Home Ideas Home Organization Ideas For Those On A Budget
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Home Organization Ideas For Those On A Budget

TristaFebruary 6, 2019
Coat racks are a great solution for apartment dwellers. Credit: Shutterstock

34. Coat Rack

If you live in an apartment, your landlord may not allow you to put nails in the wall for a coat hanger. A great solution is to get a coat rack. These cost anywhere from $20 to $50, depending on where you buy them and what material you choose. While a row of hooks is a simpler option, those too have to be mounted to the wall and often require screws or nails, so a coat rack is the one free-standing option you have to store coats without potentially damaging walls. Coat racks are available in styles from minimalist to eclectic, so you should be able to find a coat rack that tickles your fancy no matter the style.

If you enjoy vintage items, vintage coat racks can often be found in a wide range of styles at yard sales, thrift shops, and estate sales and aren’t popular anymore, so they are often quite affordable. Old coat racks can have truly unique decorations and are well built and made to last, so they are an excellent investment if you like the look of coat racks and want something long-term that can move with you. Many coat racks also come with spokes that allow you to store hats and gloves, which can keep you organized all winter long.

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Packing cubes are available in most stores. Credit: Shutterstock

33. Packing Cubes

Packing cubes help to compress your clothes by removing the air. These are great for traveling so that you can fit more into your suitcase. They also work for putting off-season clothes away under your bed or in your closet. A full set of packing cubes is just $20. Packing cubes are considerably more gentle on fabric than vacuum sealing. Thus, they’re an ideal alternative for packing vintage fabrics and family heirloom quilts and such without having to worry about damage or strain on the fibers. Packing cubes are ideal for coats, sweaters, and sweatshirts, as well as bed linens.

Packing cubes are also convenient for storing loose items like toiletries for travel. They allow you to hit the ground running at your destination by not having to sort out and organize your suitcase the second you land. Packing cubes can also be handy for compressing blocks of things like extra USB and power cords without damaging the delicate internal structure like a vacuum storage unit would. Anyone who packs a backpack for travel or likes only to bring carry-ons would benefit from the organization and space-saving features of packing cubes. Plus, they’re typically relatively inexpensive!

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Display your knife collection with a magnetic strip. Credit: Shutterstock

32. Magnetic Knife Wall Holder

If you are serious about cooking, you might have a giant meat cleaver or other large chopping knives that don’t necessarily belong in a drawer or utensil holder. Magnetic wall strips are usually around $10 to $20, and you can just stick your knives to the wall. That is great if you paid a pretty penny for your knife set, and you want it to be on display, anyway. As long as you make sure your knives are completely dry before storing them, a magnetic display is a great way to keep them sharp and keep your hands safe from unexpected drawer encounters.

If you’re a home chef and like to keep your knives razor-sharp for easily slicing through tomatoes and onions, keeping those knives mounted to the wall on a magnetic strip is a great safety feature. Storing them along a magnetic strip is also far more hygienic than in a knife holder, which can trap dust, dirt, mold, and mildew. Magnetic knife strips also look nice, especially if combined with a hanging pot and pan display. Your kitchen will quickly start to look like a small professional kitchen! The only drawback for magnetic knife storage is if you live in earthquake-prone areas where they could get a bit dicey.

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Food lids can be a disaster if you don’t organize them properly. Credit: Amazon.com

31. Food Lid Organizer

Anyone who cooks a lot at home and ends up with leftovers likely knows the struggle of dealing with storing those leftovers in an organized way. If you have plastic or even glass food containers in your cabinet, you may struggle with keeping them tidy and finding the right lids when you need them. Never fear because food lid organizers exist, and they’re only $13 on Amazon! These handy dandy organizers allow you to store lids standing on their side, which not only helps them stay dry and clean but lets you find them easily without the dreaded searching.

These organizers could be an absolute godsend for anyone who wants to start trying to save money through meal planning or even merely packing a lunch once or twice more a week. It saves you the time of having to sort through mismatched lids. Besides, you may ultimately never find the one you need. Getting better ones will make you far more likely to commit the time to meal prepping and cooking at home. That is not only likely healthier for you but most definitely saves a ton of money over time. Food lids also almost always snag some water from the dishwasher, so letting them stand and air dry will help prevent mildew.

