This $2 Dollar Tree Storage Hack Makes Use of Your Dead Cabinet Space

I always find it very satisfying when I’m able to give things like a sauce jar or a butter dish a second life in my home — especially if it’s something I was considering getting rid of, or something I never really had a good use for. But my interest in organizing hacks isn’t just about reusing items that already exist: I also like seeing how regular organizers can be used in unusual ways. 

That’s why I was so delighted to see that one content creator managed to create versatile kitchen and entryway storage from, of all things, a Dollar Tree organizer meant for holding straws.

In an Instagram video, content creator Melissa Reeves shares how she got “two organization hacks out of one Dollar Tree find.” The find in question is the Storage Essentials straw organizer ($1.50), which is a type of organizer I didn’t even know existed. It’s a two-piece set of wide, narrow plastic “shelves” with adhesive strips to attach them to a wall or surface. One piece is open at the bottom and top like a bar or rail, which is meant to contain your reusable straws, while the other is more of a shelf. But despite its specific name, this straw organizer can do so much more, as Reeves shows in the video.

She puts the shelf component on the inside of a cabinet door and fills it with electrolyte packets instead, and then uses the open part to hang sunglasses on the inside of a shelf. It’s the “best $1.25 I’ve spent,” she captions the video (but it’s good to note that the straw organizer is priced at $1.50 online). 

This particular clear plastic straw container is only available at Dollar Tree, so you can either head to a store or shop online (however, there’s a minimum quantity purchase required). If you don’t live near a Dollar Tree or don’t want to shop on the website, there’s another 2-piece clear acrylic straw holder with essentially the same design on Amazon. 

The main difference is it’s $13.99 instead of $1.50 that you’d spend in store, so you’ll have to be prepared to shell out more money to try this hack. However, it’s still cheaper than the minimum amount needed to purchase it online at Dollar Tree.