A Storage Solution for Small Homes 

I like what you said - “Many people’s tendency is to buy homes that are larger and find nice looking pieces to fill the empty spaces.”

The explanation about 2x4s with the animation is something I never knew I needed.

future video idea : 1. interview your wife (who i assume is not a minimalist) on how she copes with living small. because i do really want to know her perspective on living tiny :) 2. things you hate when living tiny 3. cons on living tiny btw, i do really love your videos and your tiny home. i like the fact that you didnt renovate the house and keep it very simple and very cost effective. most videos on tiny homes, they cost alot to build. very glad that you made this channel and share it with everyone! sent my regards to your lovely wife xx

Dude the quality is of the videos is through the roof. Pure amazing this. Keep on grinding, and remember growth to effor ratio isn't linear.

I've see some apartments look upward and leverage their ceiling space to keep less used items on a pulley mechanism. You have strategically used every bit of floor space in your home but maintained an open feeling. That alone is a triumph!!! 👍🏼

Love this idea but wish you would have shown us more video footage of the finished product

Thank you SO MUCH for the idea of building a bed out of Malm dressers. We changed the idea a little bit as my bedroom as slighly bigger than the one you build the bed for. My Malm bed is only attached to the wall at the head end and consists of three Malm dressers. There is just enough space on both sides to fully open the drawers. That way I have even more storage room! I also put a slatted frame on top of the whole thing to make it more comfy. My girlefriend is 6" and I am 6"2 so getting in bed is absolutely no problem. This idea improved my life a lot! I went from being annoyed by my smallbedroom and all the mess from the furniture there being stuffed with clothes to being totally happy with it. Three Malm dresser plus my old Pax wardrobe are enough to store all clothes and accessoires in my appartment.

Another excellent source for storage in a small space is on the wall above the door thru which you enter a room. In the bedroom shown here, a 10" or 12" deep shelf is mounted high enough to clear the door frame and it runs from wall to wall, allowing for very accessible "attic space". Hobby and craft items can be stored in decorative boxes along with out of season clothing or the oversized bowls that only see usage at the holidays. Sometimes there is also space this high at the end of a hallway. By using the space above the entry door, the room stays more visually spacious as you enter.

TIP: Think like a college student. We gotta fit all our crap into a very tiny space. Bed risers are a game changer. They might not be the most attractive thing in the world but they allow for so much storage.

Again, this is pure gold. I love the idea of making the furniture fit the need, rather than buying furniture and squeezing your life around it.

would loved to have seen the completely finished bed, not only the dressers and the frame, but a few more shots with the mattress and bedding on top... :)

Being a minimalist isn't about getting rid of as much stuff as possible, but only holding onto the things that bring joy and purpose in your every day life.

2 days ago i took down my bed from a diy i had done with 3 kallax. I had spent 2 years with my bed like that and always thought it was amazing. However, now that the bed is back down to regular height, i feel like my room is so much bigger and airier! You had mentioned in one of your other videos that high furniture actually makes a room feel alot smaller than it really is and 100% thats true. Don't put your bed at a height unless it's absolutely necessary

Daniel, this is incredible man. As a fellow designer I applaud this level of thought about user needs, context, environmental factors, cost etc. The design of the bed frame is brilliant. Instantly subscribed. Loving your videos my friend.

Can't say that I agree with you in that having 102 items of clothing makes you a maxmilist. It's about what I have and that seems about right for dealing with the variable UK weather. I really admire your vision in being able to think about how you were going to use the space and come up with workable solutions. I very much doubt that I would have been able to.

This is awesome! Another option to consider is a Japanese shikibuton. They are futons that you can put on the floor to sleep, and then roll up and put them away during the day. The idea is that you only use the futon for sleeping 1/3 of the time, so why should it take up over half of your living space? It'd be interesting to see what you could do with something like this!

Bruh even his wife isn’t a minimalist. I think I just found the English Matt D’Avella

When I lived in my previous flat so I made my float bed with three big Ikea shelfs (Kallax). I got big bed, big space under the bed for my stuff. I saved big space in my room. :)

I have a bed like that and it’s amazing. I’ve had it for two years now and wouldn’t change it. one of the drawers is a step though with storage in it. Also, my bed frame rests on a big board which is secured by hinges so that I can open and close it easily to access the space underneath the mattress.

