These space-saving $19 bins from Walmart are perfect for adding storage to small bedrooms – the limited capacity forces me to declutter ruthlessly

They're renter-friendly, too

Small bedroom with bright window and natural accents. There is a wooden bed and nightstand, with a bench seat under the window
(Image credit: Becky Shea Design / Jake Shea)

My young daughter’s room is one space in the house that is in constant ‘being decluttered’ mode and these space saving bins with wheels are perfect for utilizing dead space under her bed.

Despite outgrowing her clothes and toys equally quickly, some items need seasonal rotations and these shallow, easy-to-slide-under beds plastic storage bins from Walmart with lids and wheels are just what we need for keeping items for the long haul.

Using the space under her bed as an easy-to-access small bedroom storage idea is all it takes to turn my child’s room from cluttered chaos to smartly streamlined.

How I use shallow storage bins to declutter a small bedroom

Wherever you lack space, go for vertical storage ideas, whether that’s by stacking bins on top of a closet or sliding them in that dead space under the bed or sofa.

These Walmart bins with lids are sturdy enough to withstand the constant pulling in and out, keeping surplus items out of sight, but easy to access.

I particularly love that the lids mean you can’t overfill them. I have to be ruthless when decluttering my daughter’s closet between seasons, as I know I have finite space to keep hold of summer clothing for the following year and she'll have grown out of most of them by then.

The lids also mean no risk of pests getting in to ruin clothes when left for months out of sight. If you have little holes appearing in your clothing, this is likely a sign you have moths in the house.

I’ve had used lidded bins without wheels for under bed and sofa storage, and they slide out super easily on carpet, but they may scratch or scuff a wooden floor so watch out for that storage mistake.

What to shop

Here are three smart storage solutions to help you utilize dead space in small rooms.


You can also use smart decluttering methods to keep small spaces under control without much thought or guilt, such as the didn’t know decluttering method. Or, you can chip away at it with the 10:10:10 decluttering method.

These are particularly useful if you are short on time, feel overwhelmed when decluttering, or have difficulty parting with your belongings.

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Punteha van Terheyden
Head of Solved

Punteha was editor of Real Homes before joining Homes and Gardens as Head of Solved. Previously, she wrote and edited lifestyle and consumer pieces for the national press for 16 years, working across print and digital newspapers and magazines. She’s a Sunday Times bestselling ghostwriter, BBC Good Food columnist and founding editor of independent magazine, lacunavoices.com. Punteha loves keeping her home clean, has tested and reviewed the latest robot vacuums, enjoys cooking, DIY, and spending weekends personalizing her newly-built home, tackling everything from plumbing to tiling and weatherproofing.

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