Between all of your dancers’ clothes, costumes, shoes, and bags, not to mention your own props, music, technique tools and more, it’s easy for dance studios to become completely overrun with “stuff.” Getting rid of things won’t solve the problem, as you never know when you may need a certain prop again, or if you’ll be able to repurpose an old set piece down the road.
For these reasons, storage is so important in a dance studio. But…where to begin? It’s good to start with the space you have and decide if there are areas that can double as storage while still being usable space. For example, if you have a waiting room for parents, you could replace standard chairs with storage benches or ottomans. If you have a dressing room or space for students to hang between classes, wall hooks for coats and bags and storage cubes for shoes and other odds and ends are your friend. While standard totes work great for holding props, you could go one step further with mesh bags that can hang on the wall, further saving space (while also eliminating odor!). If you have extra wall space but aren’t sure where to start for storage, large wall cubbies, shelves, or cabinets are a great way to maximize space.
While getting your studio organized can be a daunting task, it’s so worth it to have a place for everything and to have extra space for your dancers to do what they’re there to do – dance! Read on for our run down of the best ideas for dance studio storage.
1. Langria 16 Cubby Storage Cubes
Langria
This wall of storage cubes can have so many purposes. It could work as storage for teachers and be used to hold props, shoes, decorations, etc. You could set it-up in a dressing room for dancers to store their shoes, bags, etc. You could even break up the set and use the cubes in various places around your studio, such as in your office space, the dance room, or even the bathroom. The unit arrives in separate pieces so a decent amount of assembly is required, however it’s easy to put together each cube and it gives you the option to arrange the cubes however you want. Each of the cubes is made with eco-friendly plastic, and it has a door on the front which helps to hide what’s inside of the cubes. The door also has a small hole for a handle, which helps with air flow and keeps items from getting stinky. The transparent color also makes it easy to match your existing studio decor.
Price: $65.99
Buy the Langria 16 Cubby Storage Cubes here.
2. SONGMICS Double Rod Garment Clothing Rack
SONGMICS
One of the best parts of dance is the sparkly costumes you get to wear. One of the worst parts of dance for studio owners is where to keep all of the costumes until the dancers take them home. This double rod garment rack is a great storage solution as it can hold multiple costumes without taking up too much space. The rack is 34.25 inches wide, and the height can be adjusted anywhere between 39.375 inches and 57.125 inches. There is also a nice depth between the two rods of 16.125 inches, which helps the costumes/clothes from bumping into each other on either rod. The entire thing is made with stainless steel pipes and ASB plastic parts, so it’s pretty durable and has a weight capacity of 130 pounds. There are also four wheels on the bottom of the rack so you can move it around, however the more things you have hanging on it, the more difficult it is to roll. This garment rack is also reasonably priced at just $36.99, so you could order multiple if you need the extra storage.
Price: $36.99
Buy the SONGMICS Double Rod Garment Clothing Rack here.
3. Simpli Home Avalon Storage Ottoman Bench
Simpli Home
One way to incorporate dance studio storage is to work it into your seating area. If you have a waiting area for parents or seats inside your dance room, you can replace chairs with a storage ottoman bench, which works as seating and also storage. This storage bench is 48 inches wide and the inside is about 10 inches deep, so it’s a good amount of storage. The lid of the ottoman has child safety hinges, which is a nice feature when there are so many little fingers around. The ottoman is easy to assemble as all you have to do is screw on the legs, and there are seven different color choices.
Price: $118.99
Buy the Simpli Home Avalon Storage Ottoman Bench here.
4. PROMART DAZZ Mesh Laundry Bag With Handle
PROMART
If you have items like pom poms, elastic bands, fabric scarves, etc. that can start to smell when locked in a plastic storage bin, a mesh laundry bag is a good solution. This laundry bag is heavy duty so it can hold a lot of items, and the mesh allows everything inside the bag to breathe so that things don’t get too musty. The other cool thing is that this bag has a handle on it, so you could hang up some hooks on a wall and hang these bags on them to save precious floor space. The bag is less than $6 so it’s a really inexpensive dance storage solution.
Price: $5.99
Buy the PROMART DAZZ Mesh Laundry Bag With Handle here.