Aloha Daniel! I feel for you. LOL My studio/mother-in-law is 300 sq. feet. No separate bedroom. Everything in one space. Very tiny kitchen and bathroom. So I've had to be very creative and really think outside the box to make everything work. It's been a daunting experience, but oh so gratifying and FUN! It's amazing how very little we need to be happy but still create a living space that soothes the senses and is practical. Thanks so much!

Having watched a lot of vanlife videos (where I first saw this storage idea, usually with the garage storage space under the bed), I still can’t believe how few people apply this principle to their houses, instead they tend to build an extension.

This was so useful! I have almost the identical problem. Same room size, trying to figure out under-the-bed storage. I was just looking at storage beds the other day and didn't find any that really worked. At the moment I have two desks, with the bed sat on top of them, and I store things in the space underneath. But I love the idea of the dressers!

Thank you! For actually addressing the challenge that is small living. So many videos just show off highly customised and expensive solutions that are rarely transferable. But your solution are. Thank you.

I bought a ready made bed which is basically wood screwed together and covered with thin fabric. When it get home I do feel like I could just made it by myself. Your ideas are awesome!

Dude, your wife is not a maximalist. One closet and one dresser? She has less than most women actually. Maybe not a minimalist but she hasn't filled every room in your house with clothes and stuff.

I'd get dressers for the whole way round and put the ones on the wall facing inward. That way off-season clothes, keepsakes, holiday stuff, etc. can go in those drawers and if you have a gas strut lift on the bed, you lift it up, go under to the drawers and you have a ton of storage under there. It's a lil bit of a production to get to, but you wouldn't have to do it often and no space is wasted. I have a lot of suitcases, but I nest them together and those could go down the middle under the bed.

I designed something similar for our London flat but with 4 smaller Malm dressers so suitcases could fill the gaps between the dressers and only needed two slabs of plywood to go on top and act as a support for the mattress. Great job!

Thank you for this idea have been stressing trying to make space in our apartment for YEARS! I went from researching how to store away beddings to save space, too thankfully run across your video.

See - there’s an architect’s mind. Brilliant.

Ha! I remember my first DIY project many years ago, a simple twin bed because my family couldn't afford one. I vividly remember the heartbreak when I realized 2x4 isn't actually 2x4 and all my plans had to be re-drawn. Good times :)

Would love to have an architect's mind to apply to my small space. This is an awesome result!

I came across this video via RU-vid’s suggestion and I’m hooked! Awesome practical tips on how to maximise space without breaking the bank. Defo coming back to see more. Keep making awesome videos Dan. You’re a legend!

We did something similar for our daughter, but with IKEA kitchen elements. In between 2 elements we‘ve left out a gap so she can get under the bed for even more storage. It worked, her mess is gone 🤣

This is the exact same layout as my first flat. I absolutely loved that place , more than anywhere ive lived since but cant imagine sharing it with someone especially if they brought a ton of stuff with them!

We have a small house and what we’ve done is put under bed storage boxes under the beds. There’s about 3 under each bed so it holds all out extra “stuff” There’s also space for a suitcase. And we keep an extra suitcase on top of a wardrobe. Other wardrobes have storage boxes too with seasonal items which are less needed.

Very thought provoking. I had never thought about what a space waster a bed is. The dresser drawer hack is intriguing.

Loved the video! Our flat is a bit smaller than yours (one room studio in east London with 236 usable sqf), so imagine how much we need to optimize! When we moved in, we did go for an Otoman bed (not too expensive with discount), because we needed more storage space. It's been a blessing so far! But I ABSOLUTELY LOVE your bed! It's such a great idea! I would maybe go for a double drawer instead of tripple, just to reduce the height a bit, and since you're building a sturcture for the mattress, maybe even add the hidraulic arms from an otoman bed into it, so you can easily raise the mattress and access the space below it. Saving this video and keeping the idea for the future! Loved it!

