How to Organise an Ottoman Bed

Yes, we'd recommend sorting out your items before storing them in your ottoman bed. Not only will this help you figure out a layout to get the optimal amount of storage from your bed, but it also means you can do some inventory. This will help you decide what you want to keep and what can be thrown away or donated, ensuring you can maximise your space!

Ottoman beds are exceptionally versatile storage beds for the amount of storage space they have to offer, as you have the entire space inside the bed frame to use. As such, you can store various items, including:

• Luggage
• Clothes
• Books
• Files
• Shoes
• Spare bedding
• Board games
• Christmas decorations

These are just a few examples of what you can store in an ottoman bed, but the possibilities are endless. As long as it fits and you can close the bed securely, it can be stored away! Just remember that the amount of space you can use with your ottoman bed directly correlates to the size of bed you pick – a super king size ottoman bed offers more storage than a single ottoman bed, for example.

Organising your ottoman bed is easier when you invest in storage, such as boxes or bags, to split up your items. Not only does this make it easier to access your items, but it helps to keep them safe and secure from dust and more. Some great ways to store your items include:

Boxes

Whether plastic, cardboard or wooden, a storage box is a great way to store items securely. Something important to remember is that the box isn't too high, as this could cause issues when you're trying to close the ottoman and potentially damage your bed and items!

Zip-up bags

If you have many smaller items, a plastic zip-up bag is ideal for grouping them without taking up much space.

Vacuum-pack bags

Clothes and bedding can take up a lot of space when stored away, so consider using a vacuum bag. A vacuum pulls the air out of the bag, flattening your items to a much smaller size and helping to keep them fresher for longer and safe from damage. For extra tips on storing your bedding, check out our how-to-store bedding guide!

If you're storing items, such as towels or bedding, that you use frequently, you'll want to ensure you can access them quickly. Keep these items closer to the edge of the bed so you can reach in and grab them without stretching to the centre or even the other side! In an end-lift ottoman, we'd recommend putting the items you often use at the very end where the ottoman bed opens, with the items you don't need to be placed towards the headboard.

For a side-lift ottoman, this will entirely depend on which side it has been built to open up on. If your bed opens on the left, place your frequently used items on the left, with seasonal or older items to the right where the mechanism is. Not only does this mean you can grab what you need quicker, but it also makes it safer to use, as it will reduce the risk of overbalancing when reaching in.

Organising your storage may seem like a major task at the beginning, but you'll be thanking yourself in the future when it's easy to find what you're looking for! There are plenty of ways to efficiently organise your ottoman storage, including:

Create zones

Divide up the space in your ottoman storage to give yourself 'zones' where specific items will go. This might be by season, if you're storing away clothes, or by type of item. Bedding could go in one corner, whilst another corner could store away your books, and so forth. If you're sharing a bedroom, you could split the space in half, giving both yourself and your partner half the space to use.

Employ strategic layering

Work out what will be at the bottom of your storage and layer your items on top depending on what you'll need access to the most. For example, put old clothes to the bottom and layer them with newer clothes or fresh bedding on top. This could also be a great way to ensure that more delicate items aren't accidentally damaged.

Make sure to use labels

Label bags and boxes clearly to make it easy to understand what is stored inside. Write what is inside in as much detail as possible - such as autumn clothing or summer bedding - to simplify organising your storage.

Rotate items seasonally

Instead of letting your clothing and decorations pile up in a forgotten corner, use your ottoman bed storage efficiently. With so much space at your fingertips, you'll be able to embrace all the latest fashion trends without giving up on crucial staple items ideal for use year after year. It will also ensure you have dedicated time to sort out your clothes from last season and decide what can stay or go.

Accessing the storage space in your ottoman bed frequently isn't just easy - it's expected! These storage beds are designed to be opened and closed often, so you can pop in and out as much as you need. If you'd like to learn more about ottoman beds in general, our ottoman bed buying guide explains more about these types of storage beds.

Opening an ottoman bed safely is easy, as it has been designed to make accessing the storage space inside simple and safe. Use the attached handle to lift the frame and mattress - most ottoman beds use gas-powered mechanisms that propel the frame up and hold it in place. Closing an ottoman bed is just as easy - all you need to do is push down on the frame, and the combination of your weight and the weight of your mattress will close it.

To reduce the risk of accidents, keep body parts away from the edges of your bed when opening and closing your ottoman bed. We also recommend giving your ottoman bed a monthly maintenance check to ensure everything works as it should and nothing has broken or needs to be replaced!

This will ultimately depend on what type of floor your ottoman bed has. Those with floating floors often use fabric that gives the appearance of a 'shadow' when looking at your bed from afar. As a result, the corners and edges are lifted, so to reduce the risk of tearing, nothing heavy should be placed on them.

An ottoman bed with a solid floor may have weight limits, though if it's resting against the floor, you might get away with heavier items. Double-check the product to ensure you can store everything you want to reduce the risk of causing any damage! Alternatively, some ottoman beds don't have any floor, so your items will be placed directly onto your bedroom floor. There's no weight limit here, but ensure you can retrieve the item with minimal risks – you don't want to fall over trying to grab it!

In general, we'd say that storing your items under your bed won't affect the mattress, as your bed is designed for this purpose. But we recommend avoiding anything that could emit gasses, break down, and cause a fire.

Also, don't store anything too tall in your ottoman bed, which will cause issues when closing it. Breaking the slats or even causing damage to the mattress or mechanism could be costly and time-consuming! Sharp items should also be avoided, as these risk piercing your mattress and potentially causing injury.