How to Store Water in Small Spaces: Creative Solutions for Apartments and Tiny Homes

Water is one of the most critical resources in an emergency, but if you live in an apartment or a tiny home, finding space to store it can be a challenge. The recommended amount of emergency water is one gallon per person per day for at least two weeks, but where do you put all that water when storage space is already limited?

Don’t worry—there are creative solutions that can help you store water efficiently without cluttering your living space. Here’s how to do it:

1. Utilize Vertical Space

If you don’t have much floor space, look up! Use shelves, closets, and even wall-mounted storage to keep water within reach but out of the way. If there is vertical space you can use, put light items up high and store your heavy water down lower where the lighter items were.

Over-the-door storage: Hanging organizers (like those for shoes or pantry items) can hold small water bottles or pouches.

Closet storage: Stack water bottles or slim containers on the floor of your closet or behind hanging clothes.

2. Use Stackable and Slim Containers

Traditional water storage containers can be bulky, but stackable or slim-profile options work better in small spaces.

Water bricks: These rectangular, stackable containers fit under furniture or inside closets.

Slim jugs: Some water containers are designed to slide into narrow spaces, like beside your refrigerator or under a bed.

Collapsible water containers: These take up almost no space when empty and can be filled when needed.

3. Store Water Under Furniture

Many small living spaces have unused room under furniture. Make the most of it!

Under-bed storage: Use shallow, long water containers that can slide under your bed.

Behind the couch: Store flat, stackable water bricks behind furniture against the wall.

Inside cabinets: Keep a few water bottles in kitchen and bathroom cabinets, rotating them regularly.

4. Make Use of Appliances and Hidden Spaces

You might have hidden storage space in places you wouldn’t normally think of.

Inside empty suitcases: If you don’t travel often, store bottled water in unused luggage.

Inside empty canning bottles: If you have empty canning bottles waiting to be used, fill them with water until you are ready to use them. Make sure that they are secured so that  in an earthquake they won’t fall off the shelf and shatter.

Laundry room storage: If you have a washing machine, keep sealed water jugs on top or next to it.

Behind books on a bookshelf: If you have deep bookshelves, store small water bottles behind books.

Make furniture with your water storage: Use sturdy, stackable water bricks as your furniture. Stacking water bricks next to your bed and placing a solid piece of wood on top makes a nice night stand. Two stacks of water bricks with a space between and a board across the top would make a desk or a coffee table. Get creative. 

Store water in Ziplock bags in the freezer: Put water in ziplock bags and lay them flat in your freezer and let them freeze. Don’t fill the bags all the way because water expands when it freezes and it could rip the bag if it’s too full. Pack as many in your freezer as you can. In the event of a power outage, this will not only help your freezer stay frozen longer, but when they thaw you can use them as clean water.

Water Heater: If you do not have a tankless water heater then you have water already stored in your water heater. Learn how to get water out of your water heater in the event of an emergency. This is a huge pro to not having a tankless water heater.

5. Consider Bathtub Water Storage

In an emergency, you may need a large amount of water quickly. A bathtub water storage solution can help.

Fill the tub: When you know that you are going to need water (ie you know a hurricane is coming, or you receive a notification that they are doing maintenance and will be shutting off the water for a certain amount of time, etc…), fill your bathtub with water. This will give you water that you’ll be able to use, in the very least, to flush your toilets (be sure to have a dipper bucket on hand to use as well). 

WaterBOB: This is a heavy-duty, food-grade plastic liner that fits inside your bathtub and can store up to 100 gallons of clean water. Fill it up when you know an emergency is coming (such as a storm or water shutoff).

6. Rotate Your Water Supply

When storing water in small spaces, it’s crucial to rotate it regularly to ensure freshness.

Label your water containers with the date they were filled.

Use and replace bottled water every 6–12 months.

If storing tap water, refresh it every 6 months or treat it with water purification drops for longer storage. This is in reference to tap water from city utilities because the city has already cleaned and treated the water. If you are getting your water from a well you should treat it before you store it.

7. Alternative Water Sources

If storing large amounts of water isn’t an option, consider alternative sources:

Water filtration systems: Have a high-quality water filter (like a Berkey, Sawyer, or LifeStraw) to purify water from questionable sources.

Rainwater collection: If you have a balcony or small outdoor space, collect rainwater in a food-safe barrel.

Portable water pouches: These are compact and have a long shelf life, making them a great emergency backup.

Atmospheric water generator (AWG): An AWG works like a dehumidifier, it essentially sucks the water out of the air, filters it, and it comes out drinkable. These work great in humid climates, but they do pull a lot of power. So they are useless in power outages unless you have a powerful generator or other backup power source. These potentially can be used in more arid climates, but it takes longer to work and you get less water than in more humid climates. Some people use these for their everyday drinking water, not just emergencies.

Final Thoughts

Living in a small space doesn’t mean you have to go without emergency water storage. By using vertical space, slim containers, hidden storage, and alternative solutions, you can ensure you have enough water for an emergency without sacrificing your living space.

Start small—store a few extra bottles today, then gradually build up your supply. You’ll be glad you did when the unexpected happens!

To learn more about water storage, check out this article.