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Shoe shelves help keep clutter off of your floor. Credit: Shutterstock

30. Shoe Shelves

Whether it’s in your closet or right by your front door, a shoe shelf is a significant investment. It’s possible to get a cheap metal shoe shelf for $10 at places like Walmart or Target, but there are plenty of nicer pieces made out of wood that you can get for under $50. Shoe shelves can be open wide racks or made up of a lot of small wooden cubbies. If you have many larger boots or hiking shoes, the open shelf style model will likely be a better fit, although you could also store those on the flat top surface of a cubby shelf. There are enough options that you should find a shelf to work for any shoe type, including heels.

If you live in a wet climate or someplace with wet, muddy winters, you may want to invest in a metal or plastic shoe shelf that is easier to clean and won’t warp or swell from the presence of constant water. In dry areas, a wood shelf is just fine and may be easier to dust. If you’re truly limited on closet space or floor space, try an over-the-door shoe bag hanging storage system that allows you to store smaller pairs of shoes like sandals or flip flops by merely storing them in a little plastic pouch. There are countless types of shoe organizing systems out there, so you’ll find something that fits just right.

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Utensil holders display your cooking items on your counter tops. Credit: Shutterstock

29. Utensil Holders

Some people put all of their cooking utensils in their drawers. However, then they are rummaging through trying to find a specific tool. If you want to avoid the headache, invest in a utensil holder. Home Goods has a vast selection of discounted utensil holders in every color and material you can imagine, and they are all under $15. Vintage vases and crockery pieces from yard sales or thrift stores are also a phenomenal way to hold utensils that also adds a bit of vintage and rustic charm to your kitchen. Any vessel tall enough to hold your utensils together, so they aren’t falling out, is good enough.

For an even more unique vintage approach to utensils, try looking for a vintage wall pocket or wall planter. These ceramic, glass, or metal items are deep enough to hold at least a few utensils while also mounting directly to a wall freeing up counter space. There are also reproduction wall pockets made to mimic the vintage style that can be affordable if you can’t source any genuinely vintage pieces. These not only add a beautiful rustic vibe to your kitchen but anything that frees up limited counter space is truly a blessing in small, cramped kitchens with little to no counter space.

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Shower caddies add additional space to your shower. Credit: Shutterstock

28. Shower Caddies

Some people can afford to install showers with plenty of built-in shelf space, but plenty of apartments, and honestly, a lot of older homes will only give you a tiny amount of space for your toiletries. That can be easily resolved with a $10 shower caddy. Some attach via suction which is the easiest to install and the least invasive. However, those kinds also have a much lower maximum amount of weight they can hold. It could be an issue if you buy sizeable professional shampoo and conditioner bottles that can weigh several pounds each. For those types of items, a tension rod storage caddy is a superior option.

Tension rod shower caddies allow you to store far more weight and have a large number of storage baskets without having to do any measuring, thanks to the tension rod itself. Tension rods work by having a tightly wound spring inside beneath the rod that pushes it strongly against whatever surface it meets, locking the rod in place. They tend to fit an extensive range of measurements thanks to the nature of the spring system, making them ideal for renters who may need to use them in several different showers within a few years or those who don’t want to fuss with measuring.

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Storage ottomans are great for hiding items away from sight. Credit: Walmart.com

27. Ottoman Storage Bins

Storage ottomans are fantastic because they serve multiple purposes. They can be a coffee table, a place to put your feet up, as well as somewhere to hide extra blankets or your kid’s toys. Sometimes, these storage ottomans can be over $100, especially if they’re made by a unique brand or a nice material like velvet or real leather. However, you can thankfully find them all over the place for under $50 in a vast array of shapes, sizes, and finishes. Amazon, Walmart, Target, and HomeGoods are all great places to look if you are on a tighter budget.

Storage ottomans are an absolute must-have for living rooms. They can hide video games, extra blankets, and pillows, magazines, books, or whatever else you need while keeping your living room tidy. Not only that but also giving you extra seating or at least a place for a dog to get comfy or to put your feet up to relax. In a nursery, storage ottomans are a fantastic addition to a nursing rocket to hold bibs, pumps, and anything else you might need at a comfortable arm’s reach. They’re also ideal for holding extra toys and blankets in a child’s room to minimize on-the-floor clutter.

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Cabinet organizers help to arrange foods in your pantry. Credit: Amazon.com

26. Cabinet Organizers

Just like refrigerators, cabinets and pantries full of food can get messy very quickly, especially with bags of chips and snacks that simply can’t be stacked or organized tidily on their own. You can resolve this by using plastic baskets to categorize like items. “Lazy Susan” rotating cabinet organizers are another great option because you can spin it around to find the category of items you need while maximizing space. These range from $10 to $30, depending on the type you get, with spinning storage being the most expensive due to the complexity and higher cost of the moving parts.

