Best bedside caddies: Quick Menu
1. Highly-rated bedside caddies
2. Things to consider
3. FAQs
4. Where to shop
5. How we test
Living in a tiny room is never easy, which is why a bedside caddy is essential for small-space and dorm dwellers. Just ask the freshmen scrambling their way through college on a shoestring budget with little more than a suitcase's worth of storage space. That said, there's no reason you can't lighten the load, especially when it comes to your bedroom trinkets.
Aside from that cluttered desk you promised yourself to sort out, there's ample space for your odds and ends, you just haven't looked hard enough. Enter the bedside caddy, an ingenious furnishing to store your weekly reading, iPhone, glasses, and other nighttime essentials. Heck, you can even keep the remote in it for some serious Netflix binging.
The best part? These days, the caddies on offer come with plenty of room to keep your essentials, primed with pockets and hangers alike. Arriving in a whole spectrum of silhouettes and palettes, these great dorm organization buys are also a handy way to brighten up or decorate what is often a rather dull room — at least on first arrival.
9 bedside caddies to keep your essentials close
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Whether you opt for a macramé piece (perfect for a bohemian feel), a fabric choice complete with elastic slots, or a simple metal design, pared-back for the minimalist aesthete, you can trust these low-price, high-style designs to tick your boxes.
Pricing is accurate at the time of publishing
Highly-rated bedside caddies
Made from: Waterproof fabric
Color: Beige
Size (in.): H10 x W14 x D1
Storage: 7 pockets
Price: $11.49
Amidst the chaos of the world right now, you can find some order and harmony, at least by your bed. Yep, this techy little dorm organizer features mesh and cubby-style pockets, not to mention a spot for quick-access tissues to wipe off your makeup before catching some Zs. And yep, it's made to last, constructed with an Oxford-woven fabric. The shopper's verdict? Major value for money. Our verdict? Big slay.
Made from: Canvas and iron
Colors: 5
Size (in.): H7.87 x W14.57 x D4.7
Storage: 2 pockets
Price: $12.95
I'm a sucker for anything cute and compact, which makes this a no-brainer. Complete with two iron hangers for easy mounting, it can be placed on headboards and bed frames alike. And yes, shoppers could not praise it enough, highlighting its quick assembly and robust construction. As for the colors available, we're talking bold turquoise, baby pink, soft gray, black, and a cooler gray. Plus, those rubber-tipped hooks are a life-saver, keeping the caddy firm in place.
Made from: Felt
Colors: 3
Size (in.): H9.54 x W13.39 x D10.24
Storage: 4 pockets
Price: $12.99
Anyone who prefers low-key decor should consider this handy design. It comes in a trio of muted tones (chestnut, asphalt, and marl) and features a fastidiously compartmentalized structure. On its surface, two slip pockets, and inside, two discreet mesh pockets. Ideal for keeping your electronics within reach, the design fits in neatly with a minimal dorm setup. And yes, the testimonials are great: laptop, iPad, Kindle, whatever — it slots in neatly and cleanly. This is clear proof that dorm room ideas for guys can be stylish too.
Made from: Steel mesh
Color: Silver
Size (in.): H2.55 x W10.55 x D4.72
Storage: 1 compartment
Price: $16.99
Don't let the lack of compartments fool you; this is one spacious little piece, ideal for storing your tech staples. Plus, if you're dialing up the cool contemporary aesthetic, this nails the brief. In terms of lifespan, you're getting real value here thanks to the high-density metal construction and the welded surfaces. According to reviewers, this was a must for college students, especially if you're working late on an overdue assignment.
Made from: Waterproof fabric and mesh
Colors: 8
Size (in.): H11 x W18.9 x D3.1
Storage: 8 pockets
Price: $18.99
Sometimes, all a dorm room needs is a change of color. That, or plenty of handy spots for quick-access items. Fortunately, this design, which comes in shades such as canary yellow, navy, and much more, has your back, offering up an abundance of sturdy pockets, as well as stretchier ones on its side. Shoppers found the pockets to be aptly sized and the hook and loop fastener hangers strong enough to handle their load. Consider us sold.
Made from: Fabric
Color: Pink
Size (in.): H11 x W10 x D3.5
Storage: 4 pockets
Price: $26.98
No space for the bigger dorm room storage ideas? No sweat. This baby-pink design, which also features a cup holder, is an aptly chic alternative, serving Barbiecore realness. Specially designed for dorm living, it's got the clean and easy compartments you need for your television controller, weekly reading, and even a soda as you go. Reviewers were impressed by its shape retention and quality. Win-win!
