The 21 Sneakiest Storage Spots We’ve Ever Seen

When it comes to finding extra storage around the house, every crevice counts. Narrow spaces—for instance, the gap between the wall and fridge—often go to waste. Take advantage of these nooks by keeping a slim rolling wagon like this one from Yamazaki Home between the fridge and the wall stocked with spices, canned goods, or other essentials. $165 from Yamazaki Home.

The mantel is a great place for displaying vases, framed photos, and other decorative items, but it can also be a source of stealthy storage. Behind the classic trim of this mantel designed by Covert Concepts lies a compartment that could be used to conceal jewelry or other valuables, or just the remote and a few magazines.

Houses offer all sorts of places to hide your prized possessions, but the spots you come up with are probably the same ones thieves know to check. This Elder Welder electrical outlet hidden wall safe, however, might fly entirely under the radar—the electrical outlet cover is real, and hides a keyed alloy steel box. Use it to keep cash, jewelry, and other small but valuable items hidden in plain sight. $59.99 at Amazon. 

This pull-down coffee pod organizer by Joseph Joseph hangs an unobtrusive 3 inches under your kitchen cabinet and can be installed without any tools. The brand has a similar rack for spices, too, if you prefer to to keep them at eye level. $14.99 at Amazon.

An ottoman is one of the most versatile pieces of furniture you can add to a room. Better yet, if you opt for an ottoman with storage, you not only gain an extra seat or a spot to put up your feet, but you also get a handy container for blankets, chargers, and other living room clutter. An ottoman in a neutral tone like this Threshold round storage ottoman in heathered blue will fit in with a range of styles. $75 at Target.

When you outfit a drawer with a false bottom, neither rummaging thief nor nosy child will have any idea there’s more in there than meets the eye. Follow this tutorial to make your own hidden compartment.

Everyone knows to check for a key under the mat or beneath a planter. And though you can buy those fake rocks to hold keys, they’re often pretty easy to spot in the landscaping. But who’d think that the soil in your houseplant doesn’t go all the way down to the bottom of the pot? Pull Suck UK’s hidden storage plant pot apart to stow keys, jewels, money and more. $28.99 at Amazon.

A bedside storage organizer, like this one from Zafit, keeps books, glasses, electronics, and other bedroom must-haves close at hand, yet frees up space both under and beside your bed. Its six pockets provide plenty of space for keeping what you need close at hand. $14.99 at Amazon.

Sometimes the best hiding spots are the ones you look at all the time. To the casual observer, there’s nothing extraordinary about this clock safe from Trademark Home, but concealed behind its face is a shallow compartment with shelves for hiding valuables. $16.77 at Amazon.

Rev-a-Shelf’s tip-out door knife organizer may not be the best option for households with young kids, but for those who aren’t in this phase of life it’s positively genius. The organizer is made of maple, holds eight knives, and finally gets that ugly, bulky knife block off your countertop. $172.99 at Wayfair.

Your freezer may look like it’s full, but there would probably be room to spare if it were organized better. To make more space and bring a little order to your frozen foods, use binder clips to hang bags of frozen fruit, veggies, and meat from freezer racks. Storing items vertically leaves space below for other foods.

A handmade hollow book from Etsy seller FunEclecticHome is a bit of sneaky storage you can add to any shelf or nightstand. While it may not thwart every thief, it will certainly slow one down. It’s also great for stashing personal items out of sight when company calls, and keeping essentials conveniently within reach without sacrificing style. $22 from Etsy seller FunEclecticHome.

An unfinished ceiling opens up the potential for an ingenious, space-saving storage solution: VIVA Collectiv’s Brian Crabb built pull-down shelves that extend from above to reveal—and then again conceal—necessities for this tiny bathroom.

But if all your cookware tumbles to the floor when you open a kitchen cabinet door, or if you can never seem to find the right lid when you need it, take note: Joseph Joseph’s adhesive pot and pan lid holders can lock lids in place until you need them, freeing up shelves for tidy stacks of pots and pans. $11.99 for set of 4 at Amazon.

If you can’t (or don’t care to) mount your TV to your wall, Touchstone’s The Elevate TV Lift Cabinet might be a good solution for your space. Pop open the lid when you want to watch TV from the comfort of your bed (or anywhere, really), then close it again to transform your room back into a TV-free sanctuary. $2,299 at Wayfair.

Don’t let that useful space under the stairs go to waste. Put it to work in a way that suits your family and lifestyle. If you entertain frequently, install a bar beneath the stairs. Telecommuters may want to tuck in a miniature office, and dog lovers might set up a doggy domicile. You could instead go the traditional route and build a closet under the stairs, but for maximum efficiency, consider installing drawers that use every possible inch of space.

For easy-to-access storage in the bedroom, just look down. The Lark Manor Anekey Upholstered Storage Bed has two drawers on casters at the foot of the bed into which you can tuck linens, clothes, or holiday gifts before you tuck yourself under the covers. From $327 at Wayfair.

It’s common to find storage hidden behind a mirror in the bathroom, but this Orren Ellis freestanding full-length mirror and jewelry armoire carries the idea into the bedroom. Pull open the mirror to find hooks and ledges for storing jewelry, brushes, scarves, and makeup, then close it to check your look. $137.99 at Wayfair.

This looks like a collection of prime summer reading, but these clever boxes from Covogoods are actually just a row of books spines hiding a router or another piece of necessary but unattractive computer hardware. The repurposed books are mounted to a U-shaped wooden box that cleverly sheaths your gear. Price varies by size at Etsy seller Covogoods.

Bring sneaky storage to your outdoor living area with a patio table that doubles as a cooler. Keep the top closed on the Keter Pacific Cool Bar Patio Table and use it as a low table, or fill the base with ice to create a drinks station that chills your favorite libations. $73.79 at Amazon.

It’s a floating shelf, but it’s also a top-secret cash-slash-jewelry box that opens when you hold your RFID card nearby. Etsy seller Loft Fabriq’s hidden compartment shelf is made of MDF with an oak finish and comes in three sizes; stick a “gather” sign on top and no one will be the wiser that you’re a wise guy with a pile of hundreds inside. From $244.38 at Etsy seller LoftFabriq.