Cabinet organizers come in a whole host of shapes and can be used to help organize odd-sized objects like soup or drink packets, ramen blocks, odd-shaped boxes like instant rice, and more. For those who like to eat healthily and buy bulk products like bulk whole grains, cabinet organizers can be ideal for storing your dry goods in clean, labeled containers for the healthiest and tidiest storage. While food storage containers can sell at a premium in some stores, check dollar stores and places like HomeGoods and TJ Maxx for more affordable alternatives, especially for dry goods that aren’t at risk of leaching chemicals from plastics.

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Jewelry stands are affordable, and an easy way to display necklaces. Credit: Shutterstock

25. Jewelry Stand

If you have many necklaces, but you don’t want to buy an expensive jewelry box, a great option will be to buy a jewelry stand to go on top of your dresser. This way, your necklaces, and bracelets are on display, and it keeps them in a place where you do not have to worry about them getting tangled. These stands are sold just about everywhere, from Hobby Lobby to Target. These typically only cost $10 to $20. Necklace stands tend to come in a wide variety of fun shapes and sizes and many beautiful wooden and metallic finishes, so you will likely be able to find one to compliment any space.

If you’re truly limited on space, think about getting a wall-mounted jewelry stand or even a row of hooks for hanging your beloved necklaces to keep them safe from getting tangled. If you’re the craft sort, you may be able to find vintage wall art that can be modified to hold necklaces since all you need is a small hook or indented divot to hold the jewelry in place. Keep your eyes open at thrift stores and yard sales for anything that could be modified to hold jewelry on the wall to maximize your space and make for a fun, beautiful display.

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These adorable animal ceramic bowls are made for holding jewelry. Credit: Anthropologie

24. Ceramic Trinket Holders

If you have a minimal jewelry collection or want your go-to-items to be out on display, you may want to consider getting a ceramic trinket holder. These are cheap and easy to find at yard sales and thrift stores for just a few cents, but you can also find them in really high-end trendy shops like Anthropologie for under $20. The sky is truly the limit on styles, with options ranging from old vintage teacups to modern aesthetic cups in any material you can imagine, including metal, resin, glass, and wood. The only real necessary component is a divet to hold your items.

If you have a lot of jewelry, you may want an organized velvet case with a glass top with indents for storing rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and more. However, if you mainly wear rings, bracelets, and/or earrings, a little trinket holder is an ideal solution to let you simply scoop up your favorite items and go. If you have favorite little items you like to keep near at hand, like a worry stone or fidget cube, a trinket holder is a great way to display those types of items artfully. Trinket cups are a great way to personalize a space.

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Rows of hooks like this help keep jackets off the floor and furniture. Credit: Shutterstock

23. Hooks on the Wall

For some people, hanging their jackets on a hook is a no-brainer, but plenty of people try to cram everything they own in their closet or drape their jacket over a chair in the living room, which looks messy. If your house or apartment does not have a row of hooks, it’s best to install one so that your essentials are near your front door. Alternatively, install hooks in your bedroom to display purses and other items. Prices for hooks vary, depending on where you buy them, but on average, you can get them for around $20. If you’re the crafty sort, you can make your own row of hooks from a piece of barn wood or driftwood and old silverware or horse tack.

Regardless of the style or how you make them, a nice row of hooks is ideal for keeping items off of the floor and furniture and looking tidier in an appropriate space. Even if you have a nice-sized closet, a row of hooks can still help hang up guest coats, hanging a basket to hold outgoing mail, a basket with must-grab items like keys and wallets, and more. Hanging something at your eye level is a great way to make sure you see it and remember to grab it on the way out the door, so disorganized people take note!

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Over-the-door hooks may be necessary for apartment living. Credit: The Container Store

22. Over-The-Door Hooks

If you live in an apartment, you may not want to put holes in your walls for hooks. A great solution to that issue is to get an over-the-door set of hooks. Even in a home you own, you may not want to worry about later having to spackle holes in a wall and touching them up with paint to keep your home looking pristine. Over the door, hook racks are perfect for virtually any room to hang up your robe, sweatshirts, towels, and more. The best part is that these are usually around $10 at Walmart and Target, and you’ll never have to worry about leaving any damage on the walls of your home or apartment.

In a child’s room, over-the-door hooks are great for daily grab-and-go items like jackets and backpacks and can help cut down on time spent searching around the house for those critical items. A mudroom can hold umbrellas, ponchos, and other convenience items that may drip and cause a mess elsewhere in the house. Even in a craft room, an over-the-door hook can hold brush holders, skeins of yarn, and other sewing notions in little hanging baskets or holders. It’s hard to imagine a room that wouldn’t benefit from some over-the-door storage, so if you find a good sale on racks, buy at least a few!

