11 Storage Tips for Small Log Homes

Storage is at a premium in any home, no matter its size. But the smaller a house is, the more efficiently it has to perform. If your big dream is for a little log cabin, here are 11 unexpected ways you can boost its storage space without upping its square footage.

Written by Donna Peak

Photo: Ajera Décor

1. Try a reverse Murphy bed.

We’ve all seen Murphy beds that fold into the wall and disappear from view, but what about a clever bed that flips up to reveal concealed storage? Tuck in your extra sheets and pillows to free up space in your linen closet, or store off-season clothes to make more room in your walk-in.

2. Put the pantry on display.

If your small home doesn’t have room for a pantry behind closed doors, don’t fret. Open shelving is a hot design trend. Keep the look tidy with coordinating baskets or oversized Mason jars filled with your daily provisions.

See also Storage in a Little Log Home

Photo: Leicht

3. Convert your kitchen drawers.

If your log walls will extend into your kitchen, you may not want to hide the beautiful wood behind bulky cabinetry (which could make the room appear smaller, too). If you opt against uppers, transform a deep lower-cabinet drawer into a safe place for breakables with clever drawer inserts.

4. Add under-stair storage.

The area beneath your stairs doesn’t have to be a dead zone. Built-in drawers can tidily hide away those day-to-day necessities. Create attractive open lockers to hang coats, scarves and umbrellas. Or try concealing the cavity with a false wall and a hidden door — it’s the perfect hiding place for your home safe or other valuables.

5. Get hooked.

Hang your cups and mugs from hooks inside your cupboards, leaving the shelf space for saucers, bowls and other items. This increases your usable space without adding more cabinets.

Photo: CrownPoint Cabinetry

6. Increase your island’s functionality.

Add exposed shelving to the end of a kitchen island to hold and display dishware, high-end small appliances or a cookbook collection. It makes for an attractive display and keeps items handy in the work zone.

7. Divide and conquer clutter.

Even an open floor plan needs to have delineated space. So how you do you separate rooms without adding walls AND add a little bonus storage in the process? Use bookcases as a room divider. Take two matching waist-high book cases, place them back to back and fasten them together for stability. You’ll create a storage solution on both sides, add surface area for plants or family heirlooms on top and help define living spaces without losing that airy, open-concept feel. It’s a three-in-one quick fix!

8. Mount your munchies.

Keep everything from Jasmine rice to Rice Krispies handy with wall-mounted canister/dispensers. These inexpensive storage containers are ingenious because they not only free up shelf space in your pantry, they keep your dry goods fresh.

9. Go low.

Seeking extra storage? Look down. The space under your sofa can be used for much more than a gathering spot for dust bunnies. Try a bookshelf platform as a furniture base or use shallow, rolling pullouts in the opening underneath. Another bright idea: Consider placing a low decorative baskets in the cavity to neatly stash magazines, comfy blankets and remote controls.

See also 7 Smart Storage Options for Your Small Log Home

Photo: JK Lawrence

10. Build it in.

In a lot of small log home designs, you’ll find shorter “knee walls” (half walls) or space under sloping ceilings where headroom gets tight. Don’t let these spaces go to waste. Built-in drawers and shelves transform these areas into savvy storage for clothes, linens or utensils without taking up one square inch of floor space.

11. Keep in good spirits.

Oenophiles need not fret about where to keep your best bottles in a small space. Installing an in-floor storage system, hidden beneath a cleverly concealed trap door in gives new meaning to what a wine cellar can be, and it gives your log home a little secret all its own.