The 5 things you should never store in an ottoman bed – experts warn these easy mistake could cause mould or mildew

One thing most of us can agree on is that our bedrooms rarely have enough storage space, which is why an ottoman bed is such a useful piece of furniture to include.

The hidden storage area inside an ottoman bed means you can stash all sorts of things inside, from spare bedding to winter coats. However, there are some things which experts say you should never store in an ottoman bed, and they might surprise you...

In particular, the one thing all of our experts agreed you should never store inside your ottoman bed was your clean laundry! However, before you start emptying all of your clothes and towels from your ottoman, there is a reason why laundry is best avoided but also a simple fix to allow you to do so.

Here are all the things to avoid stashing out of sight inside your ottoman and why.

What not to store in an ottoman bed

1. Laundry

An ottoman bed is the perfect place to store out-of-season clothing or spare towels, but if your clothes or towels have just been washed and laundered you need to make sure they’re completely dry before you tuck them away.

Why? As Heidi Phillips, owner of Tergo Specialist Cleaning Services explains, ‘if we store items in the ottoman that aren't completely dry then the moisture within the items will have nowhere to go.’ And this should be avoided at all costs because damp and moisture are the main causes of an ottoman bed going mouldy.

However, there’s a simple solution. ‘Air items off before storing them,’ says Heidi, ‘and pay particular attention to items that are recently out of the tumble drier or have recently been ironed. Although they may feel warm and dry to the touch they will still be retaining some moisture. Wait a few hours before storing these items.’

2. Sports gear

For the same reason, Martin Eastwood, COO and bed expert at Mattress Online advises against storing sports gear in your ottoman bed.

'An ottoman bed is a perfect bedroom choice for extra storage, however, there are some things you may want to avoid using the space for – for example anything wet or damp like sports shoes and training kit. This could lead to the fabric becoming smelly and the internal fixings being affected by moisture.'

Megan Thompson, buyer at Bensons for Beds agrees, saying ‘avoid storing anything damp or moisture-prone in your ottoman bed, such as wet clothes, recently worn gym gear or damp towels, as trapped moisture can lead to mould and mildew, potentially damaging both your belongings and the bed itself.’

3. Heavy items

The cavity underneath an ottoman makes a brilliant bedroom storage idea if you have bulky items you want to store out of sight, but, you should avoid storing heavy items inside.

Steve Adams, CEO & mattress expert at Mattress Online comments, 'Ottomans are very practical and a great way to maximise the space in your room with their internal storage. However, it’s important not to place anything too heavy inside that could be difficult to lift in and out, leading to strain or injury.'

'Anything too heavy inside the ottoman could also put pressure on the baseboard if there is one,’ agrees Martin Eastwood, which could damage your bed.

4. Sharp or tall items

So, don't store heavy items inside your ottoman, but if you're decluttering a bedroom, don't be tempted to hide sharp or tall objects inside either or you could risk destroying even the best mattress.

‘Sharp objects should be kept out as they could pierce the mattress,’ says Megan of Bensons for Beds. ‘Tall items should also be avoided as they may put pressure on the slats or lifting mechanism.’

'Don't store anything that’s too tall for your ottoman bed,' agrees cleaning specialist Luis Toja from Fantastic Services. ‘This can cause issues when closing it and cause the slats to break or even damage the mattress or mechanism resulting in costly and time-consuming repairs. Avoid sharp items as well because they risk piercing your mattress and potentially even causing injury to you.'

5. Food

Whilst there are probably easier places to store our midnight snacks, some of us might be tempted to use an ottoman bed's storage space to stash our bulk buys of food items. But the expert advice is simple: don’t.

'It might sound obvious, but food, even if unopened, can attract pests so don’t use your ottoman as an extra pantry!' says Megan. 'Instead, use the space for dry, breathable storage like bedding, clothing, or seasonal items to keep your bedroom organised and sleep friendly.'

So there we go, whilst there are a few things we should all avoid storing inside our ottoman beds, there are plenty of things that can go inside to eliminate bedroom clutter and an ottoman remains a great storage idea for a small bedroom.

If you're in the process of pondering where to buy a bed and weighing up investing in an ottoman versus a divan bed, rest assured all of the do-not-stores apply equally to divan storage beds too.

Do you have an ottoman bed? What are your top tips for what to store inside? Let me know in the comments!