Whether you live in a tiny apartment or family home, finding new storage solutions is a priority for many! And one place that offers plenty of storage possibilities that’s often overlooked? It’s the back of your door! From your wardrobe to pantry, bedroom door and everything in between, we’re here to show you there’s a world of possibilities to utilise this space.
Today, we’ve pulled together our 17 favourite back of door storage ideas, whether on, above or behind!
Related article: Clever kitchen storage in this contemporary kitchen renovation
Related article: Sophisticated, clever home storage in a suburban townhouse
1. Over-the-door rack or robe hooks in the bathroom
The first of our back of door storage ideas may be simple, but it can make all the difference! If you have a swinging door in the bathroom, using an over the door rack or fixing robe hooks onto the door, instantly provides valuable storage space. Use it to hang towels, bath robes or even bathroom decor. Best of all, they’re tucked out of view, keeping that clean bathroom look we all want.
2. Behind door shelves or narrow bookshelf
It may seem impossible but it’s not! You can use the dead space behind your door to create a narrow bookshelf or install picture ledge shelves. There are loads of ideas on Pinterest but this stylish one by Sarah at Ugly Duckling House is one of the best examples we’ve seen.
This is a great storage solution for a small bedroom where it may not be possible to have larger freestanding furniture. And it would also work well in a small nursery where there’s limited wall space to create a reading nook.
3. Inside door gift wrapping station or pop up craft room
If you love gift wrapping as much as us, chances are you have A LOT of gift wrap and ribbons to organise! Here’s a clever idea on how you can do that using the modular Elfa storage products. This one uses a central bracket that’s fixed into the door so you won’t see any brackets over the top when the cupboard is closed.
4. Back of door hat hanger
A fabulous way to store — and display — your hats is with a hat hanger. Available in many different styles, we adore this locally made macrame hat hanger from Sage & Twine. Slim enough to hang from behind your bedroom door or in a wardrobe but so gorgeous you can also use them like wall art in your bedroom!
5. Above-the-door shelf
Sometimes the answer to our storage dilemmas is to go up! Most homes will have a gap between the door frame and ceiling, and this can be the perfect place to fix an above-the-door shelf. While you wouldn’t want to use this solution in every room of the home, in an office, craft room or play room, we think it’s a genius idea!
6. Over-the-door organiser
This simple yet versatile panel organiser from Temple & Webster is practical and stylish. Simply hang the organiser over the door and you’ve got yourself an instant storage solution with easy access. Suitable for a range of uses around the home, see how it’s been used to organise accessories in the image below. Bonus points for the minimalist white design that drops away.
7. Behind door shoe storage hack
Got too many shoes to keep organised? TikToker @Ash_Mul shares her clever organisation hack behind her bedroom door… using towel racks! Don’t knock it ’til you try it 😉
8. Slim behind-door storage rack
Versatile storage racks like this steel storage rack from Amara are the perfect fit in tight spaces. Squeeze one of these behind your office door or in the pantry to hold everything from cookbooks to tea towels.
9. Behind door spice rack
Gina recently created her version of the ultimate spice drawer but in many kitchens drawer space is limited. The solution? Utilise your walls! The wall space inside a pantry (or with the right racks, the back of your pantry doors) is the perfect spot to create a dreamy spice rack like the one below. Don’t forget to complete the look with labels and you can buy those fabulous spice labels on Etsy here 😉
10. Kmart tray as earring holder hack
A budget friendly hack you may have seen in our Kmart hacks to organise your home article is this metal tray turns earring holder. Clever mama Paige came up with this space saving idea which also prevents your earrings from getting tangled. You can mount the Kmart tray to the inside of your wardrobe or behind a wall to display your jewellery in a neat and fun way.
11. Behind door hanging storage bags
Ok, not everyone has floor space available. If you’re trying to get things off the floor, these hanging storage bags from HomieFun may be the multifunctional solution to all your storage woes. Their compact design is ideal for that dead wall space behind swinging doors and we can see these working well in an office to kids room.
12. Behind door kids book storage
So this one may or may not work in your space… it relies on the door jam not being hard in the corner. Loads of people online have found a slim sling bookshelf like this one from Interior Secrets is perfect to slot into various tight corners of a small children’s bedroom. Sling storage bookshelves are a lovely mix of practicality and neat. With easy access for children, this bookshelf is a must-have for any young bookworm!
13. Wine rack as a towel holder hack
This round up is a mix of conventional… and not so conventional ideas, ha ha! Seriously though, we’ve never seen a wine rack repurposed as a towel holder — have you? Finding space for towel storage can be tough so placing a floating towel holder behind your bathroom door isn’t all that crazy. It’s guaranteed to add an extra element to your bathroom, as well as ease of access for yourself and guests.
14. Back of door hanging handbag holder
Another item you can easily store on the back of a door are your handbags. Cue the hanging handbag holder. Generally designed with a coat-hanger hook, you can hang these from the back of a bedroom door or inside your wardrobe. And for the savvy shoppers out there, Kmart has released one for under $10!
15. Over the door shoe organiser… in the pantry!
TikTok has already given us a great way to organise shoes, but @kerrihardman shares her water bottle storage tip with a hanging shoe organiser. Other people have commented to say they use the organiser to store everything from candles to spices to stuffed animals!
16. Back of door coat rack or hooks
Yes, it’s an obvious one… but do you have a coat rack? These can fix directly into the back of your door or onto the wall behind your door. Or if you have some wall space available in your entry, we love the idea of creating a mini mudroom / drop zone and have all the tips to do that here.
In any case, a coat rack is a great idea to hold your valuables. Our fave is this modern design CONLON hook rack from Freedom — sure to fit in any contemporary home!
17. Back of door Cabidor storage cabinet
While not widely available in Australia, we thought we’d share this new storage solution out of America that shows some out of the box thinking. This cabinet attaches to your door to provide extra storage space. Suitable for the kitchen, bathroom or any other room of the home, their motto is ‘less clutter, more space’. We’re onboard for that!
Do you use the space behind your doors? Do you have any other storage tips or hacks to share? We’d love to hear your ideas for using the space behind your door in the comments below!
More organising ideas here
Disclaimer: This post was first published in September 2021. It contains some affiliate links. This means that when you click on a link and purchase something from that site, we may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.
