Simple Storage Ideas for Living Room Blankets and Throws

Say goodbye to blanket piles! Explore clever organization ideas to store your living room blankets and throws the right way. Follow these tips and you’ll keep your living room cozy and clutter-free at the same time.

I love comfy blankets and piles of throw pillows. They make my couch feel cozy, not to mention how much better movie night is with them. Plus, decorating for each season is as easy as changing the blankets and pillows.

However, there is a downside to them. Unfortunately, they end up in messy piles, flung over furniture, or taking up valuable seating space, turning comfort into clutter.

Thankfully, there are easy solutions that are both functional (keeping blankets organized and accessible) and aesthetic (blending seamlessly with your decor).

Keep reading and you’ll find a range of solutions the article will explore: from traditional and modern furniture pieces to ingenious hidden storage, vertical options, and DIY ideas. In the end, you’ll have a living room that’s both invitingly cozy and impeccably tidy.

Assess Your Space

Before buying a single piece of furniture, you need to understand what you need to store and where you have room to store it. The assessment stage is the most important one. If you skip it, you might buy stuff that’s too small, too big, or it might not even fit in your living room.

Remember, before you begin, you should declutter. I have a living room declutter guide that will help you with that.

Blanket & Pillow Inventory

First, fold all of your blankets and put them in piles. Next, pile all your pillows in another area. Write down how many blankets and pillows you have. Then, write down how big they are. It might help to actually measure the size of each pile of blankets. This will impact the size of storage you get.

Finally, write down how many daily-use ones you have and how many are seasonal or for holidays.

Living Room Layout

After you have a good understanding of your inventory, take a look at your living room. At this step, you will look for places to store your blankets and pillows. Go through the following points and look critically at your layout.

Available Wall Space: Are there any empty corners or narrow wall sections?
Underutilized Zones: Space under windows, behind a sofa, awkward nooks?
Existing Furniture: Can any current pieces (coffee table, ottoman) be swapped for storage versions?
Traffic Flow: Ensure any new storage solution doesn’t impede movement or make the room feel cramped.
Aesthetic Considerations: What’s your current decor style? Modern, farmhouse, bohemian, traditional? Your storage should complement it.

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Stylish Furniture Pieces with Integrated Storage

Now that you know what you need to store and where you can store it, let’s look at some of my favorite furniture pieces that incorporate storage. These pieces will double or triple your storage spaces without distracting from your living room decor.

Storage Ottomans & Benches

This is my all-time favorite way to store blankets and pillows. They can serve as extra seating, a footrest, or even an impromptu coffee table.

When you’re looking to buy one, pay attention to the different features they have and pick out the ottomans that fit into your living room. Some have a lift-top, which is better for really small spaces. Others pull out, which is better when you have a larger area for it to expand.

You might also want to choose the ottomans based on their size and shape, too. A round ottoman is better in small spaces. A rectangular one will be better for longer rooms.

There are pros and cons to using ottomans and benches to store your stuff.

Pros: Hidden storage, multi-functional, keeps blankets completely out of sight.
Cons: Can be bulky if space is limited, requires moving items off the top to access.

Bsketa Storage Ottoman Mangodan Storage Ottoman Bench

Coffee Tables with Built-In Storage

You could also replace your current coffee table with one that can store your blankets. If you have thinner throws, use a coffee table with drawers. If you have bulky (or a lot of) blankets, use a lift-top coffee table. My least favorite is the open-shelf coffee tables. But they can work if you have decorative blankets or you are able to keep them neatly folded.

What are the pros and cons of coffee tables as blanket storage?

Pros: Seamlessly integrates storage into a central piece of furniture.
Cons: May not hold very bulky blankets, and can be harder to access frequently.

Storage Baskets & Bins (Decorative & Functional)

Do you have extra shelf or wall space? Then, storage baskets are the way to go. They come in a variety of different materials, so you’ll be able to find one that matches your decor and aesthetic. Use tall, narrow baskets for rolled blankets and wider, shallower baskets for folded ones.

These come with pros and cons too:

Pros: Highly portable, adds texture and warmth, easy to access.
Cons: Can collect dust; blankets are visible (requires neat folding or rolling).

Optish 80L Large Blanket Basket OIAHOMY Decorative Basket

Storage Chests & Trunks

If you love antiques and describe your decorating style as “classic” or “traditional,” consider adding a chest or trunk to your room. They will add a touch of traditional or rustic charm. Plus, they often offer a significant storage volume.

And the right kind of chest can double as an end table or decorative piece.

Here are the pros and cons of chests and trunks that you should consider:

Pros: Ample hidden storage, visually appealing.
Cons: Can be large, not always easy to access daily, and heavy to move.

Storage Chest with 4 Wheels

Bookcases & Shelving Units (with a Twist)

What about bookshelves? Do you have built-in units or wall-space for adding some bookshelves? If you do, then designate a few bottom shelves for neatly folded or rolled blankets. Use fabric bins or wicker baskets on shelves for a tidier look. Or just add the blankets by themselves.

Check out the pros and cons for this idea, too:

Pros: Utilizes existing furniture, blankets become part of the decor.
Cons: Requires neat folding, can look messy if not maintained.

Clever & Space-Saving Vertical Solutions

What if you don’t have any floor-space for coffee tables, bookshelves, or ottomans? Then look at your walls! Use that vertical space to store your blankets. Here are some of my favorite space-saving solutions.

Blanket Ladders

Not only are they super cute, but they’re budget-friendly and fit into even the tiniest spaces. A blanket ladder is a trendy and aesthetic way to display blankets. Plus, they keep blankets easily accessible and aired out.

To help you decide, here are the pros and cons:

Pros: Minimal footprint, adds vertical interest, allows blankets to be part of the decor.
Cons: Only holds a few blankets, blankets are visible (needs to be neat), not all blankets drape well.

DGWJSU Blanket Ladder

Wall-Mounted Hooks & Racks

Hooks and racks are an even more affordable way to store your blankets. Use individual hooks for one or two frequently used throws. Or repurpose some coat racks! Set up a stylish rack near the door or in a living room nook. You could even use towel bars for folded or rolled throws.

Pros: Excellent for small spaces, as it keeps blankets off the floor and furniture, and is very accessible.
Cons: Blankets are exposed, needs careful folding/hanging to look tidy.

Magazine Racks (Repurposed)

If you only have a few extra blankets to store, then wall-mounted magazine racks are a stylish and compact way to keep them organized. Wrought iron, wooden, or acrylic magazine racks can hold rolled blankets. For the best look, place them next to an armchair or sofa.

Pros: Very small footprint, adds a touch of retro charm.
Cons: Limited capacity, best for thinner throws.

Be Smart With Living Room Blankets and Throws

See? Blanket clutter is a solvable problem, and a cozy living room doesn’t have to mean a messy one. There are so many different solutions out there, and these were just a few of my favorite ideas. Go through all your blankets, pillows, and space in your living room. Choose the solutions that will work best for your space and blanket collection.

And if you need to downsize your collection, do it! Use your space wisely and don’t overfill it. Your organization ideas should always make your living room look better – not worse!

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