18 Helpful Products that Maximize Storage
Want to know the best products to help you maximize storage in your cabinets, drawers, and closets? Here are tried and true products from my home that help me stay more organized!
Yes, as we head into a new year it seems that organization and resolutions are at the forefront of our minds. Are you looking at your messy cabinets, closets and drawers and wishing you had them organized?
As I like to say, “Quit thinking about it, and do it!” Starting the new year off with an organized home will make you feel better. A clutter free home is a clutter free mind!
Maximizing Space for Storage
As you know, I am a big fan of DIY projects – especially the easy kind. You may not know there are simple DIY projects you can do to maximize the space in your cabinets. Not a DIYer? Well, I have options that you can put in place without picking up a tool 😉
Where you may not be maximizing space:
- Cabinets
- Drawers
- Closets
- Doors
Yes, doors! Use that vertical space too. The things that seem to get out of hand in my home that I’ve found great organizational solutions for are:
- Wrapping paper and bows
- Gloves, hats, and scarves
- Cleaning products
- Kitchen utensils
- Trash and recycling
- Pots and Pans
- Throw Blankets
- Laundry
To start out, think about when you are in a rush and about those spaces that slow you down or annoy you.
You know the ones, where you just push in X item and slam the drawer or door shut 🙂 Yes, I have those too.
First step in organizing, is admitting you have a problem.
It’s time to free up our time and mental space for better things. Use that space more effectively and efficiently and I swear you’ll feel SO much better and more organized.
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Post contains hand selected products, with affiliate marketing links throughout {full disclosure here}
Under the Sink Organization
After working in the kitchen and bath industry for a bit, it was so much fun to see all of the items you can add to your cabinets. Take that big cavernous space and make it work harder for you!
We have SO many beauty and cleaning products to store that without real storage solutions can get out of hand quickly. This person will not be named, but if you can relate to this picture – well I have solutions!
The other big issue related to under sink storage is the darn plumbing! So finding FLEXIBLE storage options that work around those garbage disposals and PVC pipes becomes critical.
First to-do, pull everything out from under those cabinets!
This expandable shelf I don’t have, but in doing my research for this post found and WISH I’d found it sooner!
Someone got creative and developed shelving we can adjust to accommodate all of the plumbing.
Next, if you have a smaller cabinet either in your kitchen or bathroom I’ve always LOVED these pull out shelves. In my kitchen, I have one on one side of the plumbing and one on the other.
These shelves hold all of my cleaning supplies: sprays, sponges, detergent, and scrubbers. Here is a really nice mesh pull out shelf for under your bathroom cabinets.
Store all of your lotions, shaving cream, hair products, and anything that you want to pull off of your bathroom counters. I love a clutter free counter!
Plastic drawers and this set of 4 is under $30! Use for things you want to keep a little more private or for medications. I have a set under each of my master bathroom sinks and one in my linen closet too.
Inside of Cabinet Storage
You know that big cavernous area under a cooktop? Yes I have that and it annoyed me that it was one large open space without a shelf.
OR you may have the same situation with shelves, but wish the pulled out for easier access.
This slide out shelf option involves a little DIY, but I promise was so easy and I’ve loved the new space it provides under my cabinets!
I use these shelves to store pots and pans right under the cooktop for easy access. On the lower shelf, I store plastic containers so I can see what I have quickly without having to squat down.
What about trash bins? Do you want them out of sight? I love this pull out shelf for my trash bins. Another easy DIY to maximize your cabinets.
One is used for trash and one for recycling. Close the door and it keeps my kitchen looking neat and stink contained!
Organizing Drawers
So many drawers and so many opportunities for a mess, but lots of opportunity to organize! Think of drawers and all the things that can go in them – it’s endless:
- Makeup in the bathroom
- Hand towels
- Office supplies
- Kitchen utensils
- Grooming tools (for the dog too)
- Packaging supplies
- Camera equipment
- Hand tools
- Underwear
- Socks
- Jewelry
I’ve organized ALL of these things in my drawers using basic plastic or mesh organizers. They come in a variety of looks and sizes.
The best part? They can be moved and adjusted as your storage needs change.
Also, once you get it set up and things are organized it’s easy to maintain. One of the best investments I’ve ever made are drawer organizers for both my make-up and kitchen utensils!
To organize my tools and other household supplies, I really like something a little more heavy duty. The rubber lining makes things stay in place.
Slotted solutions or cubes are GREAT for organizing ties, underwear, and socks. Man that can turn into a mess easily!
The cubes are nice even for packing. Going on a long trip? Just pull out your cube of underwear or socks and place it in your suitcase 🙂
Another idea, is to partition off drawers. This solution I’ve used in my nightstand to separate pajama tops and bottoms, in my dresser drawer to keep t-shirts neat, and in my kitchen drawers for towels.
Think about rolling your kitchen towels to store them. They stay SO much neater and you can fit more into the drawer!
It is very important to measure carefully, when ordering these dividers so you know they will fit.
Closet Storage
This involves over the door storage too! I wrote and entire article about my favorite under $100 DIY closet system.
Taking out inefficient static wire shelving and installing adjustable shelving is a great way to maximize storage in your closets.
This system I’ve installed in all of the clothing closets and also under my stairs. Talk about a game changer. Now, I can pack even more stuff into my closets!
Then, my new favorite organizer is an over the door option for wrapping paper. I used to store it in a tall plastic container and it was a pain.
This system took 15 minutes to install and 30 minute to have it stocked and ready to use! Now wrapping presents is a breeze.
Hang it on the back of a door close to the table or kitchen island, where you do most of your gift wrapping.
Don’t forget about shoe storage! These boxes are not just for shoes. Think about storing kids projects, seasonal decor, pillow covers, ornaments, paperwork, etc. in these clear plastic containers.
I’ve used the larger boot boxes to store Christmas garland in addition to my boots. There is no end for their many uses.
This divided hamper I thought I’d throw in because I LOVE it! By taking off the wheels, I was able to angle it into my master bathroom linen closet to free up space in my clothing closet. Who doesn’t want that?
Make sure to measure before buying to make sure the hamper will fit into your closet. Don’t have the space? Then put the hamper in the closet so you can keep you whites separated from your darks 😉
Just pull out the bags and take to the washing machine. The bags are washable too.
Now you have a place for everything and can put everything in it’s place!
Want more storage ideas? Click here to see how I pack up my Christmas decor every year to make it easy to set up the following year.
Neat and Tidy Home
Have I gotten you excited about getting organized and maximizing your storage space? I’ve got other product ideas and spaces I’ve organized in this post too!
My hope is to show you new options or inspire new ideas to make your home more serene and live-able. We need a calm space to retreat from in this crazy world!
Good luck in getting organized this coming year. I’m tackling the big closet in our man cave and turning it into home decor storage closet!
It’s a mess behind those doors covered in wallpaper…
Please consider signing up for my weekly email newsletter so you don’t miss that post! It will be a fun transformation for sure.
Until next time…
Porch Daydreamer
Tracey