7 Dresser Alternatives for Small Spaces

7 Dresser Alternatives for Small Spaces

A dresser is a fine piece of furniture to have in your bedroom. You can store your clothes and organize your grooming items in them. 

However, a dresser is a bulky piece of furniture. It occupies a lot of space and is not meant for people with smaller rooms or for those who are renting apartment units.

Thankfully, there are ways to expand storage in our rooms without using up most of the floor space. In short, we can keep clothes without the need for a dresser. Several dresser alternatives can upgrade your room into a stylish space with so much space.

1. Beds with Drawers

Nowadays, furniture may no longer be boxed to a single core purpose. Multifunctionality is a trend in furniture design, and as such, many furniture pieces feature additional storage, making them work for small spaces. 

The typical raised platform bed comes with ample space between its body and the floor, and this area could provide room for more storage. Many furniture makers maximize such space by integrating drawers under the bed. 

Beds with drawers are an excellent replacement for dressers, allowing you to maximize the limited space in your room.

2. Under-Bed Storage

Platform beds with integrated drawers may cost more than a simple bedframe, given their additional features. Instead of platform beds, you can utilize the space under your bed by buying under-your-bed storage.

Plastic bins or baskets low enough to fit under your bed make the perfect under-the-bed storage. They provide the needed space for your clothes and add more floor space to your room, which you can use for other things. A pro tip is to buy under-bed storage with casters or add DIY casters to your available storage to make it easier to roll out under the bed.

3. Trunks and Chests

Trunks and chests might be an offbeat storage choice since they usually serve as decors in living spaces. However, these two do not only provide a stunning visual element to your room, but it is also functional decor that could provide you with more storage.

Trunks are boxes with lids that are used for storage. Adding it to your room will not only give your place a charming vintage touch, but its ample space will also give you an area to stack folded clothes. Since trunks were often used for travel, they usually have handles that come in handy when moving the trunk around.

Chests are often used as a decorative piece at the foot of someone’s bed, elevating and beautifying the visual aesthetic of any room. However, apart from using them as decors or alternatives for benches, you can also use chests to stack clothes. 

4. Garment Racks

If you want a convenient dresser alternative that would not wrinkle your clothes due to folding, a garment rack is a suitable alternative. Garment racks or clothes rails provide an open space to hang your clothes wrinkle-free while accommodating more clothes versus drawers. 

Garment racks come in different sizes and designs, depending on your space requirements. A simple and small rack would best fit a room with limited space. Meanwhile, a larger and more elaborate rail can help you store or keep your clothes and other items like shoes. 

A clothes rail with wheels is convenient when rearranging your space. If you do not want to display your clothes or worry that the clothes you hang might collect dust, you can use a cover. Ensure the cover suits your room’s color palette and overall aesthetic.

5. Armoire Wardrobe

An armoire wardrobe is a dresser alternative that will give your living space a warm and charming vibe. It's a big piece of furniture, but it can work even in a small space. If you choose the right armoire, you may not need more storage. You just have this one area where you can store all your things. 

Armoires are tall and narrow freestanding two-door closets which consist of two components: an upper cabinet and a set of drawers that you can use to store your clothes. This furniture piece originated in the 17th century and compared to the usual dresser or wardrobe, armoires are typically more ornate. Try buying a vintage piece or one with a vintage finish to give your room a timeless and inviting warmth.

Armoires provide plenty of room for storage. They are ideally great for clothing since armoires allow you to hang clothes, keeping them from getting wrinkled. Use the shelves to store other items of clothing, like undergarments.

Some armoires come with built-in mirrors, usually attached to one of the doors. Get an armoire with a full-length mirror to save floor space (perhaps, even money). 

6. Overhead Storage

We are not talking about plane bins, but you get the gist. If you have a room with a higher ceiling, you can free up your floor space by making the best use of the walls. You can easily add overhead storage like cabinets and shelves.

If you want to hide your stuff, you can opt for a case with doors. With shelves, you can place a low stack of clothing on each shelf⁠ to create a minimalist look in your space, reminiscent of in-store displays from the chicest retailers. For bookcases, you can stack clothes as usual or spice them up by using stackable boxes to store your clothes.

Please note that the overhead storage should not hold all your clothes since it would mean reaching over the bed each time you need to take them out. Instead, use your overhead compartments to store seasonal clothing.

7. Closet Hanging Shelves

One of the best ways to utilize the wall and free your floor space is by adding a hanging shelf with a metal rod below it. A hanging shelf like this will give you an open closet where you can stack folded clothes and hang the others.

You can also hang closet organizers from the metal rod to store foldable items. These organizers are usually made from canvas or some type of fabric, providing you with a functional and lightweight storage alternative. 

Custom Furniture for Small Spaces 

All these dresser alternatives can work for small bedrooms. But the best way to ensure enough storage is to choose customized furniture to fit your space. 

We have an array of furniture collections here at T.Y. Fine Furniture, and we can customize the size for you as needed. But if you have more particular needs for your room, we’ll be happy to provide you with solutions. We have created unique bespoke pieces that address the specific needs of homeowners and businesses.  

If you want to know more about this service, please feel free to contact us.

Check out the custom furniture we created for our clients here:

Custom Wood Furniture Portfolio

Learn more about custom furniture here:

Custom Furniture in Columbus Ohio

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