If your home boasts a large entryway, then count yourself lucky. Because most homes across the UK come equipped with a teeny-tiny excuse for a hallway for us to work with. But regardless, this small space still needs to function effectively and store all the necessary items like shoes, coats and our keys - that’s where clever small hallway storage ideas need to come in.
Because even in the smallest of small hallway ideas, there are always a couple of underutilised corners, nooks and crannies that haven’t quite reached their full storage potential. Or sometimes, certain areas could be used better than they currently are. For example, if you have a bench in your hallway to sit on while putting on your shoes, why not make it work double hard and opt for a storage bench? And that’s only one of many hallway storage ideas for petite spaces.
‘Small hallways can be tricky – trying to fit shoes, coats, bags, and even the occasional vacuum cleaner into a narrow space can feel like a puzzle,’ sympathises Laura Haddy, founder of Clear The Chaos Ltd and APDO member.
Victoria Fearnley, founder of Surrey Decluttering and APDO member, adds, ‘Adding storage to a small hallway requires creativity and smart use of space.’
So let’s see how clever you can actually get.
1. Consider a hall tree
As already mentioned in our seating bench example, you need to make pieces like these work extra hard and really deserve their place in what is surely an already crammed place. And a step further from a storage bench is going for a hall tree which actually works triple hard – it not only provides seating and shoe storage but also hooks for hanging coats and bags.
‘Furniture like a hall tree combines a bench, coat hooks, and sometimes additional storage in one piece, making it highly efficient for small spaces,’ says Siân Pelleschi, founder of Sorted! and APDO president.
Coming directly recommended by professional organiser Laura Haddy, this hallway unit from Dunelm is both super practical and stylish. Available in this grey shade or a more beige-y stone, it combines seating with coat hooks, shoe storage down below and even a storage shelf on the top.
Depending on the layout of your small hallway, we know it can be tricky to fit something like a hall tree in. Which is where this petite, space-saving design from Habitat comes in. It can fit into small spaces and comes highly praised by existing customers. Not to mention the excellent £50 price point - what a bargain!
If you're a fan of Scandi decorating ideas then you're going to love this hallway storage unit from La Redoute. Made with solid oak wood, this unit comes equipped with a closed cabinet for shoes on the bottom, a space for sitting, seven coat hooks, a shelf on the top and even the ladder-style sides can be used for hanging items - full of potential.
2. Add a slim console table
Similarly, an especially great narrow hallway idea is opting for a slim console table which provides a surface for your keys and mail, as well as extra open storage below.
‘Narrow console tables can offer surface space for decor and drawers or shelves below for storage,’ says Victoria Clark, founder of By Victoria Clark and APDO member. ‘Also, personally I always need a place for keys! So we know where they are.’
Siân agrees, ‘Look at slim console tables with storage. They fit more snugly against the wall and with built-in drawers or shelves can store small items like keys and shoes.’
3. Utilise the walls
Famously, walls and vertical space of a room often goes underutilised. So please, avoid making that mistake. Your walls should not be forgotten when thinking of efficient hallway storage as anything from coat hooks to floating shelves can be added here.
‘I always say look up and use the walls! Install floating shelves to hold small items, books, or essentials without taking up valuable floor space. Another way to make use of wall space is with hooks for coats, hats and bags. A coat rack can be fab but we don’t always have the space,’ Victoria Clark says.
Amy Hardy, founder of Clutter To Calm and APDO member, confirms, ‘Using your vertical space is key in small areas – put up hooks for coats, fix shelves above head height if this is practical for your household. I have this in my own home and this is where our baskets with hats, gloves and scarves live.’
4. Use storage baskets
Speaking of baskets, that leads us to our next point – use storage baskets. They are versatile as you can squeeze them pretty much everywhere - whether that’s on your floating shelves, under a console table or in a corner - and they look stylish while doing it. Not to mention they are fairly inexpensive most of the time.
‘Baskets or containers provide a simple, flexible storage solution for shoes. They can be placed on shelves, under benches, or even tucked into corners,’ Siân says.
Victoria Clark adds, ‘Nice decorative baskets on shelves or cabinets to keep smaller items tidy and easily accessible. Less clutter on show and looks good.’
5. Incorporate narrow shoe cabinets
Shoes are not the easiest of things to store in small spaces given their bulky nature – and the fact they usually come in large quantities. But one of the best hallway shoe storage ideas for small entryways is a narrow shoe cabinet which can be as tall or as low as you want and need it to be, providing you with the necessary space for shoe storage.
‘Shoe storage can be tough as they are often big and bulky by nature which means you need space to be able to contain and store well. Consider looking at narrow shoe cabinets that are specifically designed to fit in tight spaces, often measuring just a few inches deep. They can hold multiple pairs of shoes in a compact area, keeping them organised and out of sight,’ Siân says.
Amy agrees, ‘Flip-down shoe storage units can be great for shoes in a small space, particularly narrow hallways. You can find them to suit all different budgets and styles, the top can double up as a sideboard, so a basket or faraday box for keys, and a letter rack to catch any incoming post would be a great addition to this to make for a practical area.’
Not only that this shoe cabinet from Dunelm comes recommended by professional organiser and declutterer Siân Pelleschi, we can get behind it on its looks alone. Available in either black or this stone colourway, we are loving the elevated flutted finish on the front of the design.
If you want to bring both shoe storage and a bit of style and texture into your hallway then this cabinet from John Lewis with its bare wood ridging is the way to go. It's currently trending on the retailer's website and professional organiser Amy Hardy can't get enough of it either apparently as it was her recommendation that's initially led us to it.
If you need a little bit more than just two tiers to store all your shoes, then this sleek Dunelm cabinet would be our top pick. Especially in this lovely sage green that's currently right on trend. But you can always invest in two cabinets and stand them next to each other - that way, it will offer more storage and double as a sideboard.
6. Make use of the back of the door
The back of either your front door or a door leading into the hallway can also be utilised for shoe, bag or coat storage with the help of over-the-door hooks and racks.
‘Wherever you can, always use the back of the door for additional storage, such as shoe organisers or hooks. I personally love anything that can hang off the backs of doors comfortably,’ Victoria Clark advises.
Siân continues, ‘Over-the-door hooks can also help utilise areas that otherwise get forgotten about. Over-the-door and behind the door coat racks take advantage of unused space on the back of a door. They are perfect for small hallways where wall or floor space is limited.’
7. Put away out-of-season items
‘Consider seasonal rotation—store out-of-season coats elsewhere to reduce the number of coats in the hallway at any one time,’ Victoria Fearnley says.
Knowing how to store seasonal clothes away is very important when you’re trying to prevent your small hallway becoming a cluttered mess. Only the coats, jackets and shoes you’re actually currently wearing and using should have a place in the hallway. To the storage with the rest of them!
‘Take a good look at what you have. If possible, store seasonal coats and shoes in less-used spaces like under the bed or in a spare room wardrobe. Keep only the essentials for the current season within easy reach. Rotate items as the seasons change. Keep seasonal items separate to avoid clutter. Use bins or boxes to store out-of-season gear and swap them out as needed. This keeps your hallway looking fresh and functional,’ Laura says.
And this is how you squeeze the absolute maximum of storage opportunities into the compact space of your small hallway.