I really loved that program you used in order to plan out your ideas 💡 for when your wife moves in. The video demonstrates to me that a woman can still have the things necessary to live a minimalistic life without sacrificing! Also, I really liked idea of storage under the bed, around the bed and using only space that is necessary, I found that very practical. Thank you for the amazing content! 👍🏼🙂

This is great! I need to repurpose a room now used for storage in our small condo for a bedroom for our two grandkids. So, I need two beds and room for boxes and files, etc. I’ve been thinking of putting the beds on some kind of chests or cabinets so we can have enough storage while accommodating the beds. The dresser idea is actually perfect. The only drawback is we have to double the number of dressers we need because we need two beds, but I’m pretty sure it will still cost less than having the beds custom built. Thanks for sharing your idea!

What about above the bed, though? Either along the walls or over the whole bed with a post in the corner. Alkove or canopy beds are wonderful to sleep in, because you feel hidden from the world. I get that the dressers are way more convenient, and that there might be concerns about the sturdiness, but it would mean that the bed isn't as high up. You could also combine the two

Genius! I live in a Studio.... And have been looking for a solution for years. You guys just upgraded my life.... I'm so grateful for you and Nish🤩

Very nice solution. I thought about doing something similar but my partner is also 5'2 and we have a larger bedroom with space all around the bed. So I built our bed from Kallax units with a slatted portion in the middle. This gives us lots of cubes for storing various things around the perimeter, we added a couple of drawer inserts for smaller items and there is a large open space in the middle where we can store bulky items. Really happy with how it worked out and it's a very flexible storage solution.

I am always amazed by the intelligent and smart storage & furniture solutions of small spaces and tiny houses. But even as a very tidy person I would never live together with another person -voluntarily- in such a tiny place without having a nice space to retreat for myself. It is not always about „stuff“ but about healthy distance & privacy. Plus I am not a eat-out/take-away person so I want a decent kitchen with work-and storage space. But each to his own.

Sometimes some of these videos absolutely don't relate to me but I just be watching them. Mostly because I love them and I like what they teach...I also aspire to create good and decluttered spaces.

Would love to see how the slats fit on top. I'm in a similar situation (living in a small apartment in HK) with my wife and I constantly traveling. Trying to see how we can adapt this and make the removal of luggage a little more seamless.

Keep it up. I enjoy hearing a sophisticated and professional approach to living in small apartments in dense urban areas.

I love this video. I really like watching diy furnitures, plateform beds or ikea hacks but this one is very flowy, you're guided in the problem, conception and making which is very pleasant!

So pleased you popped up on my RU-vid Feed! Going to binge watch a few episodes now :)

That's very nice and for sure something I would like to do if I'll have a need of having more storage in the future. Thank you for the idea. For now I only have a mattress on the carpet (actually the same one as you have, just a smaller size, so it should be easy to build a frame under). I used to work in IKEA and I have to say, customers like you were always my favourite. Being creative and trying to find new solutions with them was fun. I don't work there anymore, but I sure miss it.

The first point is perfect, all of my furniture is duel function and has storage compartments in them which allows me to have more free space in my bed room etc.

The idea just blew my mind... literally WOW

I live in a small studio apartment myself. I have an ikea futon as my bed and during the day I can turn it into a couch. Its opened up so much space. I love it. I love the idea of your bed frame.

Ugh! how annoying it must've been to do all those measurement conversions! Your solutions are so creative! When my spouse and I moved in together, we have been trying to figure out how to merge our stuff. The "murphy" desk in your previous video turned out to be perfect for our need to have a flexible living/work/workout space. Thank you!

Absolutely brilliant. And you showed us the simplicity behind it. Loved this teachable moment.

Love the way you simplified the whole process. Thank you.

Your videos are amazingly informative and aesthetically pleasing as well. Great job Daniel! Well done! Would love to see your *Minimalist Wardrobe* next

An architect living in the UK ! finally someone creating things and giving ideas for things I cxan replicate !! Thanks God !! And your videos and work ! :D

Great video! Love your production style and editing. Very cool diy solution. I'm flabbergasted that I could watch this entire video, not actually see you create the DIY but genuinely feel I wasn't cheated. Kudos to you! ✌️✨ Your diy solution was brilliant.

