Home Storage Ideas

Some facts just stick with you. I’ll never forget a comment one reader, ecuadoriana—a collector of pre-20th century medical journals—left on a post I wrote about paper clutter last year. Apparently hemorrhoids, some time around the late 1800’s, used to be called “piles,” and ecuadoriana had formed a lasting mental connection. “Every time I see piles of papers, magazines, wayward laundry, etc.

Staying organized at home on a budget can be tricky. That’s why we have to pause and celebrate each and every inexpensive home organizational find we discover! And amazingly, we actually found an under-$20 buy at Amazon that can help streamline your home in seconds. Believe it or not, this stylish wire magazine holder has the power to organize everything from your kitchen pantry to your closet—it just takes a little imagination.

In addition to adhesive hanging hooks, Command has several highly specific applications of their removable (a.k.a. renter-approved) technology.

It turns out Carrie Bradshaw’s not the only one who stores sweaters in her oven. MakeSpace, a storage solution that combines technology with trained moving professionals, conducted a survey on the State of Stuff in America and found that there are real people out there turning kitchens into closets. While you may have considered it an urban legend up there with “alligators in the sewers,” this method of dealing with abysmal apartment storage is very real.

Magnets are little gravity-defying miracles, and mighty in their myriad uses. One of the best places to put their small-yet-powerful selves to work is in the bathroom. Use one or two or 10 there, and keep everything in its proper place. No more hunting around for loose bobby pins, nail clippers, or your favorite eye shadow.

I have friends who renovated their home recently, and they put together this gorgeous, open-plan kitchen with The Works: white marble countertops on top of crisp black base cabinets with pull-out drawers, floating open shelves instead of upper cabinets, and an enormous farmhouse sink. Basically everything I’ve ever pinned. Not surprisingly, it looked amazing when it was finished!

Are you wasting space and not realizing it? Find out what mistake you may be making, plus get two great IKEA storage product recommendations from tiny home dwellers.

For someone who lives in the scorching-hot-nine-months-out-of-the-year South, I have a surprisingly large amount of blankets and over-sized sweatshirts. The blanket collection has been growing ever since I left home, with quilts my mother has gifted me, vintage afghan blankets I’ve found while thrifting, and a glut of cheap throws I always buy any time I spot one on sale at TJ Maxx or Target.

I’m prepared to say that 85% of U.S. citizens have one of these magnetic knife holders hanging somewhere in their kitchen (that’s a totally made up number btw), and the other 15% should get on board. And then 100% of us should look for other places to mount them in our homes, because these simple little strips are good for so much more than just knives. Here’s a whole bunch of ways they make organizing easy.

I don't have a fortune to customize the cabinets from top to bottom — just a few dollars here and there to maximize my kitchen's storage potential.

We’ve all been there. It’s almost springtime and after a long winter spent indoors, you’re ready to get your home nice and clutter-free for the warm weather season. Unfortunately, sometimes instead of successfully clearing out the clutter in our homes, we simply wind up organizing stuff we shouldn’t keep in the first place. While catchall storages bins and closet organizers might seem space-savvy, they often end up helping us hoard things we should be getting rid of.

Pegboard and IKEA seem like a match made in heaven and now we can enjoy this marriage here on earth. Released in Europe and other parts of the world last spring under the name SKADIS, the line just landed here in the U.S. and neatniks everywhere can rejoice. The basic SKADIS board comes in three sizes priced between $8-$16.

At $46.99 and a mere 12 inches deep, the EKBY ALEX is one of IKEA’s best examples of sleek, minimal furniture that lends itself to an impressive array of uses and customization options. With two drawers and a surface that can be used as a shelf or table, the EKBY ALEX maximizes storage in small spaces like only our favorite Swedish pieces can.

If you’ve got a pantry—no matter the size, from a small cabinet to a complete closet to a dedicated room—chances are you have a door or two enclosing it. While you might have given attention to organizing the shelves within your pantry, have you thought about tackling all that wasted space behind your door? This DIY pantry door storage solution is functional and beautiful. And it’s such a good idea, we’re rerunning this post two years in a row!

A five-part plan for a better pantry by tomorrow.

If you’re itching to kick your standard closed cabinets to the curb to update the look of your kitchen, you may be considering the controversial open shelf. But before you add a bunch of bespoke floating wooden shelves to your kitchen, consider this in-between look that’s a little less expected. It just might be the thing you’re looking for to add some organized, yet visually interesting storage to your cooking space.