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Beauty gurus out there already know that it’s necessary to organize your makeup. Credit: Shutterstock

21. Makeup Organizers

Some people who don’t own a lot of beauty products or only use drugstore items might just toss their cosmetic items in a makeup bag or a bathroom cabinet. If you want to display your makeup items in a neat and orderly way, especially if you have some mid or high-end beauty products, it’s best to get one of these clear acrylic makeup organizers. The good news is that these are now available at Dollar Tree. If you can’t find them at the dollar store, they are still always in the $5 to $10 range everywhere else.

TJ Maxx and HomeGoods have countless acrylic makeup organizers, including some that are even decorated with rhinestones or crystals for the ultimate glam girl experience. Suppose you only have limited vanity or bathroom counter storage surfaces. In that case, these organizers are an absolute must to ensure all of your daily beauty supplies are kept neat, clean, and within a comfortable arm’s reach. The humidity of a bathroom isn’t an excellent environment for makeup, especially powder products, so an acrylic organizer can also extend the life of your makeup by making it easier to carry in and out of the bathroom for safer dry storage in another room.

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Fridge bins will save your food, and your sanity. Credit: Sorbus on Amazon.com

20. Fridge Bins

If you’re like most Americans, you have experienced the frustration of not being able to find something in your fridge. You just might discover that it was pushed to the back and hiding behind other items for months. Alternatively, maybe you buy something at the grocery store, only to realize you had two of the same thing already in your fridge. A solution to that problem is to buy a set of clear acrylic fridge bins. This way, you can divide similar items together. That makes it easy to find exactly what you need every single time, and you will always know when you are running low on any given item.

The 6-piece set featured in the image above is $35 on Amazon. If you’re prone to forgetting about fresh produce hidden away in your crisper drawer, try displaying it in a big acrylic bin like in the photograph above so that it’s right in your line of sight every time you open the fridge for a snack or soda. If you have a small fridge, you can maximize your usable space by stacking loose items like soda cans and yogurt cups in bins versus spreading them out across the entirety of a shelf’s limited space. They can also be beneficial for bagged items like shredded cheese.

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Trays are great for the bedroom or the living room. Credit: Shutterstock

19. Trays

Do you have a tray? They are handy to have, especially in the living room or dining room. Trays give you a place always to put your remotes, game controllers, drinks, charging cords, and more where they can’t get lost, stolen by dogs or cats, or knocked over. They also double the efficient sense of carrying breakfast in bed or anything else you may need to move from one place to another. Prices will change depending on where you buy your tray or what material it’s made out of. Check out HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls for some fantastic stylish options under $20.

Trays can also be a very chic and witchy way to display stationery sets in an office, gardening supplies near a houseplant nook, drying bundles of herbs and spices, and more. Rustic wooden trays can add a fun, magical vibe to any space, primarily when used to hold rustic items or something fun like rocks or crystals. Easy to clean plastic trays can be ideal in children’s rooms to help contain arts and craft materials in a more spill-proof, mess-proof way. In a kitchen, trays can hold loose ready-to-eat items like granola bars, shelf-stable meat snacks, and washed fresh fruit.

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Keep your books and trinkets on display. Credit: Shutterstock

18. Bookshelves

Buying a bookshelf to keep your books and trinkets might be evident for some people, but for others, it’s not. Some people think that it costs a fortune to get a good bookshelf, but the good news is that Walmart and Ikea both sell bookshelves for around $30. You can also scope out your local thrift store for well-made vintage shelves that will weigh a lot more but are also far more likely to stand the test of time than today’s fiberboard furniture. Bookshelves give you storage space and a great platform for decorating your space with plants, trinkets, art pieces, and more.

If you have a hobby like board games involving many big square boxes, Walmart and Ikea sell great bookcases with square shelving areas that are ideal for storing and displaying such boxes. The minimalist vibe of square bookcases also makes a stunning focal point for a living room or dining room storage area. Try combining natural and human-made elements in your bookcase, like rocks and plants, alongside books and art to create a lot of visual interest and lively, energetic space. Bookcases now come in more colors than ever, with finishes including glossy blacks and whites, aged grey wood finishes, natural pale beech finishes, and more.

