Pet Stairs with Storage for Apartments 2026: Best Picks
Finding pet stairs with storage for apartments means solving two problems with one piece of furniture: helping your dog or cat get onto the bed or couch safely, and not losing another square foot of floor space to do it.
- Furmates 1Step Pet Stair with Storage fits studios and tight bedside gaps at $39.95 — Buy for small dogs and cats.
- Furmates 2Step Pet Stairs with Storage handles taller beds and couches at $49.95 — Buy for medium dogs or two-pet homes.
- Skip wide, three-riser wooden stair sets in 2026 — they eat 2 to 3 square feet a small apartment can't spare.
- Pairing pet stairs with storage and a bedside bed like Close2Me cuts down on nighttime jumping in tight layouts.
Why this matters
A studio or one-bedroom apartment doesn't have a spare closet for a bulky pet ramp. Every piece of furniture has to earn its footprint twice: once for what it does, once for what it hides.
Pet stairs with storage solve the access problem — a small dog or an older cat shouldn't have to leap 24 inches onto a bed frame — while giving back a place to stash leashes, treat bags, or a spare blanket. Furmates built the 1Step and 2Step around that exact trade: a stair on top, a basket underneath.
Training matters as much as the product. Furmates' guide on how to train your dog to use pet stairs covers the treat-and-repeat method that gets most dogs comfortable within a week, which matters more in 2026 than it did a decade ago since more renters are choosing platform beds without built-in steps.
Who this is for
This guide is for apartment renters with a small-to-medium dog or cat who needs help reaching a bed, couch, or window perch, and who can't dedicate a full closet shelf to gear. If your living room doubles as your entryway and your bedroom fits a full bed and not much else, storage-equipped stairs are the more honest buy than a stair set that only climbs.
What to look for in pet stairs with storage for apartments
Footprint when folded and in use
Measure the gap between your bed frame and the nearest wall before you buy anything. A stair that's 16 inches wide fits most bedside gaps in a one-bedroom apartment; anything over 20 inches starts crowding a nightstand.
Storage access point
Top-loading baskets work against a wall since you never need floor clearance to open them. Front-drawer designs need 10 to 12 inches of pull-out room, which is a dealbreaker if the stair sits flush against furniture.
Step rise and tread depth
A rise over 8 inches per step is hard on a senior dog's hips or a kitten's short legs. Look for a rise under 7 inches with a tread deep enough for two paws to land flat.
Weight capacity and grip
A stair rated for a 10-pound cat won't hold a 35-pound dog, and a slick tread on hardwood turns a helpful step into a hazard. Confirm the weight rating matches your pet and check for a non-slip surface on the tread itself, not just rubber feet underneath.
Material and cleanability
Apartments mean shared laundry rooms and less room for a step you can't wipe down fast. A wipeable fabric or coated surface beats raw upholstery that traps hair and holds odor.
Top picks
The compact pick: 1Step Pet Stair with Storage — $39.95, one riser, top-load storage basket. This is the pick for a studio apartment with a low platform bed or a couch under 20 inches off the ground. It fits against a wall without needing drawer clearance, and the single step keeps the footprint under 16 inches wide. Verdict: Buy for small dogs, cats, and anyone whose bedside gap is under two feet.
The tall-bed pick: 2Step Pet Stairs with Storage — $49.95, two risers, same top-load storage design. Beds and sofas over 24 inches off the floor need a second riser so the top step isn't a stretch. The extra basket depth also holds more than a leash and a toy — think a folded throw blanket or a bag of treats. Verdict: Buy for medium dogs, taller bed frames, and two-pet households sharing one stair.
The bedside combo: Close2Me Pet Bed — $159.95, attaches directly to the bed frame. If the goal is fewer nighttime jumps rather than a bigger stair, this compact bed clips onto your mattress so your pet never has to climb at all for the middle-of-the-night settle. Pair it with a 1Step for daytime couch access and you've solved both routines without adding a second bulky stair. Verdict: Consider if your pet mostly wants to be near you at night, not just up on furniture.
What to avoid
- Three-or-more-riser wooden stair sets. They photograph well but eat 2 to 3 square feet of floor space — more than most apartment bedrooms have to give up. Skip.
- Storage drawers that need 10+ inches of pull-out clearance. If the stair sits against a wall or under a bed skirt, a drawer you can't open is dead weight. Skip.
- Foam ramps with zero storage. They solve the climbing problem and ignore the storage problem entirely, which defeats the point of buying furniture-that-does-double-duty in a small space. Skip.
Verdict comparison
| Product | Steps | Storage access | Best for | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Step Pet Stair with Storage | 1 | Top-load basket | Studios, low beds, small dogs/cats | Buy |
| 2Step Pet Stairs with Storage | 2 | Top-load basket, deeper | Taller beds/couches, medium dogs | Buy |
| Close2Me Pet Bed | 0 (bed clips to frame) | N/A | Nighttime bedside access | Consider |
| 3+ riser wooden stair sets | 3+ | Varies, often none | Nothing in a small apartment | Skip |
FAQ
What are the best pet stairs with storage for apartments in 2026?
The Furmates 1Step Pet Stair with Storage at $39.95 fits tight bedside gaps under 16 inches wide, while the 2Step at $49.95 handles taller beds and couches with a deeper storage basket. Both use a top-load design that works flush against a wall.
Do pet stairs with storage actually hold much?
A top-load basket under a 1Step or 2Step comfortably holds a leash, a toy, and a folded blanket — not a full closet's worth, but enough to clear a nightstand. Front-drawer designs can hold more but need floor clearance most apartments don't have.
How many steps does my dog or cat actually need?
One step suits a bed or couch under 20 inches off the floor; two steps suit anything taller, since a single big stretch strains joints in small dogs, cats, and seniors. Measure the height before choosing.
Are pet stairs better than a ramp for small apartments?
Stairs take up less floor length than a ramp of the same height, which matters in a small bedroom, and stairs with storage give you a second function a plain ramp doesn't. A ramp is only worth it for pets who can't manage any step rise at all.
Is a 2Step pet stair worth $10 more than a 1Step?
Yes if your bed or couch is over 24 inches off the ground — the second riser keeps the top step from becoming a stretch, and the storage basket underneath is deeper. Skip it if your furniture is already low.
How long does it take to train a dog to use pet stairs?
Most dogs get comfortable within a week using treat-and-repeat training, placing a treat on each step to build the habit gradually. Cats often adapt faster since they're used to jumping to elevated spots already.
Can pet stairs with storage go on hardwood floors?
Yes, as long as the tread has a non-slip surface and not just rubber feet underneath — check for grip on the step itself before buying. A stair that slides on hardwood is more dangerous than no stair at all.
One last thing
The basket underneath a 1Step or 2Step handles more than people expect on the first try — a folded throw blanket, a bag of treats, even a spare leash and harness, all out of sight in a room where every drawer already has a job. That's the real reason storage stairs outperform a plain step in a small apartment: they're furniture with two jobs instead of one, and in a studio, that's the difference between clutter and a room that actually works.