Your guide to custom-crafted drawers.

When you live in a small space with smaller storage options, a blank slate under the bed becomes valuable for storing, well, whatever will fit. We’ve rounded up smart projects, inspiring photos, and a useful shopping guide to help you make the most of your available bed-to-floor storage options. Above: This image from IKEA shows how a VEDDINGE kitchen cabinet door with a molding surround and wheels attached can double as a sliding shoe organizer. Talk about clever on wheels.

If your bedroom storage situation is such that you laugh-cry every time a person on “House Hunters” (or any given home show) sashays through a walk-in closet and then pouts, “This just isn’t enough closet space,” then grab a cup (okay, more like a big pot) of tea and settle in.

A living room closet is a godsend, a convenient place to cram all your belongings so your living room can be clutter-free for relaxing and entertaining. But if yours doesn’t have a closet, storing things in the living room can be tricky. You don’t want all your belongings strewn randomly across the most aesthetically important room in your home. Luckily, with a little creativity, you can make a lot of space in your living room without sacrificing any elegance or organization.

Who would imagine that a professional organizer would buy a home that has very little built-in storage? What would be a deal breaker for many buyers became a welcome challenge for the de-cluttering guru and talented DIYer Tami Hills. The owner of Nola Clutter Busters, whose home we recently featured as a house tour, shares some of her simple storage solutions with us. As an organizer, I’m NOT a fan of using plastic storage containers if they are visible.

Baskets are one of those things that absolutely fall into the category of “you can never have enough.” They’re hard working, provide plenty of storage solutions and can be downright pretty. We’ve rounded up 16 of our favorite storage baskets nice enough to incorporate into your decor (while stashing away things you don’t want out in the open). It’s woven. It has handles. It has a pretty accent color. What more could you want?

Here are six of our favorite no-hanger, no-fold options for casual clothes storage.

Behind-the-doors ways to make the most of your current kitchen.

Don't let your kitchen's small size intimidate you.

Find space you didn't even know existed in your kitchen and bathroom.

As a renter, building your own built-in bookshelves is out of the question (unless you butter up your landlord, I guess). But you can get kind of close. Here are a handful of storage solutions that, like liquids and cats, will fill any space. And the best part about modular, design-your-own pieces is that they can be reconfigured to work in your next apartment (and every apartment after that!). Boxy modules snap together with small clips, and can be placed on the floor or on top of a stand.

A friend you haven’t seen in a while calls to let you know she’s in the area and would love to stop by. You say: “Of course—come over!” You think: “Just give me three hours to clean up, please!” Ideally, we’d follow the “tidy up a little every day” routine, but despite our best efforts, there are certain spots in our homes where the chaos just tends to build.

Whether your space is just too small or your storage options lacking, you might find yourself in the position of figuring out where to store pots in your kitchen. Don’t despair if there’s no cabinet to tuck them away in; there are ways to store your pots out in the open that won’t hurt your eyes. For your storage inspiration files: 14 examples of real homes storing pots stylishly.

When combined with pipes, a towel bar, or a suspension rod, basic s-hooks from the hardware store work space-saving magic. Hang pots and pans, towels, or gardening tools from the hooks, and you’ll save drawer space, while leaving items you reach for often right out in the open. Here are nine reasons to let s-hooks hang out in every room in your rental.

If you’ve got a small bathroom, you’re really making a fatal design and storage mistake by not including these five smart storage tools. These five items will give you more storage space, make your existing storage space more efficient and make using your small bathroom a lot more enjoyable. Hate opening your bathroom drawers to a jumble of toiletries? Create your own affordable drawer dividers to transform those junk drawers into spaces that make you happy to open and use every day.

If you have the room to keep your kitchen and bathroom counters clear by tucking tools and objects out of the way in a cabinet or another storage piece, great! Who wants to look at all that clutter? But what if you live in a super tiny place and really must use your countertop for storage? Here are three solutions for stylishly using your countertops for storage and avoiding that “everything just shoved against the wall” look.

I moved into a small, 500 square foot apartment with real wood floors, tall charming ceilings and a spunky little kitchen that can’t be more than a few feet wide. Yes, WIDE. We’re talking can’t-open-the-oven-unless-you’re-standing-on-the-side small. But I managed to fit everything I needed in my kitchen snugly, in a way that functions well enough that I can easily pull things out as I need.