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Take a lesson form Marie Kondo and start buying little boxes. Credit: Shutterstock

17. Boxes For Your Drawers

No matter how neat and tidy you may keep your drawers, the chances are that eventually, things get messy again, especially loose odd items like pairs of underwear and wads of anklet socks. Take a tip out of Marie Kondo’s playbook by getting small boxes to go inside your drawers. The good news is, these little plastic boxes are available at Dollar Tree for only $1 each, so you can load up on them at a reasonable price that won’t break the bank while making your home feel so much more neat and orderly. Anything that makes laundry less onerous is definitely worth $1 each!

Boxes inside drawers are convenient in children’s rooms to make it easier for them to dress themselves without tearing their room apart looking for their favorite pair of socks. They can also be used in kitchen drawers to keep packets like oatmeal or hot chocolate neat and organized. In craft rooms, they can keep paints and crayons together. If you keep any home repair supplies in a closet or under a sink, the little boxes are an excellent solution for keeping nails, screws, bolts, and more all safely organized without poking fingers. If you see a good sale on nicely sized plastic boxes, stock up since they will always have a good use!

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Velvet hangers save space, and are better for your clothes. Credit: Shutterstock

16. Velvet Hangers

Anyone can buy a pack of hangers from Dollar Tree. But when it’s time to move, those plastic hangers are so annoying to transport, and over the years, they may bend and break. If you want to give your closet an upgrade, consider buying felt or velvet hangers. They stack easily, so they take up less space than plastic hangers. They also help fabric cling to the velvet, which is perfect for any clothing items that frequently slide off the plastic-like heavy sweatshirts or sweaters. The thin hangers look neat and save space on your closet bar if it’s at a premium.

In August, back-to-school time is a great time to watch for sales on velvet hangers as stores like Target release their curated dorm collections that tend to have inexpensive moving items like hangers. Stores like HomeGoods and TJ Maxx are also great places to check for reduced price overstock velvet hangers. Velvet hangers are also an excellent way to hang up blankets in a storage closet since the velvet helps the fabric grip and the thin profile lets you hang more blankets in the same amount of space over traditional thick, bulky plastic hangers. Velvet hangers are one of those items that simply is always worth the slightly higher price.

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There are special holders for belts and scarves. Credit: Umbra on Amazon.com

15. Belt and Scarf Hangers

If you have a collection of belts or scarves, it can be challenging to figure out how to organize them and keep them easy to grab to complete an outfit on the go. Brands like Umbra create stylish metal hangers that allow you to display your scarves and belts like works of art, but there are other brands out there to accommodate your accessory collections. They are almost always under $20, making them an affordable option for tidying up your closet and making sure your accessories are easy to find and use to complete the perfect outfit each day.

If you don’t want to make your scarves and belts into works of art, there are also simple and inexpensive hangers that can simply be hung up in your closet alongside your clothes to make finding them simple and easy. For crafters, these types of hangers are great for hanging yarn to dry or simply for hanging partial skeins to keep them organized, as well as lace and other trimmings and cordages. Much like hanging old quilts as decor, if you have any old pieces of interesting fabric or lacework, the more decorative hangers are a great way to display vintage fiber art inexpensively.

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Create extra storage space in your bathroom with suction cup containers. Credit: Amazon.com

14. Suction Storage Cup

If you have recently moved into an apartment or house with a bathroom without a proper vanity, you may be clogging up your countertops with a bunch of necessities. A great solution is to get a suction cup container that can stick to mirrors and walls. The holder above is $15 on Amazon. When properly applied to clean, dry walls, these cups can hold a surprising amount of weight and can keep your toothpaste, deodorant, and other toiletry items neat, tidy, and at a convenient arm’s reach. They come in various colors and finishes that can match any bathroom color scheme and design aesthetic, making them a fantastic flexible storage option.

As with many of the items on this list, suction storage cups can be an excellent fit for many other situations than just bathroom storage. They can be used in a nursery to keep nursing supplies near at hand to a rocking chair or crib. In a child’s room, they can be used to hold markers, paintbrushes, or other art supplies near a little desk or table at child height that can’t be knocked over like a traditional storage cup. They could hold a few choice cooking utensils on a backsplash near the stove in a kitchen instead of having to take up counter space with crockery.

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Bedside tables with storage help to keep extra items in your bedroom organized. Credit: Shutterstock

13. Bedside Tables With Storage

It may be tempting to get charming bedside tables that are trendy and minimalist, but if they don’t come with storage, you are losing a lot of space for that minimalist aesthetic. Next time you are searching for bedside tables, look for ones with drawers so that you can hide away your TV remote, medications, earplugs, face mask, books, and magazines, or anything else you may need nearby for sleeping and relaxing. Ikea, Home Depot, and Walmart all have bedside table options with storage for around $30 each. If you use a humidifier, look for a plastic or metal table since the wood will swell and warp over time.

