Top 25 Storage Solutions for Homes
#1 Pull Out Pan Sorters
Simple installation and so much cheaper than hiring a carpenter. Professional results!
#2 Cabinet Door Sorters
Finally a convenient place to store flat items without sliding them under pans!
Hide those paper towels!
Also great for foil wraps!
#3 Shoe Organizers
This is my favorite shoe organizer for many reasons: 1.) The hooks aren't as cheap as other models. 2.) It has compartments that are wide enough for my husband's shoes. 3.) The brown canvas doesn't look "cheap." It flows with my decor much better than black plastic models and stays cleaner than white canvas.
This shoe rack was my second pick because I needed something for the floor of my closet. It works great, but I keep it hidden in the closet because I don't like the look of plastic.
#4 Under Bed Storage Bins
Flat plastic storage containers are surprisingly expensive to buy in stores. With price tags as high as $15 per box, you'll save tons of money buying a six pack of these babies online. The picture links to the best price.
It's very important to get the adjustable risers because the shorter risers may not be tall enough to fit your specific collection of boxes.They'll also give you some room to grow if you choose to add more boxes in the future.
#5. Storage Chests
My favorite storage chest! It looks wonderful in my living room, where I display most of my dark wood furniture.
The lighter wood chest is on my hit list for future purchases. I will tell you if it's a quality piece when I get it. Check back for updates!
I love the look of this one, but I feared that the microfiber finish would end up looking dirty.
#6 Elevated Bed Frames
This one is on my dream list. I'm still trying to convince my husband that we need this in our lives as soon as possible!
#7 Storage Benches
Benches like this work well by the front door or at the foot of the bed for linen storage. I use mine in the office for extra seating and copy paper storage.
#8 Storage Ottomans
This unit mimics a coffee table and provides quite a bit of storage for toys, blankets or anything cluttering your living room.
#9 Hanging Organizers
This is my favorite tool for bedroom storage because it holds a ton of random accessories while taking up very little space in the closet. I purchased two versions of the same product--one with large pockets and one with smaller pockets.
#10 Cosmetic Organizers
I'm not sure what I ever did without this unit to organize by jewelry and cosmetics.
My husband loves this unit because it keeps my jewelry and cosmetics out of his way!
#11 Storage Cubes
This plastic unit is great for everyday clothing but not for heavy items such as books or winter coats. There's a hanging bar in the center and side compartments for things like shoes and purses.
These come in a variety of wood finishes! They can be used alone or stacked to build an entire wall of storage.
#12 Portable Closets
I am officially intrigued, but I haven't purchased this one yet. My fear is that the hanging bar won't hold a considerable amount of weight.
#13 Toy Bin Systems
This beautiful mix of colors will compliment almost any little girl's room.
This unit can also be used for tools or kitchen accessories.
#14 Plate Organizers
I'm not sure how I ever lived without these simple risers that double my cabinet space by allowing me to stack two levels of dishes and pans. I now have six plate risers, and I won't stop until every cabinet has one. My cabinets never looked so neat!
It occurs to me that plate risers can also be used to organize magazines, washcloths or dish towels. I adore cheap solutions!
#15 Cookware Racks
The vertical pan rack is still on my wish list. I have no doubt it will be mine soon.
I purchased two of these horizontal racks. I store them side by side and use them for cookie sheets and baking pans.
Brilliant and cheap!
#16 Can Organizers
#17 Spice Organizers
This one elevates your spices so that you can see them all at once without moving bottles. I ended up using it for vitamin bottles!
This one keeps your spices off to the sides of the cabinet so that you can store other things in the center. It's the best selling spice organizer, but I don't like the look of plastic.
This one is still on my hit list of items I'll buy next time. I'll can't wait!
#18 Under Sink Organizers
I keep putting off this purchase because I can't decide. I love both of them!
#19 Closet Systems
I love this, but I don't know if I'm up to installing it. For now, it will stay on the wish list.
#20 Nesting Crates
These stylish nesting crates aren't much more expensive than ugly plastic milk crates. At around $10 a piece, you can't go wrong.