Utility carts are exactly what their names suggest—carts that can be utilized for whatever your needs may be. Whether they are in the kitchen, bedroom, garage, office, or craft room, let your creative juices flow when it comes to organizing and storing items on these carts! Here are 12 of the best utility carts out there, plus suggestions of how you can use them around your home.

If you can’t add more actual storage cabinets to your living space, you can always increase the capacity of what’s already there. This includes kitchen cupboards, free-standing wardrobes, media centers, and medicine cabinets — all of which are silently pleading “make me better, make me better!” Fulfill their organizational destinies, with these nine tips… 1. Go for store-bought inserts that increase the amount of stuff that cabinets hold.

When I think of underbed storage, I generally think of plastic containers, or, at best, artfully organized baskets. But when you’re in need of serious storage solutions in your bedroom, you have to think outside of the box. That’s exactly what these people did. They maximized the black hole that was the space beneath their beds, said goodbye to the dust bunnies and hello to oodles of storage space for their shoes, clothes, toys – you name it.

Whether you’re renting and can’t do a lot of permanent damage, or even if you own a house but just don’t have a budget to tear everything out and start from scratch, you can still make impactful changes and additions that will make your kitchen quite a bit nicer to look at (and nicer to use, too) without a reno.

Here are seven smart ways to fit more storage in your bedroom without making it feel too cramped.

Living in a little apartment can have its own special joys, but small closets aren't one of them.

Summer’s around the corner and after this wretched winter, I think we can all agree, it’s about time! And with summer comes extra gear to make room for. From flip-flops and beach towels to kid and doggy PFDs, here are some clever ways to store these seasonal items. 1. As simple as it gets: basic galvanized hooks mounted on rustic fencing provides a weathered backdrop for tiny bikinis and towels. Apartment Therapy. 2.

Not long ago I explored ways people have used the super affordable Bekvam spice racks all around the house and today I’m turning to another cheap and extremely versatile IKEA product – the Fintorp kitchen organizer series. Let’s take a look at some clever and smart ways folks are using Fintorp at home. The Fintorp system, if you’re not familiar with it, is a rail-based organizer which includes hooks, wire baskets, and metal caddies in two sizes.

What’s big, blue, and one of my all-time favorites from IKEA? At $0.59, the FRAKTA bag is cheaper than a soft serve cone from the Swedish behemoth, and it just might be the brand’s most versatile product. What’s it good for? How much time have you got? Laundry – The FRAKTA is enormous and weightless, which makes it great for hauling dry cleaning and laundry. The flat bottom even makes it work for collecting clean folded laundry before putting it in its place.

Any time of year is a good time to cull your belongings and get rid of things you no longer need or want, but right now is the best time of year to get rid of one particular item: formalwear. Spring prom season is coming up and the fancy dresses you no longer need (you know the ones, they’re hiding in garment bags at the back of your closet) can bring a lot of happiness to a young woman struggling to afford the cost of prom.

Drawers and cabinets are some of the most valuable real estate in a home, and every inch counts. It can be a challenge to keep everything organized, tidy, and easily accessible, all while using the space to the fullest, but here are 10 products that can help you win that battle. Top Row: 1. KMN Drawer Decor Starter Kit, $29.95: A modular drawer organizing system that includes a silicone base and repositionable tabs to keep items from sliding. 2.

A mixture of storage options can help you avoid having toys constantly underfoot. Here are 10 good-looking solutions for corralling dolls, Legos, stuffed animals, and more. Bins, whether they stand alone or in cubbies, are the most straightforward way to corral toys. In the latter case, an outsider wouldn’t even know there are toys in there. To clear floor space, try a swing for stuffed animals.

Sometimes when I get a little anxious about dwindling space, it calms me to remember: “there’s always the back of the door.” Whether it’s a closet door or a cupboard door, back-of-the-door storage is often the aha! solution to storage conundrums. Check out these products and ideas for inspiration. 1. Over the door purse hanging rack, Ebay, $15.99 for two. 2. Bathroom cabinet door storage seen on BHG, with free plans for building your own on Remodelaholic. 3.

