8 Ways To Utilize A Door For Storage When You Don't Have Any Other Space

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If you have more stuff than your small home can handle, it can feel like you're fighting a losing battle against storage. After all, when you don't have space to spare, every inch matters, and you may find yourself wondering if a life of minimalism is optional. Before getting a donation box ready, there is one last area of prime vertical real estate to consider: your doors.

From store-bought over-the-door hangers to DIY organizers, your door provides the perfect solution to maximize storage space in your small home. Even a single wire basket mounted to the back of your door can free up space elsewhere, all while remaining tidy and organized for easy access. And, while your mind may first go to those classic sectioned storage bags, shoes aren't the only things you can store on your door. Instead, the doors in your home can be a great place to store everything from extra clothes to household supplies.

Before diving into all the creative ways you can maximize your space, however, there is one important thing to keep in mind. Overall, over-the-door storage is considered safe, with little to no risk of damage, but some problems can pop up. This is especially true if your storage containers are too heavy or aren't properly mounted, which can lead to cosmetic damage or alignment issues.

While those iconic shoe storage hangers aren't your only option, they can be a great place to start. Storing your shoes behind the door to your closet or mudroom can easily free up your floor while keeping your shoes tidy and contained. These shoe storage solutions may not be out of sight and out of mind, like hiding your favorite trainers in a stylish cupboard, but they are more space-savvy. You also have a variety of options to choose from, whether that's an easy-to-use plastic or mesh shoe organizer or a more eye-catching, patterned design.

Old jeans can be repurposed into storage solutions perfect for small items, whether for organizing accessories like jewelry and sunglasses, or craft supplies and tools. For this DIY, you can cut out a square around each of your jean pockets, then frame them — possibly gluing the inside of the jeans to the frame's backing for extra stability. Then, all you need to do is use over-the-door hooks or similar hardware to hang your organizer on the back of a door.

Adding baskets or even shelving to the door of your pantry gives you more space to store dry or canned goods without needing to renovate your entire kitchen. There are wire baskets specifically designed to optimize your food storage, such as Walmart's Lavish Home 6-tier Over the Door Organizer. However, if you're not opposed to drilling holes in your doors, you could mount shelves for a more permanent, intentional look.

Whether you prefer to use a mesh bag, wire baskets, or even a DIY alternative to store-bought storage, you can use over-the-door organizers for your household cleaners. Use the door to your laundry room or similar area, keeping your household cleaners out of sight while freeing up storage and leaving your go-to cleaning supplies easily accessible. If you opt for smaller baskets or individual hooks, you can even use the back of your kitchen or bathroom cabinets instead of a door.

Remember that shoe organizer from before? If you already have one on hand, but don't need it to store your shoes, there are other ways to put it to work. For example, a shoe organizer can be the perfect solution for your bedroom closet, providing a new space to keep your socks, ties, swimsuits, and other small clothing items tidy without the need for a bulky dresser. Just make sure that if you did use it for shoes, you give it a good wash first, following the manufacturer's instructions.

If you think that the storage in your closet is the only place for storing your clothes, think again. By installing rods or adding an over-the-door rod to the back of your door, you can extend the space available for hanging your clothes. This means no more overflowing closets or clothes left in a pile all over your room due to a lack of space. You can also use these in other places you may hang clothes, such as over the bathroom door for robes or on a door near your entryway for jackets.

With a similar trick, you can also use the doors of your house (and cabinets, if you wish) to store towels. However, instead of purchasing a closet rod for this task, you'll want to pick up a towel rod, which can be a bit smaller and easier to squeeze into more spots around your home, or hooks. But the best part? With so many hardware options available, you can tailor this behind-the-door storage to your existing aesthetic for a cohesive look.

If you have a small bathroom, finding room for a bulky laundry hamper can be a hassle. As a result, you may find yourself leaving clothes on the floor, especially if your hamper is in a different room and you're in a hurry. To keep your area tidy without using up the little space you have for foot traffic and other essentials, you can opt for an over-the-door hamper, such as Walmart's Cheers.US Mesh Hanging Laundry Hamper. This functions similarly to organizers or baskets, but are easy to remove and reinstall for easy access.