Jaime Costiglio

build - paint - sew

DIY Underbed Storage Bins from Plywood

Don’t let that space under the bed go unused!  Maximize the functionality of all that square footage and make easily accessible underbed storage bins on wheels.  I’m sharing quick, simple and easy free plans down below.

diy underbed storage bins

A DIY tutorial to build storage bins to fit under the bed. Make that underbed space 100% functional with storage bins on wheels.

My girls recently bunked their beds but whether your beds are bunked or not truly doesn’t matter because there will almost always be unused space under the bed.  That dark underbed space where the monsters live is prime real estate for some serious storage!

bunk beds with unused underbed space
I designed and built three long storage bins specifically to fit under the girls bunk beds.  The plans down below are very easy to modify to fit your space.
bunk beds with underbed storage bins
three plywood underbed storage bins on wheels

Underbed Storage

  • makes use of unused space
  • storage clothing, shoes, accessories, toys
  • easy for kids to use

These storage bins are made from 1/2″ plywood painted white with wheels attached.  They are very basic and simple but help to keep all the things exactly where they are accessible and organized.  In hindsight I probably should have added a hardware pull.  Maybe a handle or cut out finger hole would be great but they are easy enough to grab and pull out just as boxes.

diy underbed plywood storage boxes on wheels

Consider Your Underbed Space:

  • First I measured the length of the unused empty space then subtract 10″ or so for ample spacing between bins.  These bins are each 21″ wide and there’s plenty of room for movement.
  • Next measure the depth, my bins are 40″ deep and still hide just enough under the bed.
  • Lastly measure the height.  For the height you want to take into consideration your wheel height and leaving a bit of open space at top to grab the bin (or less if you’re going with hardware pulls).  My bins are 7″ tall which is plenty.  I’m a firm believer that kids do better with shallow drawers and bins.  If you make the bins too deep all the clothes get piled and lost and nobody can find anything.
underbed storage bins dimensions

Supplies:

Cut List:

  • 2 – ½” plywood @ 7” x 39” (long sides)
  • 2 – ½” plywood @ 7” x 21” (short sides)
  • 1 – ½” plywood @ 21” x 40” (bottom)
painting plywood storage boxes
To build the boxes attach the short ends to the long sides first using wood glue and countersunk screws.  Be sure to predrill for your screws to avoid splitting the plywood.  Then attach the bottoms.  Prime and paint as you like to coordinate with your bedroom space.
diy plywood storage boxes with wheels
Lastly attach five wheels to the underside for easy rolling in and out.  I added the middle wheel to help carry the weight of the bin once filled.  Also I used swivel wheels but I highly recommend using stationary wheels which helps the bins stay on track under the bed.
underbed pull out storage bins for kids clothes
These storage bins hold a ton of clothes!  They are super accessible to pull out and kids can see exactly what is in the bin without having to fumble through.  I only wish I built them sooner!
In other updates I added plug in wall sconces for the girls so they can read while in bed:
bunk beds with wall sconces
And painted a wooden letter for each girl to attach to their footboard:
footboards with single letter monogram
Two sisters sharing a room with their baby brother on the other side!  Truly I love having all the kids in one room, it’s sort of like camp except this is real life and they are learning to live with each other which makes for great life experiences.  Ah the joys of a shared bedroom.
wood bunk bed with storage bins

Thanks for joining me for this underbed storage bins project.  Please leave any questions in the comments below and be sure to follow me on social media for sneak peeks, tools and project inspiration:

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underbed storage bins free plans
Diy underbed storage bins

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Comments

  10. Judy says

    Wow, what a great idea. That's awesome storage. I am a follower. I would love for you to come and check out my blog and follow me back. We are neighbors…I am from Rockland.

    Reply

  23. Melissa says

    Love these, just went and bought the wood for them to go under my boys new bunk beds! Thanks for sharing such a wonderful idea to add storage and clean up their new room!

    Reply

  25. Attempting Aloha says

    Whaddup! Here I am, browsing Pinterest for kids' storage solutions, and who do I find?? My blog bff, Jaime! I've pinned this and will be linking to it in my post either tomorrow or Thursday. 🙂

    You're a rock star!

    Aloha,
    Charlie

    Reply

  26. Mary says

    Did you nail these together? It doesn't look like you screwed them. If so, what size finish nails did you use? How thick is the plywood?

    Thanks in advance.

    Reply

  32. sunshinyjess says

    Did you make the bunk bed? or did you buy them somewhere? If you made them could you show us how you did that? Thanks a bunch. I just discovered your blog and i LOVE it

    Reply

    • jcprime1 says

      Thanks. The bunk beds were hand me downs from my parents and bought at retail (I believe Ethan Allen many moons ago) and I painted them white.

      Reply

  34. Alexander Davis says

    Thank you fir giving me an idea and info about building storage boxes for my kids’ bunk bed (http://alekdavis.tumblr.com/post/135459146234/how-to-build-a-toddler-bunk-bed). I am wondering: was there a particular reason why you built three bins instead of a single big one? I think one would look a bit cleaner and you wouldn’t need to worry about aligning them every time you use them (yea, it’s important, at least for those of us with the obsessive compulsive diagnosis 🙂 ).

    Reply

  35. kinga says

    Could you please tell me the exact height under the bed? Your boxes are 7″ + wheel height plus room for kids to grab drawers. What would that total be? I am a total beginner and want to make my son a bed with these storage boxes underneath. So I am going to adjust the bed to the height of yours so I can just make them pretty much exactly like you did. Thank you. I love these bins. So practical.

    Reply

    • Jaime says

      Hi Kinga, These bins were built a long while back at our previous home and the bunk beds were left with the new owners so I don’t have exact measurements. I will say you want enough box depth to hold things so that all depends on what you are storing but 7″ is sufficient for most clothes. Also you could drill a finger pull hole or add hardware for kids to grab. And wheels come in all sizes so you can fit the box into your space, I’d leave at least 1 1/2″ for the wheels. Good luck!

      Reply

  36. Kayla says

    Hi, I was just wondering how far off the ground the beds were. Like how much clearance room you had from floor to the bottom of the bed?

    Reply

    • Jaime says

      Hi Kayla, I’m not exactly sure on the floor to bed clearance (this was at our previous home and we don’t have these bunk beds anymore) but the bins are 7″tall and the wheels are at least an 1″ so I’m guessing the space is about 10″.

      Reply

  38. Ren says

    Beginner here. I love the project but I have a few questions.
    – Which screws go where?
    – And do you drill the full length of the screw depth?
    – What size drill bit?
    This opens up a world of possibilities if I can get the basics down.
    Thanks!

    Reply

  39. Sudheer U N says

    Hey,

    Just what I was looking for. Loved the simple plans and designs. Keep up the good work.

    Thanks again.

    Reply

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