For years I’ve coveted pantries, and now that I have one… it’s kind of a mess. Keeping a well-stocked pantry user-friendly is definitely a challenge, but the wisest minds online are here to help… From across the web, here are some of the best ideas for keeping your pantry organized. You’ll never spend 15 minutes digging around for the sugar ever again. Open + Industrial Perhaps the best way to keep your pantry looking its best? Make it public.

away 1. DIY Rolling Storage Crates, Teal & Lime, approx. $120/set of 4 These are an even hipper option that would end up looking great in a teenagers room/college dorm. You could stencil them with simple numbers that would be universally useful. I really want a set. 2. DIY Chalkboard Drawers, IHeart Organizing Unwanted dresser drawers were given new life with the addition of casters and a coat of chalkboard paint. Such a smart way to label kids’ stuff! 3.

Storage doesn’t always mean clear plastic bins that you squirrel away in a closet. Small space dwellers in particular don’t have the luxury of hidden spaces, like basements, to keep stuff out of the public eye. And sometimes it’s nice to keep things close at hand, without having to rummage around in a closet for what you need when you need it. For these reasons and more, sometimes the smartest way to organize is incorporating storage into daily life.

Ready to organize those stuffed animal collections for the new year? Some parents recommend purging until you don’t need a storage solution, but some kids love their stuffies so much that they’d love to keep them all. If you agree to house a bunch of these toys, you might want an aesthetically pleasing way to store and display them. We’ve rounded up some simple and clever ideas for keeping plush toys corralled and displayed so that, hopefully, everyone is happy. 1.

Advances in technology are making excessive wires and cables slowly go the way of the buffalo but, the remote? It looks like we may be stuck with that one for a while. So if you can’t beat it, hide it! (Along with those goofy 3D glasses that seem to come along with every new TV.) We’ve rounded up a few options that you won’t mind leaving out based on the average size TV remote (7.5”) though you may want to check them against your own. 1.

Anyone else have a garage, basement, or storage space that looks like this? There’s hope: Marji was fed up with the clutter in her tool shed, and she decided to first purge and then create a clever system that works for her.From Marji: As you can see, our tool shed was an unbelievable, disorganized mess.

Binders are everywhere in my home: office, kitchen, living room, and yes, even in the bedroom. Given their ubiquity, I like to use binders that are one step up from the run-of-the-mill plastic variety to add a bit of color, pattern or a clean-lined look. Here are some of my recent favorites, ranging from bright and punchy to natural and basic.1. 1″ Capri 3-Ring Binder, $122. 1″ Binder from Poppin, $43. 1″ Eames Binder by Naked Binder, $9 4. 1″ ReBinder Original, $3.19 5.

I want to preface this post by saying this: Yes, I am aware that followers of feng shui say that storing anything under your bed is a bad idea. But let’s face it, folks. If you’re trying to fit everything into a small space, it would be a shame to waste all that area under the bed. With that in mind, I’ve rounded up a handful of underbed storage options, along with some tips, tricks and DIY projects.Resources: Long Underbed Box with Wheels from Container Store $22.

image:c2825991f525aeca346ee8e1057fee59531b764e w:540 s:"fit" class_name:"mt-image-center" show_pin_button:"true" show_image_credits:"true" When you’re short on space, shoes and bags are some of the hardest items to give a proper home. It seems like they’re always hanging around in the wrong rooms, getting crushed together in a too-small bin, getting tangled together on a top shelf, or gathering dust at the back of a closet.

Living in a small space there are no hidden places to store dirty laundry, thus the laundry hamper is an essential design element in the bedroom or bathroom. Here is a round up of the most stylish laundry hampers on the market whether you are on a shoestring or unlimited budget.High End:1. Rolling Wire Storage and Liner, Pottery Barn $1592. Torrey Divided Hamper and Liner, Pottery Barn $1793. A Tempo laundry basket, Alessi $1794. Handwoven Baskets from Senegal, Brook Farm General Store $1455.

I don’t know about you, but when the new year rolls around and my Christmas decorations are neatly packed away, I feel the urge to freshen up my home. Bringing in clean, bright colors and a few new items to help me feel inspired and get organized is the perfect way to get over those post-holiday blues. Here are a few of my favorite storage bins to corral all of those toys and clutter in your home:1. Pehr Canvas Baskets: See Jane Work2. Wire Baskets: Crate & Barrel3.

