Home office storage ideas have a number of important criteria that must be met. The room’s storage space should now be spacious enough, as should the expected future needs; make everything easy to find; and it should contribute to the aesthetics of the space.
Failure to meet any of these measures can result in a space that is cluttered, shortens productive hours, and looks more corporate than stylish. In other words, whether there are many documents and lots of reference materials, office equipment and more, or if the requirements are minimal, storage is essential as part of your home office ideas.
Discover our favorite home office storage solutions and the advice of designers and professional organizers to meet your needs.
Home Office Storage Ideas
The best home office storage ideas will match what you want to store and the aesthetics of your room. Consider both freestanding furniture and custom cabinetry, and also consider whether your storage ideas should be open or closed, or some of both types.
1. Use storage as decor
Credit: Creative Tonic
The home office storage ideas you select can be an attractive feature of the room while fulfilling their function – and these can be beautiful bookshelf ideas.
“Using decorative boxes in the open shelves to store smaller items such as photos, extra pens, or stationery is a smart and visually appealing use of space — you get storage and decor in one,” says Courtnay Tartt Elias of Creative Tonic design (opens in new tab)†
In a similar vein, I like to keep flower vases in the open shelves of bookcases for a pop of color that feels fun and whimsical. And if you need them for your last fresh flower arrangement, they’re super easy to get to.”
Choosing a stylish storage basket (or two) is also a great way to hide clutter in style. Whether on the floor or on a shelf. Match yours to your home office style for a seamless solution.
2. Make the most of the space behind the desk
Credit: Benjamin Johnston Design
When planning your home office setup, keep in mind that the space behind a desk can be the ideal place to place storage furniture, and a tall, low design can do double duty.
“We like to add an extra space behind the desk to hide unwanted items and tuck them away neatly,” explains Benjamin Johnston of Benjamin Johnston Design (opens in new tab)† “Not only does this hide items you don’t want to see, but it can also act as an additional work area if needed.”
3. Opt for a storage wall
Credit: Lauren Ramirez
Keep a home office spacious by choosing to have all the storage space the room needs on one wall. This is a particularly good solution for smaller rooms, as there is no need to include separate freestanding pieces, and the desk can be positioned centrally.
Follow the example of this room with cabinets with decorative details that make the storage a beautiful feature.
4. Plan to Hide Technology
Credit: Creative Tonic
Consider items best to hide when choosing home office storage ideas. ‘For the less attractive office supplies you need, such as printers, closed cabinets are ideal,’ says Courtnay Tartt Elias.
You may also want a custom solution for documents rather than freestanding furniture. “Incorporating filing cabinets into your bookcases is a great way to both increase the usable area of the desk above and ensure that all the storage space needed for a functional home office is cohesive and beautiful,” she says.
5. Take advantage of vertical space
Credit: Brent Darby
One of the best home office design tips we can give is using vertical space – and this is doubly important in a small home office.
Some of the items kept in a home office may be records that need to be kept but rarely consulted. Remember to use the room’s vertical space to maximize what can be stored there without making the room feel cluttered.
If the room has a high ceiling, a library ladder like this one makes it easy to retrieve items if needed and adds to the coziness of a book-lined office.
6. Categorize and Contain
Credit: K&H Design
The best home office storage ideas allow you to group smaller items together, and you may want to put them in labeled containers so they can be easily found by everyone in your house.
This is the method Pamela Meluskey and Larisa Bright, founders of the luxury organization company Settled (opens in new tab) to advise. Break down stationery into clear categories and label each bin or basket appropriately:
- Technical accessories (phone cases, Apple watch bands);
- Charging (phone chargers, portable batteries) – be sure to use cord winders to keep cords tidy;
- audio (headphones);
- Shipping (envelopes, stamps, wrapping paper);
- Supplies (basic office supplies such as tape, glue, scissors, etc);
- Files – sometimes it can make sense to have two file boxes: one for important documents or paperwork that is rarely consulted (birth certificates, marriage certificates); one for everyday needs (children’s school papers, items to follow up, things to submit);
- Sentimental – offices are a great place to store sentimental items if you have the real estate. One box or tray per family member.’
If you have a few desk organizers handy, you should be able to hide this clutter with ease and style.
7. Pack Storage to Swap
(Image credit: Future)
Home office storage should always be planned with the activities taking place there in mind. While closed storage or a combination of open and concealed is suitable for many, open shelves or cubbies will be preferred for some professions and interests.
Fabric samples and pattern books, for example, need deep and generous storage space and cubicles because this room is a practical solution and turns the room into a stimulating creative space.
Apply the same wisdom when organizing a desk – categorization and layout according to your needs ensure the best productivity in the home office.
Also note the lighting ideas for home offices in this space. Mounted on the wall, you can maximize the storage space on your desk as it takes up no space.
8. Reuse beautiful accessories for storage
Credit: Sims Hilditch
While elegant home office storage furniture is on offer, home office storage ideas can include repurposing items.
“Use something beautiful, interesting and unconventional to hold your stuff,” suggests Kristin Kong of K Kong Designs (opens in new tab)† “From pots and trays to teacups and cans, unusual or sentimental objects will provide much more creative inspiration throughout the day.
“We also like to use baskets under a desk to hide all kinds of things, including trash cans, no one wants to see that.”
9. Be efficient in a small home office
(Image credit: Future)
Maximize productivity in a small home office with storage that’s close at hand. ‘Remember the ‘within reach’ rule, say Pamela Meluskey and Larisa Bright. “Everything you need to finish your work should be within easy reach, either on your desk or in your desk drawers.
‘For top or desk: think of a charging or docking station for extra tablets or laptops. For desk drawers: One of all the office supplies you need – with overflow or backstock supplies in a closet nearby.”
In this small office space, recessed shelves bring more office supplies around. In really small spaces, hidden desks, with flip-up lids for concealed storage for home offices, are a wonderful way to organize the space.
10. Surround yourself with storage space for your home office
Credit: Flower Michelin
Combining home office storage with a desk can be a neat solution for small rooms as well as rooms with an awkward shape, such as this narrow version. The effect is tight and the atmosphere and cocooning promote good concentration.
Custom cabinets provide the optimum amount of storage space and can be adjusted in depth to suit individual requirements.
How do I organize my office storage?
To efficiently organize office storage, always get rid of it before you start as it’s easy to collect paperwork that is no longer needed, outdated technology and more. Destroy everything that is confidential and donate everything that can be useful to others.
After that, it’s worth making a list of exactly what you should have in the room — or office space — to make sure you include everything in your organizational plan.
Think of categories: from small items like stationery to larger items like printers and scanners, so you can keep like with like. Then plan which part of the room they should go into with the most used items closest to you.
How do I add storage space to a small office?
Start with the desk to add storage space to a small office. If yours is just a tabletop, consider swapping for a drawer design. Make use of the walls too, with shelves above the desk, as well as any other free wall space. To further increase storage space, consider storage furniture on wheels. This gives you the option to move it out of the room when you’re there to create extra space, then put it back into the home office when you’re done for the day.