3 min readSome of us have more than enough room to contain our storage systems, from basement shelves to loads of cabinets. But when you live in a small home and are short on space, you might have to resort to creative (or even slightly desperate) solutions and turn to less-than-ideal places to stash your stuff—like the floor.
We’re all guilty of treating the floor as a closet sometimes, whether you’re piling blankets in a corner of the living room or creating a “floordrobe,” when you toss all your clothes on the floor instead of hanging them in your closet.
But as Heather Aiello, CEO and Founder of The Organized You, points out, the floor is valuable real estate, and when things end up on it, spaces instantly feel more cluttered and harder to maintain.
“Storing things on the floor can also make cleaning harder, create tripping hazards, and, depending on the area, expose belongings to dust, moisture, or even pests,” she adds.
John Trosko, Professional Organizer and Owner of OrganizingLA, agrees that the floor should never be a storage solution.
“One of the first things I notice when I enter a home is the volume of clutter being stored on the floor. It tells me that the client isn’t very organized, their systems aren’t substantial enough to contain their stuff, or they haven’t dedicated enough time to clear the piles,” he says.
While the floor isn’t ideal for storing anything, certain items are bigger no-no’s than others. Read on to learn what they are.
The One Thing Organized People Never Store on the Floor
Pro organizers advise never storing anything that’s made of fabric on the floor of your home.
Why is this? First, as Aiello says, bags and clothing can collect dust, become wrinkled, and make spaces feel messy, even if everything else is organized.
“Also, when clothing is stored on the floor, it becomes difficult to know what is dirty versus clean,” she says.
Trosko says that bed and bath linens especially should never find their way to your floor. He shares that recently, he was clearing a primary closet, and his client noticed how dirty and grimy the folded towels and bed linens were from being stored on the closet floor.
“To protect your investment, your bed and linen items should be stored on an elevated shelf, in a zippered protective bag, or in a drawer safeguarded from dust,” Trosko advises.
Other Household Items to Never Store on the Floor
In addition to your clothing and linens, here are other items that are forbidden from being stashed on the floor, according to pro organizers.
Paperwork
“One thing organized people don't store on the floor is paperwork,” Aiello says. “Paper piles have a way of multiplying quickly and can make even a tidy room feel chaotic. Important documents also become easy to lose or damage when they're stacked on the floor.”
As an alternative, she recommends using a simple filing system, a desktop organizer, or designated drawers for papers that need to be accessed regularly.
Shoes
“Shoes left on the floor create visual clutter and often turn into piles by the door or in closets,” Aiello says. The solution is a shoe organizer in your entryway or inside a closet.
Things That Shouldn’t Get Wet
Aiello says that she encourages clients to avoid storing electronics and important keepsakes directly on the floor, especially in basements or garages where moisture can be an issue.
“Again, utilizing hooks, shelves, bins, and storage solutions not only protect your belongings but also help your home feel more intentional and easier to maintain,” she says.
Anything That Could Be a Hazard
Other than simply being untidy, items stored on the floor can be just plain dangerous to leave out. First off, Trosko says that you shouldn’t lay anything on the floor that can be kicked over or become a tripping hazard, like shoes, storage baskets, Amazon boxes, old mail or slippery magazines, or donation bags.
Also, he suggests not leaving things on the floor that can impede the work of a vacuum, broom, or Roomba.
And lastly, he says, “Don’t stock anything hazardous, fragile, or perishable on the floor, [such as] cooking oil, food, paint cans, Costco dry food purchases, or anything in a cardboard box.”
