Where to Put a Slimboy in a Small Bedroom: 5 Layout Ideas That Work

The best place for a slimboy in a small bedroom is a spot that uses wall height and leaves your walkway alone. That usually means a corner, the gap beside the wardrobe, the side of the bed, the wall next to the door, or an alcove. Rooms are getting smaller. Canstar’s latest build-cost analysis shows new dwellings consented over the past year averaged 140m², about 10% smaller than in 2020 and 23% smaller than in 2010. A dresser that suited your old place may not suit the new one.

This blog covers five layouts, how much clearance you need, and what to check before you buy.

Key Takeaways

• Best spots: a corner, beside the wardrobe, beside the bed, next to the door, or in an alcove.
• Clearance: keep at least 60 cm of walkway free when the drawers are shut. Aim for about 80 cm in front of the unit so you can open drawers and stand.
• Bedside swap: a slimboy can replace one bedside table. It frees floor space and adds drawers.
• Slimboy or tallboy: choose a slimboy when wall width is the problem. Choose a tallboy when you need more drawers and have a wider wall.
• Before buying: check depth, not just width, and tape the footprint on the floor first.
• Price: slimboys in our range started from about $419 when this was written.

What Is a Slimboy, and Why Does It Suit a Small Bedroom?

A slimboy is a tall, narrow chest of drawers. It gives you dresser-style storage on a much smaller floor footprint. You may also see it sold as a lingerie chest or a narrow tallboy. The names overlap, but “slimboy” usually points to the narrowest version.

For a small room, that shape does three useful things:

• It stores vertically. You gain drawer space without losing floor space.
• It hides clutter. Drawers keep socks, tees and chargers out of sight, which keeps a small room feeling calmer.
• It fits awkward gaps. The beside-the-wardrobe gap or a corner is often too narrow for a standard chest.

Our own Slimboy range was designed for these tight spots. We also wrote about why a slimboy works well in small bedrooms if you want the storage case first.

Where Should You Put a Slimboy in a Small Bedroom?

Put it in a corner, beside the wardrobe, beside the bed, next to the door or in an alcove. Which one suits you depends on where your walkway runs. These small bedroom layout ideas are ranked from the easiest to the most overlooked.

1. Can a Slimboy Go in a Corner?

Yes, and it is usually the safest choice. Corners are dead floor space in most rooms. A slimboy there adds storage without cutting across any path.

Pick the corner farthest from the door. Make sure the drawers pull out into open floor, not into the bed frame.

2. Can a Slimboy Replace a Bedside Table?

Yes, on one side of the bed. This is the idea most people miss.

A bed centred between two bedside tables creates two narrow corridors, which Homebase advises against in small rooms. Slide the bed to one wall instead. Put the slimboy on the open side, and use a wall shelf or a small lamp on the other.

The top of a slimboy sits higher than a standard bedside table. Choose a low lamp, and keep your night-time essentials in the top drawer.

3. Does a Slimboy Work Beside the Wardrobe?

It does, and it is the tidiest layout. Placing the slimboy next to the wardrobe creates one storage block. Hanging clothes go in the wardrobe, and folded items go in the drawers.

Check that the wardrobe doors can still swing fully open. If you need more hanging space, see our wardrobe range.

4. Is the Wall Beside the Door a Good Spot?

It can be, if the door opens fully without touching the unit. The wall next to a door frame is one of the most unused spaces in a bedroom.

Open the door all the way and measure the gap. Leave a hand’s width of spare room so the handle never catches the slimboy.

5. Will a Slimboy Fit in an Alcove?

Usually yes. Recesses beside a chimney breast or a window corner suit a tall, narrow unit well. The slimboy sits flush and looks built in.

Avoid placing it directly under a window. Most slimboys are taller than the sill, so they block light and make it hard to open the window.

Quick Comparison

How Much Space Do You Need Around a Slimboy?

Leave at least 60 cm of clear walkway with the drawers closed. Allow roughly 80 cm in front of the unit so you can open the drawers fully and stand. Those figures are common planning guidelines, so check them against your unit.

Here is how to test it in five minutes:

1. Check the depth. Read the depth on the product page, then add the drawer pull-out length.
2. Tape the footprint. Mark the base and the open-drawer area on the floor with painter’s tape.
3. Open everything. Swing the door, the wardrobe and any other drawers to see what overlaps.
4. Walk it. Carry a laundry basket through the gap. If it feels tight, it is.

One safety point: fix tall furniture to the wall with an anti-tip kit, especially in kids’ rooms.

Slimboy or Tallboy: Which Fits a Small Bedroom Better?

Choose a slimboy if wall width is your limit. Choose a tallboy if you need more storage and can spare the width. Here is the tallboy vs slimboy trade-off:

Our view: in a bedroom under about 10m², a slimboy almost always wins. Browse the wider chest and tallboy range if you want to compare sizes side by side.

What Should You Look For When Buying a Slimboy?

Look at depth first, then runners, then material. Width gets all the attention, but depth is what decides whether a unit blocks your walkway.

1. Depth. Shallower units leave more room to walk.
2. Drawer runners. Smooth runners matter on the drawers you open daily.
3. Material. Solid timber lasts longer. Several of our pieces, like the Cobar and Fenton, use NZ recycled pine.
4. Colour. Lighter finishes such as white or pine make a small room feel more open.
5. Delivery access. Measure your hallway, stairs and bedroom doorway before ordering.
6. Handles. Choose low-profile handles in tight spots so clothes and sleeves don’t catch.

How Much Does a Slimboy Cost in NZ?

Most slimboys cost between about $400 and $900. Price depends on timber, drawer count and finish. These are examples from our range, as listed when this was written:

Prices and stock change, so check the Slimboy collection for current details. SuperPrice Furniture is locally owned and offers nationwide delivery and a range of payment options.

Not Sure Which Spot Suits Your Room?

Bring your room measurements and a photo to any SuperPrice Furniture store in Thames, Whitianga or Waihi. Our team can help you match a slimboy to your layout. You can also use our store locator or contact us for a quote.

FAQs

1. Can you put a slimboy in front of a window?

Usually not. Most slimboys are taller than a standard windowsill, so they block light and stop the window opening. A low, wide chest suits that spot better.

2. How far should a slimboy be from the bed?

Keep at least 60 cm clear. If the drawers open toward the bed, aim for about 80 cm so you can stand and pull them out fully.

3. Is a slimboy the same as a tallboy?

Not quite. Both are tall chests of drawers, but a slimboy is narrower. Shops sometimes use the names loosely, so check the width and depth on the listing.

4. Can a slimboy replace a bedside table?

Yes, on one side of the bed. Use a low lamp on top and keep your night-time items in the top drawer. A wall shelf can cover the other side.

5. Will a slimboy make a small bedroom look smaller?

Not if you choose well. Pick a lighter finish, keep the top clear and place it against a wall, not out in the room.

Ready to Find Your Fit?

A small bedroom doesn’t need less storage. It needs storage in the right place. Tape out the footprint, test your walkway, then pick the layout that leaves the most open floor.

When you’re ready, see the full Slimboy range at SuperPrice Furniture, or visit us in Thames, Whitianga or Waihi.