Suppose you’re a tech aficionado who needs to have their smartphone, tablet, and maybe even a video game system near at hand when winding down before bed. Then you should consider a bedside table that has hidden charging docks inside or even a charging pad for compatible devices to make sure all of your tech toys are always at full charge. If you use a CPAP machine or a humidifier, hidden power strips or charging bays are even more beneficial for minimizing the wire mess that could clutter up your bedside area and make it less calming and tranquil for your sleep hygiene.

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Instead of rummaging for pens and pencils in your drawers, get a pencil holder. Credit: Shutterstock

12. Pencil and Pen Holders

If you are only of those people who can never find a pen when you need it, chances are, you need a pencil or pen holder. That can be as simple as grabbing an old mug that you already own, or you can get a stylish acrylic cube on Amazon for under $10. Most dollar stores will have pen holders, as well. As with many simple containers, they can hold far more than just pens on a desk. If you have children with art supplies or have many art supplies, you can divide up and organize your supplies by type and store each in their own pencil container for easy access.

Anything long and thin can be stored nicely in these containers, so markers, colored pencils, paintbrushes, crayons, and more can all be conveniently stored. If you use reusable metal straws in your drinks, keeping a pen holder to keep them tidy in the kitchen is a fantastic idea. In the bathroom, they make a cheap and easy toothbrush holder and can hold combs and brushes as well as makeup brushes. They could even hold candy if you’re a fan of suckers or pixie stix. We recommend keeping a small stash of pen holders on hand for tidying up any tall, loose items.

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By hanging pots on your wall or ceiling, you can get them on display, and keep them organized. Credit: Shutterstock

11. Hanging Pot and Pan Rack

Storing pots and pans can be a considerable challenge, especially if you have a small kitchen. Stop hiding your cookware under your oven or inside cabinets. You may want to go vertical with a hanging pot and pan rack, which can be attached to a wall or even hung from a ceiling in kitchens with a high ceiling. The prices of pot and pan racks will vary depending on the material. Amazon.com has a metal option for $40, but expect to pay a lot more at kitchen supply stores. You can simply get a metal rod that attaches to a wall with brackets and then hang your pots and pans from S hooks for the cheapest and simplest option.

Hanging your pots and pans has advantages beyond just storage, with pans that are routinely nested often getting damaged by rust through small amounts of moisture lingering after washing or simply scratching each other in storage when being jostled around. Hanging pots and pans not only put them at arm’s reach but allows them to nicely air dry after coming out of the dishwasher and keeps them from being scratched by other pans. If you have a nice set of pans, you may want to hang them even if you have room for more traditional storage simply to extend the lifetime of your pans.

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If you cook a lot, it may be time for you to get a proper spice rack. Credit: Shutterstock

10. Spice Rack

Spices are essential in a great cook’s kitchen. So if you find yourself having tons of spices clogging up your cabinet space, it may be wise to get an organization system. The good news is that spice racks come in all different styles and all different price ranges, starting at just $5. Most of us probably spend time rummaging through a cupboard looking for that one needed spice. Hence, a spice rack is a significant investment to make cooking easier, more fun, and less time-consuming by neatly displaying all of our spices in the open. Spice racks also make it easier to keep track of what spices you’re running low on and, if you date them (which you really should), which spices are getting old and losing flavor.

Spices don’t love direct sunlight or humidity. Make sure you don’t put your spice rack too close to the stove because of cooking humidity. Likewise, don’t expose it to direct sun in a window. Some spice racks are meant to fit inside shelves, keeping them safe from the elements and making them slightly harder to see. New shelves on the market are magnetic and allow the spices to easily be plucked off a flat surface for use and then stuck back on, which is incredibly fast and convenient. No matter your kitchen setup, there will be a spice rack that suits your cooking needs.

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Sink caddies help keep your sponges and supplies off of your counter space. Credit: Crate and Barrel

9. Sink Caddies

If you like to keep your counters clean, but you still need supplies in your sink to clean your dishes, using a caddy can be a great solution to store your sponges all in one place. These are usually available in stores like Home Goods, Amazon, and more. The sink caddy seen in the photo above is available at Crate and Barrel for $16. Most sink caddies are large enough to hold a dish brush, rag, and sponge, and many have drainage holes to stop sponges and cloths from getting mildew. Some caddies even come with built-in soap dispensers so you can avoid having a full bottle of soap out on your counter.

