Posted by Glen Glass-Watson
on August 28, 2026
If your child's bedroom is doing the job of a bedroom, a playroom, and a storage cupboard all at once, you're not alone. Most kids' rooms in the UK aren't big, and once you've fitted in a bed, a wardrobe, and a chest of drawers, there's not much floor left for anything else.
The easiest fix isn't always more furniture. It's better furniture. A bed that comes with storage built in, whether that's drawers underneath, a truckle that tucks away, or a frame with legs to make room below, gives you back space you didn't know you had. Here's how to choose the right one.
Single beds with storage
For most families, this is the sweet spot. A single bed with drawers or an underbed truckle gives you somewhere to put spare bedding, out-of-season clothes or the toys that are hidden away for toy rotation, without adding a single extra piece of furniture to the room.
Two things to check before you buy. First, drawer depth, some are shallow and only really suit clothes or books, others are deep enough for a spare duvet. Second, which side the drawers open from, this matters more than you'd think if the bed is going against a wall or in a corner.
Our pick: Stowaway Single Storage Bed, 6 Drawer
Choose either three or six deep drawers that can be inserted either side, built straight into the base, so there's a proper home for toys, clothes and bedding without adding a single extra piece of furniture to the room.
Shop the Stowaway Single Storage Bed
Browse our single beds, several of which come with underbed drawers or are compatible with our separate underbed storage truckles if you want to add storage later rather than all at once.
Bunk beds with storage
Bunk beds already save floor space by stacking two sleeping areas into the footprint of one, so adding storage underneath or built into the frame makes a genuinely small room work a lot harder. Look for bunk beds with add-on underbed storage in the base, or enough clearance under the bottom bunk to slide a truckle or add storage drawers underneath.
Worth thinking about early: how the room will be used day to day, not just at bedtime. If the bottom bunk needs to double as a sofa for reading or games, storage that's accessed from the side rather than requiring the mattress to come off makes life a lot easier.
Our pick: Paddington Bunk Bed
A sturdy, central-staircase bunk bed with plenty of room underneath for toys and storage. Pair it with an Underbed Storage Drawer or two to make the most of the space beneath the bottom bunk.
Have a look at our bunk beds range, several of which are designed with exactly this kind of everyday use in mind.
Cabin beds and mid sleepers with storage
Cabin beds and mid sleepers raise the sleeping area up, which frees up the whole space underneath for storage, a desk, or even a little reading corner. They're a particularly good option for older children who've outgrown a standard single bed but aren't quite ready for (or don't have room for) a full bunk bed setup.
The storage options here tend to be the most flexible of the lot. Some cabin beds come with built-in drawers or a wardrobe fitted directly underneath, others leave the space open so you can add your own combination of storage furniture, a desk, a bookcase, whatever the room needs most.
Our pick: Nimbus Cabin Bed with Desk & Wardrobe
About as hard-working as a bed gets, a pull-out desk, a chest of drawers, a cupboard and a small wardrobe all built underneath. A proper study space, storage and a bed in the footprint of one.
Have a look at our cabin beds and mid sleepers to see the different configurations available.
Adding storage to a bed you already have
If you're not in the market for a new bed but want to make better use of the one you've got, underbed storage is the simplest way to do it. Truckles, drawers on castors and flat storage boxes all slide in and out from the side safely, so you don't need to lift the mattress or dismantle anything.
Our pick: Underbed Storage Drawer, White
Rolls out on smooth castors from under an existing bed, no lifting the mattress required. Fits under most single beds, cot beds and bunk beds, and is designed purely for storage rather than as a spare bed.
Shop the Underbed Storage Drawer
Measure the clearance underneath first, it varies more than you'd expect between bed frames, and a truckle that's a centimetre too tall simply won't fit. Our underbed storage range includes a few different heights to cover most standard bed frames.
How to choose
A few questions worth asking before you buy:
How old is your child, and how long do you need the bed to last? A single bed with storage tends to have the longest lifespan, since it works from toddlerhood right through to the teenage years. Bunk and cabin beds are brilliant for maximising space but are worth thinking about in terms of how many more years of climbing up to a top bunk feels practical.
Is the storage for the child to use, or for you? Drawers a five year old can reach and actually use for their own toys are different from deep underbed storage that's really there for spare bedding and out-of-season clothes. Both are useful, just for different things.
How will the room be used beyond sleeping? If it's also a playroom, homework space or the only spot in the house for guests to stay over, a cabin bed that frees up the floor underneath is usually more flexible than a bunk bed.
A few common questions
Do beds with storage cost more than standard beds? Generally yes, a little, since there's more to the frame. But it's almost always cheaper than buying the bed and a separate chest of drawers or storage unit to make up the difference.
Is underbed storage suitable for a toddler bed? It can be, as long as the clearance underneath is enough and the storage itself doesn't have sharp corners or a lid a small child could get caught under. If you're moving from a cot to a first bed, our guide on choosing between a toddler bed and a single bed covers this in more detail.
Can I add storage to a bed later rather than buying it built in? Yes, in most cases. Underbed truckles and drawer units are designed to fit standard bed heights, so it's often easier (and cheaper) to add storage separately than to replace the whole bed.
Whatever stage your child's room is at, the right bed with storage built in can solve a surprising amount of the clutter problem in one go. Browse our full range of children's beds, or if storage is the main goal, start with our dedicated underbed storage products.
