While I love all the beautiful baskets and bins and a trip to The Container Store is my idea of a good time, I have found that what I gravitate towards the most in my own home is owning less and using what I have to create systems. I know that perfectly sized acrylic drawer organizers and matching baskets aren’t always in the budget.
“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” William Morris
My biggest pro tip will always be, edit, edit, edit. This is the easiest and VERY FREE way to organize (and you can actually make some money if you choose to consign, sell on Craigslist, or have a yard sale). Yes, there is the cost of time, but if you simply put on your calendar 2 hours a month to sort through a closet, your books, the toys before holiday season, or the kitchen cabinets, it becomes part of your schedule.
Yes, I do have favorites at The Container Store, Ikea, and Target, but when I do need to “contain” items, I love to do it for free. Here are a few ideas….
BOXES
Gift boxes and shoeboxes work great in drawers, Diaper or Amazon boxes are great to use as bins on a shelf. Wrapped in fabric or paper, they make sturdy, one of a kind storage.
JARS
Think about recyclable items from the grocery store (think jelly jars) or used up candles (I always choose candles in glass) that can be repurposed for storage. They are great for bulk items like nuts or grains at the store, vases or votive holders, craft supplies, or even drinking glasses!
Jars are used to sort craft supplies in the vintage milk crate
STACKING
I love items stored away in pretty containers, but you can still make a tidy closet by stacking like items together like towels, toilet paper and tissue boxes, linens (filed vertically in drawers or stacked in the linen closet by room or type)
WOODEN CRATES
I love the wooden crates that clementines come in during winter. They stack well, can be personalized with paint and labels and used in the pantry, craft room, bathroom, or to store accessories in the closet.