5. Atlantic Summit Media Cabinet
Atlantic
If you are one of the few dance studios that still uses CDs to play music (or if you’re still holding on to your stash because you can’t get rid of them), you know that CDs take up a lot of space. This media cabinet is designed to fit in compact spaces while still providing a lot of storage, so it’s a good option if you feel like you’re being overrun by media. Even if you don’t have CDs, this cabinet would work great for holding recital DVDs, photo albums, dance books, and so much more. There are three fixed shelves and five adjustable shelves, so you can place them however you want to maximize your storage space. Measuring at 13 inches wide, 8.5 inches deep and 54.13 inches tall, this cabinet is perfect for narrow spaces.
Price: $46
Buy the Atlantic Summit Media Cabinet here.
6. Winslow Cubby Shelf and Coat Rack
Winslow
Like many of the dance studio storage ideas on this list, this shelf could work in a lot of different ways. The entire unit is five feet long and it has a shelf on the top, four square cubbies underneath, and nine hooks on the bottom. The shelf and cubbies could be used to hold a variety of smaller items, while the hooks could hang stretching bands, costumes, coats, dance bags, etc. This could primarily be used as dance items and prop storage, it could be placed in a dressing room to hold dance bags and coats, or it could even be used in a space for teachers to hold their personal items. Made with MDF wood, the shelf has a white finish that will match almost any studio space.
Price: $122.90
Buy the Winslow Cubby Shelf and Coat Rack here.
7. Sorbus Cosmetics Vanity Storage Case Display
Sorbus
It’s no secret that dancers always need an abundance of hair products like bobby pins, hair ties, etc. This small storage case is perfect for holding all of those smaller items that are good to have on hand. In addition to holding hair stuff, you could also use this to hold first aid items such as band-aids and ibuprofen, feminine products, or whatever else it seems like your dancers need. At 9.5 inches long, 6.25 inches wide, and 11.25 inches tall, it’s a great size for placing on a desk, counter, or even in the bathroom. You can also choose between two different drawer set-ups to suit your needs: three large drawers and four small drawers, or four large drawers and two small drawers. This storage case also comes in six different colors ranging from diamond to purple, but they are all acrylic so you can still see the items inside.
Price: $23.99 and up, depending on color
Buy the Sorbus Cosmetics Vanity Storage Case Display here.
8. Prepac Elite 32-Inch Storage Cabinet
Prepac
If you lack closet space, this storage cabinet is a good way to add some additional storage space to your dance studio. The cabinet is 32 inches wide, 65 inches tall, and 16 inches deep, so it’s a decent size and provides plenty of shelf space to hold anything and everything. There is one fixed shelf and two adjustable shelves, so you can customize the cabinet to hold either smaller or bigger items, or a little bit of both. There are also some other sizes and styles of this same cabinet (found at the same link below), so you can add to this cabinet if you need more storage and want everything to match.
Price: $150.02 and up, depending on color
Buy the Prepac Elite 32-Inch Storage Cabinet here.
9. Lorell 17427 Mobile File Cabinet
Lorell
Owning a dance studio comes with a lot of paper work. Between dancer information, studio newsletters, competition registrations, bills, etc., your desk can soon be overrun with paper. A mobile file cabinet is a nice thing to have in every studio, as it becomes the permanent home for all of your important documents. This file cabinet is 18 inches wide, 33.1 inches tall and 21.8 inches long, and it has three drawers. The top drawer is smaller and meant for holding a minimal amount of paper and office supplies, and the bottom two drawers are meant for holding hanging files. The top two drawers also lock, which is a nice option if you have certain documents or items that you want to keep secure. There are also four caster wheels which makes it easy to roll the cabinet around. Assembly is also super easy, as all you have to do is screw on the wheels. If you don’t have a need for this in your office, you could use it in your waiting area and have different files for each class as a way to share studio info with parents.
Price: $78.28
Buy the Lorell 17427 Mobile File Cabinet here.
10. Sterilite 30 Quart Clear Latch Box With Lid (Six Pack)
Sterilite
At the end of the day, you can’t beat a good ol’ plastic storage bin for dance studio storage. This pack from Sterilite comes with six 30-quart bins, each one clear with a white lid and black latches. Having a clear bin is nice as you can see exactly what is inside each bin without having to label it. The latches on these bins are also nice as they secure tightly and has a little bit of a grip to them, which makes them easy to carry. This size of box is ideal as it can hold most prop items without getting too heavy, and you can also stack them on top of each other. Of course, if 30 quart isn’t large enough for you, Sterilite also has a 70 quart container that should do the trick.
Price: $50.34
Buy the Sterilite 30 Quart Clear Latch Box With Lid (Six Pack) here.
See Also:
10 Best Gifts for Dancers
Dance Room Decor: Best Ways to Decorate Your Dance Room