessary to build the Shoe Storage Booster Stool?
4- x 4-ft. sheet of 3/4-in. plywood, wood glue, 8d finish nails, drill, and saw
Which materials are required for the Stacked Recycling Tower?
Plastic containers, 2x2s for the frame, wood screws, drill, and saw
What is the purpose of the Sandwich Bag Parts Organizer?
To keep screws, connectors, nails, and other small parts organized, built from 3/4-in. plywood, using wood screws, drill, and saw
What items are needed for constructing the Two-Story Closet DIY Storage Shelves?
Closet shelving material, end supports and middle supports, wood screws, drill, and saw
How is the Back-of-Door Organizer helpful?
It turns the back of a door into a hanging space by attaching 3/4-in. plywood to the door for mounting hardware, using construction adhesive for hollow-core doors, wood screws, drill, and saw
What materials are required for the Double-Decker Closet Rod?
Metal closet brackets, closet rod, wood screws, drill, and saw
What is the function of the Glass Shower Shelf?
To provide additional storage space in the shower to keep shampoo and conditioner bottles off the tub rim, using tempered safety glass shelf and a cable shelf bracket with wood screws for installation