GREAT DESIGN! So how do you get the suitcases out from under the bed if it is custom build with drawers all around it? can you do a video of how it is now that you are using it? I would love to see it

Your voice is smooth as butter omg

Brilliant ideas in there Dan. Would have loved to see shots of the finished project!

Great video Daniel! Glad to see you talking more about SketchUp, which I asked about in the previous video. I started looking into it for my nonprofessional architecture curiosity and I'll be giving it a try pretty soon (lockdown time perfect to learn new skills). The bedroom setup is brilliant and I'm sure there was a high sense of achievement making this all by yourself 👏 Love the editing style which "follows" you through the flat - definitely keep it! I'm sure this little gem of a channel will soon grow out to get more views and appreciation. Stay safe! 🤘

The crisp & clarity or your voice is one of the reasons i keep watching your vids. Keep it up bro

Love this idea! This is something i would like to do, however i have already managed to get a bed from ikea with four drawers which takes up almost the whole underside of the bed. Very handy. I put things i dont need often in the drawers near my bedside tables, and things i need more often in the other two. To be honest though, i think the best storage solution is simply getting rid of stuff. Suddenly you have wayyy more storage space for free!

I have an Ikea metal frame bed that boxes fit under easily. It's perfect for storage in my studio flat. I also have the Hemnes day bed (from when I was in a studio that was too tiny to accommodate my bed), that I use as a settee, which has 3 huge drawers for storage. I have too much stuff and I'm trying to declutter, but I do try and make most of my furniture double up and earn their place in my one room. I have a pine linen and towels chest (from when I was in a big two bed flat) that doubles as a coffee table. My drop leaf dining table does triple duty as a cooking work surface, desk and sewing table, but rarely as a place for eating. My old Kallax unit acts as a separation between the living area and the kitchen area. It has baskets that house cables and other odds and ends. Plus plants 🙂 My pine chest, Kallax unit and day bed all have castors, as I'm really small and a weakling. If I need to move them (such as when a friend came to stay and I needed to pull out the day bed) it's quick and easy. Storage needs to be accessible, which is harder in a small space. I avoid putting things up high as I'm shorter than 5 feet 2 inches :D It's really difficult when you can't reach the top shelf in your kitchen cupboards, even with a step stool, and there are only 3 of them! So, I had to buy storage furniture. I opted for a trolley to store the things that I'm happy to have on show. The cupboards hide the rest. I've found that stuff I don't use much can be put up and got down if they're in storage baskets, and I use a grab stick. Just. I think that storage is easier when you're tall and you can reach up high, and everything isn't way above your eye level 😄

Ohhhh Daniel!!! YOU ARE A BRIT!!! how wonderful, the second you spoke, I knew it!! I love the UK RU-vid home solutions - what is the point in watching the USA ones, when you can't actually go out and buy the products. Home Depot!!! Yeah?? I am sure they deliver!!!

When I put in a new kitchen when I bought my home, I took some space from my bedroom. Don't regret that, but I can't put any dresser in there since my bed is too large. I'm was planning to get a smaller bed with drawers but this build with the MALM dressers looks like a perfect solution for my problem. Gonna measure up and order timber and make it a project for the autumn! Cheers!

Extremely creative and incredibly practical. Loved how you used your training to solve a real world problem. Great job !

omg... this the smartest idea for under-the-bed storage.. I was still confused throughout the video until the end where it showed how the dressers are used as supports like wow..

Perfect and creative idea for tiny spaces.. Thanks for sharing Daniel..

Stumbled on this video, saw those hand sketches and immediately thought, “He’s an architect.” So as a fellow architect, I’m gonna hit that subscribe button.

This is so helpful! I already have all the lumber I need thanks to my other "hobby" so making something like this would be simple and so great to have a place to put all of the winter clothes and blankets!

Wow, the timing couldn't have been better. I'm finally getting moving out and got a fairly large 800sqft 1bed apartment but will definitely follow this idea of bed to keep everything neat and tidy.

This is a brilliant idea Daniel. I wish there was a single bed version or design for even smaller rooms. Any chance you could come up with something for that?