A clean, organized, and well-lit home work space is a must. And what better time to tackle this issue in your home than the fresh start of a new year! Many of us don’t have the luxury of a separate home office or studio, but that doesn’t mean we can’t create a healthy environment for working at home. Even if you don’t work from home, carving out a space for productivity is important and a smart way focus on specific tasks without distraction.

Toy cars are like potato chips – you can’t just have one. In fact, it seems like you can’t even have less than a few dozen. My son inherited a bunch from his father which are unceremoniously living in a little suitcase. But I do love these diy ideas which not only house, but also display toy car collections.1.

Where do you stow your umbrella when not in use? Stuffed in the coat closet? Some other place that’s less than convenient? Silly, that’s why umbrella stands were invented! We looked around the web and rounded up our favorite umbrella holders — from simple vessels to more unique stands.• Lacquer Umbrella Stand from Jonathan Adler $295• Blomus Vido Umbrella Stand from AllModern $125.09• Prato Umbrella Stand from Container Store $24.

An organized home is incredibly gratifying. It allows tasks to get done more smoothly, cleaning completed more quickly, and projects processed more enjoyably. Plus, the tranquility and uncluttered emptiness of an organized home is a beauty all its own. These over-the-door storage products won’t tidy your entire home, but small organization projects are an encouraging way to start!

Today’s One Minute Tip comes from Fay Wolf, with three simple ways to rethink vertical space. • The Star: Fay Wolf is a singer-songwriter, actor and professional organizer. She’s acted on shows like 2 Broke Girls and Bones, and her songs have been heard on shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Pretty Little Liars. Fay’s Los Angeles-based company New Order has been organizing lives since 2006, helping creative people deal with both inner and outer clutter.

The bathroom is the smallest room in the house, yet stores the most varied collection of stuff. How do you fit everything in and keep it from getting cluttered? Here are 10 creative storage solutions from our archives and around the web.1. Labeled storage. Kristen shared her bathroom shelving solution with us in 2010. She embroidered small baskets for easy sorting and access, and we love the result.2. Mason jars. Keep small items on hand with this DIY mason jar solution via ReadyMade.

Casting on, purling, and cabling are some of a crafter’s prime joys, but that joy can quickly turn sour when one is faced with impossible tangles and skeins that seem to multiply (and run loose!) like rabbits. Here are several storage solutions to help knitters and crocheters maximize the delight of the craft while keeping organizational frustrations at bay.For those with plenty of space to spare, a specialized piece of furniture can help with yarn organization.

As much as I laugh at the episode of 30 Rock where Liz Lemon is carrying multiple bags from the Container Store and declaring how neat she’s going to be and how wonderful that will make her, it’s true that accomplishing a big organizational project feels really good. A few months ago I succeeded in installing a closet system, and here’s a bit of what I can share about the process.A salesperson helped me design an Elfa system (on sale!) for my strangely-shaped, shallow closet.

Every fashion-addict dreams about it: a custom-designed closet, preferably walk-in, with all your clothing, footwear and accessories in sight and at arms’ reach. The kind of space which makes getting dressed in the morning feel like shopping on Madison Avenue. It can be yours with a custom closet, but it doesn’t come cheap. If your’e thinking of taking the plunge and going custom, here are some things you might want to keep in mind.Pros1. They’re designed for your stuff.

Good closet space is key to living well in any size home. But just because it’s behind closed doors doesn’t mean you should let your closet become a mess. Maintain your sanity and maximize your storage space by keeping your closet the same as any other room in the house — neat, beautiful and organized.Whether it’s bedroom closets, coat closets, linen closets and anything in between, we’ve rounded up 10 great examples tidy storage spaces.

I may have a bit of a scarf addiction. With practically nonexistent closet space, they were taking over the hooks on my bedroom door. Not only was it an eyesore, it was impossible to grab a coat or scarf without creating an avalanche of accessories. This weekend, I found a solution that was quick, inexpensive, and visually interesting. Check out the after, after the jump!My bedroom is a square with this little nook large enough to accommodate the open door.

Whether you prefer to keep your shoes by the door or in your closet (or both), they’ll end up all over the place if you don’t have a system. Check out these examples of wrangled heels, loafers, sneakers, and boots.In an entryway, the space underneath a bench is a natural storage spot. You can keep things extra organized with baskets (Image 4) or use the bench’s own rungs as a shelf (Image 8).