Not Bins Or Baskets: The Bedroom DIY That Can Hide Your Blanket Storage

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A few times a year, when the weather changes from cool winter months to warm summer nights, a seasonal shuffle takes place. You go to the back of your closet and dig up that lighter summer blanket. Then, you take that heavy winter duvet off the bed, and try to fit it into your closet without causing an avalanche of stuff. A couple of months later, you'll need to update your bedding again for the winter, and that whole dance starts over again. But it doesn't need to be that complicated. Instead of stuffing extra blankets deep into a closet or overcrowding an already full dresser, there's a simple trick: your night stand.

The idea for this DIY, which comes from Instagram creator @bayronhandmade, is to hide blankets in a nightstand. But that's not all. To cover it up and make it look aesthetically pleasing, they sewed curtains to hide the storage away. They matched the fabric used for those small curtains with the ones used for accent pillowcases, creating a cohesive look that feels intentional and high-end. For this hack, you must have the right type of bedside table: something with an open space where you can fit your blankets, like this LubanNese nightstand. You'll also need some fabric, scissors, and a sewing machine to create the curtain. If you don't have the latter, you can use a hot glue gun instead. The key thing you'll need is a small tension curtain rod that fits within the storage space of the open design beside table. If your blankets are too large and won't fit in the nightstand, consider using vacuum bags to make them smaller, which doubles as a space-saving storage solution for your closet.

The key for this DIY project is to pick a tension rod that fits nicely inside the open space in your bedside table. For example, if you're using IKEA's basic LILLBERGET nightstands, you'll need cupboard tension bars with an adjustable length that can stick into the 14-inch space, like these Qinnsou cupboard tension rods. For curtains, get pieces of fabric that are about 10 inches larger than what you need (for both length and width) so that you can create draping and sew your curtain pocket at the top. To create the rod pocket, fold the top 5 inches of fabric over and secure its edge in place with a sewing machine, keeping both ends open for the rod.

If you're a pro sewer, don't stop there: Make some hems on the remaining three sides of the fabric to make this DIY look extra polished. If you don't have a sewing machine or don't love to sew, you can create that folded pocket using a bit of hot glue. When you're done, slide the rod into the pocket, secure it in place between the inner walls of the nightstand, and you're done. You can do this hack with upcycled fabric, too, with old bed sheets and curtains. And of course, there's no need to stop at blankets. You can use this hack for storing extra pillows or fuzzy blankets, too. Looking for a spot to store your towels to save bathroom space? Perfect! If your closet is overflowing, why not toss some shirts in there too? And if you'd like to ditch nightstand clutter and cover up your books, retainer box, or reading glasses, you might as well throw in a DIY curtain for that as well.