I wish I could design my home similar to this, for everything to have multi-purpose items/furniture. Unfortunately living in a shared space makes a little harder

I really like your videos and almost never comment to videos of anyone. Minimalism and the content & the way you deliver are really freshing and clearing mind to be more organized. Please upload regularly and I am sure people like me would support your blog more reachable to many people.

I went the easy route and bought Zinus 18 inch clearance smart base bedframes, metal foldout super high floor clearance bedframes. Then I slide anything under an use a bedskirt to conceal the storage. But I love this idea with drawers and an enclosed cubby hole!

great idea for our future home, we travel a lot suitcases take up so much space in the bedroom, thanks a ton!

Brilliant bed idea. I have seen a similar thing but you explain it so clearly. I wish I'd done that ...

Your minimalist philosophy aside, some of the tiny solutions and dual purpose pieces may look great, but as a busy mom I can tell you that user friendly sometimes means single purpose rather than multiple-adjustment items :) I think 'cheap' has a completely different connotation from 'economical'... I like the finished product and the adult-sized bunk-style bed makes me smile. I suppose the step stool also doubles for a side table, unless you have a headboard shelf or floating wall shelves? Also, maybe wall mounted or hanging reading lights?

this is truly a game changer. what a way to think outside the box.

im 3 years late but this video is super helpful for me, i just started an ikea spree again to try to free up space in my office - now i need to look at swapping the bed frame lol

I love the idea of getting the most useable space out of the house. I too would like to Your your wife's perspective and minimalism. Great videos. Keep up the good work.

I really LOVE your videos and affordable solutions. I've been searching for a storage bed that I can afford and don't hate. I already have 1 Malm Dresser, and we are tall so I would actually love a higher bed. I wonder if I could do 3 of them since we have both sides available with a decent amount of room. Thanks again for sharing this!

100% the best video I have seen these past couple of weeks in my recommended

I arrived at much the same solution in 1973 which I was using up until I moved from N.A to Italy where my 'untreated' ply and 2x4s were not allowed entry. Bed height ended up at about 3'. With a 5 drawer highboy next to the top half of the bed and a storage trunk next to that, access was never a problem -

I live in a one room studio apartment in Switzerland. Very reasonable rent. There is a built in cupboard and storage in the kitchen area. Have no problems fitting all of my possessions into this space. Even though we have four different seasons. My cellar in the basement is empty. A great lifestyle for myself. Also living in Zurich is very nice and practical. Ikea have some nice stuff but it does not last more than a decade.

Happy to see you in your videos. I love the Matt D'avella reminiscence.

Daniel... I have a similar challenge and dilemma, and the only way I can see me succeeding is by following all of your steps (one way or the other). I’ve started by reducing clutter; buying minimalist clothing (thanks to yours and Matt’s video on that) and well I’m an infrastructure designer (not architect) and have designed a new layout for a very small room I’m about to move into!! I’d love to discuss this with you at some point??

I dont know how Google knows, but I was looking for ways to optimize my room space and your video was spot on. Thanks!

I did the same type of thing to maximize bedroom space. It worked really well.

The Uni-Ball, Uni Pin 'fine line' drawing pen... the ultimate in refined fineliner luxury.

That's genius! This channel is the best recommendation youtube ever gave me.

Your idea of bed storage is great.

Wow that is absolutely brilliant. I'm moving into a appartment with a small bedroom that might not fit a closet, so this might be the perfect solution. I might steal this one from ya buddy.

Heck I got a 18” high bed frame and average plastic storage bins slide right underneath. Then I made sure to buy a bed skirt. I also bought plastic zip up moving bags for extra quilts and comforters underneath. All delivered by Amazon.

Omg you’re a lifesaver thank you so so much now I know what to do for my daughter’s bedroom 😊 thank you thank you thank you x

OMG I love the fold-up table. I don't have room for a dining table in my condo, so I need a solution like that if it does not cost thousands of dollars.

I'M SO BUILDING THIS. I don't have enough space for all my shit and I need a tall bed so this is a total win win situation, thank you so so much!

Inspiring! It’s so enjoyable to watch your creative inspirations and problem solving skills come together.