Made from: Cotton canvas
Color: Cream
Size (in.): H8.6 x W13 x D8
Storage: 2 pockets
Price: $35.98
You don't need us to tell you that a little boho dorm decor goes a long way in softening an otherwise cold and faceless room. This bedside organizer, which slots neatly next to your single, is something of a hero, arriving in a soft, ivory tone, hand-knitted with meticulous skill. As is always the case with Etsy, you're getting that wrought and crafted feel (something a handful of reviewers mentioned), not to mention handy extras, like the sticky straps that hold it firmly in place.
Made from: Plastic
Colors: 3
Size (in.): H4.7 x W12.2 x D4.7
Storage: 3 compartments and 4 hangers
Price: $15.99
When it comes to sturdy design — this ticks all the boxes, offering a neat way to file your bedside items in handy cubbies. Made from high-grade plastic, it's suitable for storing headphones, fans, smartphones, and tablets, as well as anything else you might wish to hang from a bedframe, headboard, or raised bunk. As for the colors, there's a cutesy green, pink, and white edition, each arriving with playful, yellow-accented details. With reviewers, it earned plenty of points, especially in the looks category.
Made from: Felt
Colors: 5
Size (in.): H7.87 x W12.6 x D3.94
Storage: 4 pockets
Price: $15.75
Did somebody say chic? Yes, this felted number is as slick as it looks, offering durability and neat design — not forgetting good looks. Providing ample space for your bedroom essentials, this fits neatly under your mattress, keeping messes to a minimum without causing an eyesore. Whether you opt for the khaki or labrador brown, or, heck, any of those exquisitely understated hues, this delivers on say-less aesthetics. Plus, reviewers highly rate the seller, so you can expect handmade goodness from here on out.
Things to consider when buying a bedside caddy
When it comes to sourcing your bedside caddy, it pays to be wise. Rush into it, without taking a little advice from yours truly and you'll be missing a serious trick.
Size: First things things first: size isn't everything. While we would recommend keeping the design within earshot of 11 inches wide, there are no right or wrong dimensions. Instead, you need to consider the smart use of space, which brings us to our next point.
Pockets: While size isn't everything, what you do with it does. Look for designs with plenty of pockets if you're prone to clutter, or if you're only storing a few odds and ends, a harder, simpler one-compartment caddy should have you covered. As for the pockets themselves, consider also how spacious these need to be. If they're slits or stretch pockets, what they can and can't carry differs largely.
Color and texture: It sounds obvious, but a little forethought regarding the look of your caddy is important. Soft neutral tones in soft fabrics, like felt, can often add warmth to a room, while peppier pieces, like the pink canvas designs, can enliven your bedroom, adding character and pizzazz.
FAQs
Do you need a bedside caddy?
If you're messy and living in tight quarters, absolutely. As interior designer and head honcho at Dream Home Making Elizabeth Grace explains, "A bedside caddy serves as a sleek organizational solution, allowing you to keep essential items close at hand — whether it's your current read, a pair of glasses, or your trusty notebook, a caddy ensures everything has its designated place." As well as this, Grace highlights the clutter reduction and space optimization potential, a factor anyone looking to make it through dorm life alive should heed. "For those with limited bedside space, a caddy is a game-changer," she says. "Its vertical design takes up minimal space, making it ideal for compact bedrooms."
What looks good in a bedside caddy?
Well, a lot, to put it briefly. According to interior designer and founder of Dream Home Making Elizabeth Grace, it's everything from books, glasses, accessories, and watches to tech essentials and even a personal journal and pen. "For those who find inspiration or like to jot down thoughts before sleep, a journal and a quality pen are a perfect addition," she says. "It's both functional and aesthetically pleasing." In her eyes, a bedside caddy isn't just a storage solution but a welcome excuse to showcase one's design acumen. "By carefully selecting and arranging items that blend form and function, you can create a harmonious and inviting bedside space," she adds.
Elizabeth Grace is an interior designer who was born and raised in Philadelphia. She has always been passionate about design, and after receiving her degree in Interior design from the University of Notre Dame, she moved to New York to pursue her dream of becoming an interior designer. As an interior designer, Elizabeth comes across some pretty amazing hacks and tips that have helped her become the best version of herself—and now she wants to pass them along to you. Her passion drives her to create a platform to share her experience and facilitate the audience.
Where to shop for bedside caddies
Haven't found the one just yet? Keep searching for bedside caddies at these top retailers.
How we tested these bedside caddies
We spend a lot of time trawling the web to present only the tightest selection of products out there. As such, we also pore through reams upon reams of product and seller reviewers, ensuring you're getting something that users genuinely rate. Put simply, if it ain't improving shoppers' lives, it ain't making its way into our guide. Just this moment, we haven't personally reviewed each and every product, but you can rest assured the shoppers have spoken, and these are all worthy of Real Homes' seal of approval.
In the market for more college room design hacks? Check out these dorm room ideas to make your place the cutest on campus.