Small Apartment Storage Ideas from a Brisbane Design Store

Are you tired of tripping over boxes and squeezing past furniture in your small apartment?

The actual problem is how your storage works, or more accurately, how it doesn’t work for your lifestyle and daily needs.

At Made Minimal, we offer modern furniture and minimalist designs to help Australians use their space better. Our Brisbane team is familiar with small apartment storage and how it can improve your lifestyle.

So in this guide, we’ll share our small apartment storage ideas for Australian homes and help you maximise space while keeping things stylish and accessible.

First, we’ll look at your smart storage options.

Small Apartment Storage Hacks for Australian Homes

The average one-bedroom apartment in Brisbane is around 50 square metres. That’s tight. You need home storage solutions that do the job without eating up precious floor space.

Let’s look at what suits Australian homes best.

Maximise Your Furniture

Single-purpose furniture can take up too much space. Here are pieces that do double duty:

• Sofa Beds with Built-in Storage: These solve two problems at once. You get a guest sleeping space plus hidden storage for bedding, books, or seasonal clothing underneath.
• Coffee Tables with Hidden Compartments: Lift-top designs or drawer-equipped tables can keep remotes, magazines, and accessories tucked away. And your living room will stay tidy without sacrificing easy access to everyday items.
• Ottomans That Double as Storage Bins: Pop off the lid and store throws, toys, or shoes inside these ottomans. They can work as extra seating, footrests, and storage all in one compact piece.

Simple multi-tasking pieces like these can provide some extra space and keep clutter under control.

Use Your Walls Wisely

Floor space is precious in small apartments. Your walls offer metres of unused storage potential that most people completely ignore. Time to put that vertical real estate to work! Try these ideas:

• Floating Shelves: Mount them in kitchens for spices and oils, in bathrooms for toiletries, or in living areas for books and baskets. They create storage without taking up any of your valuable walking space.
• Wall Hooks and Over-Door Racks: Over-door organisers work brilliantly because you can hang them in bathrooms and bedrooms for shoes, accessories, or cleaning supplies without drilling a single hole. Coats, bags, towels, and accessories will all stay off your floors and furniture. 
• Pegboards in Kitchens and Laundry Nooks: Similarly, you can use pegboards to store your pots, utensils, and cleaning tools within reach. The rearranging of hooks makes it easy to adapt your space as your needs change, without adding new holes.

Start with any of these wall storage solutions, and you’ll be surprised at how much space you can free up.

Under-Used Zones

Every apartment has dead zones or wasted space. These spots are perfect for tucking away items you need but don’t use daily. Here are your storage options:

• Under-Bed Drawers: Out-of-season clothes, extra linens, and bulky items fit perfectly in these spaces. We recommend choosing wheeled options because they slide out easily, so you don’t have to lift the entire bed frame.
• Behind-Door Organisers: You can use slim racks to make use of the space behind doors for holding shoes, toiletries, or cleaning products. The best part is they stay completely hidden when you open the door, but hold a surprising amount of stuff.
• Hanging Wardrobe Shelves and Storage Carts: We recommend using hanging shelves to add vertical layers inside your wardrobe for folded clothes or accessories. And slim carts are always a fantastic storage solution for those awkward gaps between furniture or appliances that would otherwise sit empty.

These zones won’t solve all your storage problems. But they’ll give you breathing room by handling overflow items that currently clutter your main living areas.

Studio-Proof Design Picks

Brisbane residents have plenty of options for small apartment storage solutions. You can get affordable shelving units, storage boxes, and modular organisers to maximise space while staying within your budget and rental restrictions.

For those wanting higher-quality pieces that last, we stock contemporary furniture designed specifically for Australian homes.

Your choice depends on whether you’re furnishing a temporary rental or investing in pieces you’ll keep for years across multiple homes.

Brisbane Apartment Storage Solutions You Might Be Missing

Most Brisbane apartments come with basic storage, but that doesn’t mean you’re getting everything you need. In this section, we’ll cover features that are often overlooked during apartment planning but can significantly improve your everyday life.

Explore Your Building’s Storage Options

Many apartment buildings offer secure basement storage cages or lockers, which are separate from your unit and usually accessible with a key or swipe card. You can use these spaces for storing seasonal gear like camping equipment, holiday decorations, or ski gear that you only see a few times a year.

The best part? You can grab what you need without leaving the property, and there’s no monthly fee on top of your rent or body corporate charges.

Consider Off-Site Storage Units

If your apartment and building storage aren’t enough, you can check out self-storage facilities near Brisbane (just outside the city center). These companies across the metro area provide secure access with flexible rental terms, but they come with their ups and downs.

Pros:

• Climate-controlled units protect sensitive items
• Larger space options than building cages
• 24/7 access at many facilities

Cons:

• Monthly fees add to your living costs
• Requires transport to retrieve items
• Less convenient for frequently needed belongings

We’d suggest off-site storage if you need temporary space for furniture, documents, or collections that can’t fit in your current place. Just be honest about how often you’ll actually need what you’re storing.

Upgrade with Communal or Custom Additions

Some apartment buildings let residents add shelving in garages or other shared areas. So, talk to your body corporate or building manager about what modifications they’ll approve. You might be surprised at the flexibility, especially if your proposal improves the space for all residents.

Pro tip: Always ask about garage, basement, or storage cage access when viewing apartments or moving into a new building. These spaces often get overlooked during tours, but can be absolute lifesavers for storage needs.

Choose Storage Solutions That Match How You Live

So, which storage ideas are you ready to try first?

If you’re not ready to commit, start with one corner, a shelf, a basket, or a single drawer. 

Sort what you have, keep what you use, and find proper homes for the rest. Then build from there as you find what works for your daily routine. The right custom solutions will improve how you use your space.

Ready to find furniture that actually suits your storage needs? Browse Made Minimal‘s collection of space-saving designs for Australian homes. Our team can help you choose pieces that work with your lifestyle.