Affordable over the bed storage for small bedrooms

I wanted to add more storage in my small bedroom and decided to use the space around and over my bed. I liked the symmetry of two storage units flanking my bed. And I found an affordable solution using the HYLLIS shelf units.

This turned out to be a lot of fun.

over the bed storage ikea hack

Related: HYLLIS in gorgeous rustic industrial style


IKEA Items Used:
hyllis shelf unit

Photo: IKEA.com

Other materials and tools:
  • 2 shelves

HYLLIS shelf unit into over the bed storage

Put it together like this.

First, assemble 2 units of the the HYLLIS according to the assembly manual. And set them at right and left of the bed.

In France I could not find proper wood (stock is running low in France) so I had to be creative. I ended up using what we call: kraaldelen (tongue and groove board?).

I set the kraaldelen boards across the HYLLIS units.

However, they were bowing so I used the side posts of the third HYLLIS to reinforce the boards. Now it makes it look like the third HYLLIS is horizontal. In fact you just see the side posts which I used as front trim and the 4 shelving posts for the top shelf.

shelf
over the bed storage ikea hack

(The kraaldelen is a temporary solution and is not screwed in. I will later swap them out for permanent wood planks — when stocks return — and will screwed them in for more stability.)

over the bed storage ikea hack

The shelves of the HYLLIS are hidden under the DRÖNA boxes on the top shelf. 

How long and how much did it cost?

3 x £12.50 + already existing items reused

over the bed storage ikea hack
What do you like most about the hack?

Finding the solution to a problem with this hack.

What was the hardest thing about this hack?

The shelves because I used tongue and groove boards.

Looking back, would you have done it differently?

Use real wood.

~ by Mieke