How to Decorate With Bed Risers for Extra Space in a Small Apartment

Instructions

• 1

  Place the bed risers under the feet of the bed frame. Bed risers are typically sold in sets of four. Four bed risers are sufficient for twin or full beds. Queen or king beds may need to use six risers to support the additional weight. Read the bed riser label to make sure they can support the weight of the bed and people sleeping on it. Ask a friend or family member to help you lift the bed. Raise the bed and place a bed riser under each foot of the bed frame. Make sure the foot is placed in the indented center of the riser so it does not slip off.

• 2

  Gather items to store under the bed. Items typically stored under the bed include seasonal clothing, shoes, school supplies, craft materials or extra towels and linens. Gather items that you don’t use on a frequent basis to store under the bed. For example, if it is summertime, gather your winter sweaters, hats and gloves to place under the bed.

• 3

  Put the storage items in containers and store under the bed. Once you have gathered your items to store, you will need containers to store them. There are a wide variety of under-the-bed storage containers available. Under-the-bed storage containers are typically long, slim containers specifically designed to fit under the bed. Although sizes vary, plastic containers may be at least 35 inches long and 6 inches tall. They typically come with easy-to-open, locking lids, and some have wheels to help you easily pull them out from under the bed. Some containers have slots for shoes or school supplies. Storage units also come as bags with zippers. There are more decorative containers, such as rattan baskets with fabric tie-on tops. Put the items in the selected containers and place under the bed.

• 4

  Add décor. While bed risers are functional, they are not always decorative. Many bed risers are plastic and may not go with the décor of the room. Hide the bed risers by using either a bed skirt or a long comforter. Place the bed skirt on top of the box spring, under the mattress, and let it hang as low to the floor as possible. If the bed has a footboard that does not work with a bed skirt, paint the risers a color that matches the décor of the room. Use decorative containers, such as rattan baskets, as they will be visible under the bed. You also could place a small bench or ottoman at the foot of the bed to make the risers less visible.