Storage finder
Storage Finder
Measure the empty wall or corner, say how much floor to keep clear in front, and pick what you’re storing. You get the shelf, drawer and wardrobe sizes that fit, with the space to use them.
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Short answer
Measure the empty wall or corner three ways (width, depth and the height you can use) and the floor you can keep clear in front. Open shelves need about 24″ in front; drawers need their pull-out plus 18″ to stand, 30–34″ for the sizes here. The finder shows which storage sizes fit all four, and why the others don’t.
The storage sizes it checks
| Size profile | Width × depth × height | Floor in front | For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slim open shelving | 24 × 12 × 60″ | 24″ | Open shelves |
| Low open shelving | 32 × 12 × 36″ | 24″ | Open shelves |
| Tall open shelving | 30 × 14 × 72″ | 24″ | Open shelves |
| Narrow drawer chest | 28 × 16 × 48″ | 34″ (16″ drawer + 18″) | Clothes in drawers |
| Compact drawer unit | 18 × 14 × 24″ | 30″ (12″ drawer + 18″) | Clothes in drawers |
| Compact sliding wardrobe | 36 × 24 × 72″ | 24″ | Hanging clothes |
| Open clothing rail | 30 × 22 × 60″ | 24″ | Hanging clothes |
How to measure the space
- Width: wall to wall, or to the edge of the next piece, at the narrowest point.
- Depth: out from the wall, past any skirting board, outlet or radiator.
- Height: to the window sill, a shelf or a sloping ceiling, whichever comes first.
- In front: the clear floor you can give up, up to the bed, a desk chair or the main walkway. Our walking-space guide has the widths a path needs.
Tall pieces need anchoring
A tall shelf or a chest of drawers can tip over, most often when a child climbs the drawers. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission advises anchoring dressers, bookcases and other tall furniture to the wall, installing a new dresser’s anti-tip device right away, and keeping heavier things in the lower drawers (CPSC).
Related
- Dresser dimensions
- Bookshelf dimensions
- Nightstand dimensions
- Furniture fit checker
- Clearance checker
Sources
- Anchor It! (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)