If you are a dedicated bath taker, sink caddies can be used on the edge of bathtubs to hold your phone, a soda, and more. There are many dedicated bath buddies and trays for that kind of thing, but sink caddies tend to be far less expensive and are smaller and less obtrusive. If you have a laundry sink, consider adding a sink caddy there as well for stain removing bars, a stain brush, and more. These little caddies are such an inexpensive way to declutter your kitchen counters that there’s no reason not to stock up on them!

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Vacuum sealing helps to save space and keep food fresh. Credit: Shutterstock

8. Vacuum Storage Bags

Where you are trying to store food or clothes, using vacuum storage kits will suck the air out of your stuff to make it easier to put away. For food, the starter kits begin at $40 to $50 on Amazon, and for clothes, starter kits are around $30. If you live in a four-season area like the Midwest of the US, where every season has its own clothing requirements, vacuum storage can be an absolute lifesaver for storage. You can shrink down huge, heavy winter coats and big fluffy bed comforters to a fraction of their original size, making them far easier to tuck away into closets or bed boxes for storage under your bed.

Vacuum storage bags can also help the kitchen for individually sealing items originally bought in bulk, like steak or fish filets. Make sure you use only food-grade plastics and equipment when storing food! Many families wind up with boxes and boxes of children’s grade school art, report cards, and other paper items that they would like to save for sentimental reasons. When stored in boxes, they are subject to mice invasions, dust, mildew, and more. What many people don’t realize is paper goods can be vacuum stored! Simply neatly stack the paper items and seal them away to keep them protected from the elements.

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Over-the-toilet shelves help in small spaces without a lot of storage. Credit: Amazon.com

7. Over-The-Toilet Shelves

These incredibly convenient shelves start at around $25 and go over $100, depending on the brand, material, and design. EHomeProducts make the shelf that is featured in the photo above on Amazon, and it is sold for $40. If your bathroom doesn’t have built-in storage options, an over-the-toilet rack can be the ultimate space saver and convenience item. They are durable enough to hold toiletries, extra toilet paper, towels, or whatever you need them to within reason. There are metal and wood options to match whatever aesthetic and pre-existing features and fixtures are already in your bathroom.

These shelves are another fantastic item to keep in mind with an open mind since they can be used in creative ways that go far beyond the bathroom. If you have a fish tank and need somewhere to put your aquarium supplies, these shelves are wide and tall enough to go over small fish tanks and can hold your monitoring supplies, chemicals, and fish food in an organized out-of-the-way space. They could go over a printer on a small table to hold ink, paper, and more in an office. With any cheap shelving units, keep an open mind and an eye on your space to see if they could work for you in non-traditional ways!

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Under-the-bed storage helps save space. Credit: Amazon.com

6. Boxes Under the Bed

For some people, putting boxes under the bed for extra storage is a no-brainer. But there are boxes out there that are specially designed to fit under beds- They even come with a handle to help you pull them out! They are usually around $20, and these can be great for storing your off-season clothes or any other item that is necessary but not frequently used. Of course, make sure you talk to your furry friends first since many dogs love sleeping under beds! However, if the space under your bed isn’t at a dog premium, under the bed boxes are a great way to keep many items dust-free, and if you have a lovely sham, the boxes will be invisible.

Seasonal items like gift wrap are ideal for hiding under the bed. There are friendly zip-up bags and boxes specifically for that purpose. Seasonal items like winter clothing or summer sports equipment are also ideal items to tuck away under the bed for later use. If you end up storing a lot of boxes under the bed, make sure you clearly label them on the outside, so you don’t end up spending unnecessary time pulling out box after box looking for one specific item. You could use colorful tape or even luggage tags on the handles to label the boxes’ contents.

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Plastic shelving is great for the garage and basement. Credit: Argos

5. Plastic Shelving in Your Garage and Basement

Plastic shelves are easy to assemble, and they hold a surprising amount of weight. They are perfect for keeping things off of the floor in your garage, basement, or attic. Prices vary anywhere from $20 to $40, depending on where you buy them. They are always available in Lowes and Home Depot, and larger Staples stores. While they certainly don’t look the best, and you wouldn’t want them in a feature room of your home, they are incredibly versatile and easy to clean and are a fantastic way to keep items up off the ground, damp basements, or dusty garages. Always check the weight limits on your specific model!