#21 Hall Trees
#22 Food Pantries
# 23 Entertainment Units
#24 China Cabinets
#25 Woven Fabric Sets
Woven sets are so much more attractive than plastic drawers. One day, I just looked around at the ugly plastic bins in my bedroom and said, "I can do so much better than this."
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How To Organize Your Life in Six Days
If you're anything like me, the sight of a messy room can overload the circuits in your brain. It's difficult to determine where to start, and the moment you pick a project, you quickly realize that there aren't enough places to store your stuff. Throwing things away will only get you so far. It's one thing to discard items you no longer use, but let's face it. Everyone needs different types of shoes, clothing and accessories for work and play. Multiply those needs by three or four household members, and you've got storage issues.
Preliminary Work: Assemble Tools
A carpenter would not begin tearing out your old cabinets without a hammer. Nor should you begin your project without the proper tools to succeed. Make a list of all the special things you may need to begin your project. For a review of my favorite types of bins and organizers, see the pictures at left. Also be sure to have plenty of garbage bags, zip ties and Ziplock bags in various sizes.
Day One: Address Front Door Clutter
My front door leads directly into my living room, so I've always had a problem with my family's shoes littering the floor. I've tried various types of shoe racks through the years, but they just look sloppy and disorganized. Storage benches are great for many people, but they just don't offer enough room for me. I solved the problem by stacking wooden storage cubicles near the door. (See idea #9 in the left column.) These units come in a variety of colors to match your existing furniture, and they look much neater than metal or plastic shoe racks. I'm also fond of pocket shoe organizers that hang over doors (idea #3). However, I prefer to use the hanging units in my bedroom.
Day Two: Organize Clothing
Divide clothing into five piles:
1.) Stuff you wear all year round. 2.) Stuff you only wear in the winter. 3.) Stuff you only wear in the summer. 4.) Nice stuff that doesn't fit anymore. 5.) Stuff you never wore much in the first place. Put all of your winter clothes into flat plastic storage bins that can be slipped under the bed. They'll keep dust out and allow you to easily access stored items as weather dictates. Save your dresser drawers for items you're wearing in the current season and things you need 365 days a year. Tip: Never hang sweaters. Tuck them into drawers, stack them in closets or keep them under the bed in flat storage containers. Now that you've established the flow of items into predefined spaces, identify those special outfits you aren't wearing at the moment because you'd like to lose some weight. Never toss anything that makes you smile or keeps you motivated. DO TOSS any garments that you never wore much in the first place. Shopping mistakes should be shredded, burned or thrown into yard sale bins. If you're not interested in making money, stuff unworthy items in garbage bags and call Purple Heart to come and pick them up. The faster you get them out of your life, the better you'll feel. Day Three: Organize Scarves, Jewelry, Shoes and Accessories
If there's not enough room in your closet for a shoe rack, try a shoe organizer that hangs vertically (see picture at left).
Day Four: Organize Toiletries
If you're having trouble finding room for all of your shower essentials, try a hanging plastic organizer with zippered compartments. These won't slip off the wall like shelves with suction cups. Remember to go through your stock and throw old items away! Keeping old toiletries can be dangerous, especially if you're into organic beauty products. A nice hair conditioner with lots of vitamins can feed all kinds of microorganisms, especially when there are no traditional preservatives to stop the process. If you're into natural soaps, go for the ones made with germ killing oils like coconut, lemongrass, tea tree, peppermint or eucalyptus.These will last much longer than skin conditioning soaps with added nutrients. Regular soaps, shampoos and conditioners with standard preservatives can be kept for three years or more.
Day Five: Organize Laundry Room
I actually moved two tall dressers into my small laundry room so that I could immediately put away clothing as I took it from the dryer. I put plastic bins on top of the dressers to hold dirty clothes, but that still didn't give me enough room to store dirty clothing. To save the day, I found this brilliant mesh organizer that holds more than three loads of laundry in different compartments. It's a much better solution than buying three laundry hampers, and it keeps my towels off the floor!
Day Six: Organize Kitchen Cabinets
There was a time when I felt that my kitchen cabinets wouldn't hold much. Then I discovered simple risers that allow me to stack two levels of plates, glasses and cups. I'm also quite fond of specialized racks that allow me to store cookie sheets and baking pans vertically. Similar units with larger spaces allow for the vertical storage of pots and pans.
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