Plastic shelving is also an ideal solution for cleaning closets and laundry rooms or anywhere you’re storing things that could potentially spill. It’s much simpler and easier to clean up than on metal, or wood shelving liquids could damage. Plastic shelving is also an excellent choice for children’s play areas due to the lightweight and resiliency of the material for children who might want to draw on or otherwise tamper with the shelves. Plastic shelves can also work nicely for items of odd sizes, thanks to the open sides that are tough to replicate in wood shelving and are much cheaper than metal shelving.

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Floating shelves save space and add storage wherever you need it. Credit: Shutterstock

4. Floating Shelves

Sometimes, there is simply not enough room for all of your stuff. Floating shelves are a great solution because you are creating storage space out of thin air. Since it’s out in the open, it also encourages you to keep it neat and tidy. Prices will vary depending on the style you choose and where you buy your shelving, but the entire project should always be under $50. Check out stores like Lowes and Home Depot for simple and affordable DIY floating shelf kits containing all of the materials you need and installation instructions to make the whole process painless and simple.

Floating shelves are a terrific option for house plants, thanks to their airy open design that allows maximum sunlight and airflow around your tropical treasures. If you’re finding yourself running out of space for house plants, find a sunny wall in your room and try adding floating shelves for small plants. Floating shelves with a mixture of plants and decor are also quite stunning and can add a ton of visual interest to an otherwise dull wall. Try placing an interesting geode or crystal on a shelf with a couple of plants and enjoy the pop of color of energy that it brings to your room.

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Keep your papers organized with letter holders. Credit: Amazon.com

3. Stackable Letter Holders

If papers end up piling up on your desk, it’s probably time to get yourself some letter holders. The great thing about these is that you can buy as many as you want since they stack. You can divide up your paperwork by category as it comes in throughout the week. They are available in most office supply stores like Staples. The set of two-letter holders in the photo above is $18 on Amazon.com. Stores like TJ Maxx tend to be filled to the brim with stackable organizers like these in various colors and materials, including acrylic and pretty metallic. You shouldn’t have any trouble finding a set to match your aesthetic.

Stackable trays can be useful not only for business but also for hobbies. If you’re an artist, you can stack paintings or ink drawings to let them dry and rotate easily between in-progress pieces since they’re all visible and organized. You can also put various devices like drawing tablets or sketchbooks in them to have them at arm’s reach to make it easier to dive into your hobbies. For those who need help getting organized, stackable trays are a great way to keep everything visible, so there’s no issue of “out of sight, out of mind” for items like bills or correspondence.

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Magazine racks can be great for keeping your items organized. Credit: Amazon.com

2. Magazine Racks

There are many different magazine racks out there, but they can be used for so much more. As you can see in the photo above, this rack is being used for notebooks, journals, and an iPad. This way, you can keep all of your reading materials in one spot on your desk, which will prevent them from getting scratched. The acrylic rack pictured above is $22 on Amazon. There are many fashionable new racks available online and in stores like TJ Maxx that are the perfect size for modern devices like tablets and even smartphones. You can organize your desk or bedside table and keep books in good shape while keeping screens scratch-free.

If vintage items are more your taste, there is a massive variety of vintage magazine racks dating back to the turn of the century that are relatively easy to find and typically quite inexpensive due to their larger size. Magazines used to be quite large, and many magazine racks were meant to sit on the floor next to a chair or sofa. This magazine rack size can be ideal for holding larger sketchbooks for artists, large tablets or laptops, and many other crafting or hobby items to keep them safe and off the floor or from taking up valuable table space.

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Containers like this can help keep all of your wrapping supplies under your bed. Credit: Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

1. Wrapping Paper Containers

There are all kinds of wrapping paper containers you can buy. Some wrapping paper boxes are made of clear plastic and can sit in your closet, while others, like the one pictured above, can lay flat and slide under the bed. Prices will vary, but for the most part, these containers are anywhere between $15 to $30. Some options include special little compartments for ribbon, tags, and pens so that you can have your entire gift-wrapping collection all in one convenient air-tight, dust-free place for when the holidays roll around. Saving the time you’d typically spend hunting down gift tags can be a holiday lifesaver!

The unique size of wrapping paper containers can also make them ideal for storing plenty of other odd-sized items in your home or garage. If you have kids into racquet sports or baseball, the flat zip-up models are the perfect size for keeping sports equipment clean and out of the way during the off-season. Rolled-up posters or pieces of art you’re saving for later display can also fit nicely since they’re so similar in size to gift wrap tubes. With any storage piece meant for a single specific item, you’ll likely find myriad uses if you keep an open mind. Keep an eye open for after-Christmas clearance sales to get yourself organized!

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