I’ve been slightly (overly) obsessed with organization since I was a teenager. Pretty much since I discovered the container store and made a wish list of almost everything on the website, I’ve fallen in love with organizing and haven’t looked back. And I like to think I’ve gotten pretty good at it over the years.
Well, the biggest thing that I’ve learned is there is one simple secret to keeping things organized:
Lots and lots of bins and baskets and boxes
The three b’s- bins, boxes, and baskets- are your best friends.
Using this simple secret you can fake it till you make it. If you are too lazy to fold your clothes- throw them in a bin. Always have a cluttered living room at the end of the day? Throw it in a bin. It really works.
Here’s a little tour of how I use bins, boxes, and baskets all over my apartment to stay organized:
This is the closet in our guest room. We keep some out of season clothes, suitcases, and crafting supplies in here. There’s a bunch of Lars’s sweatshirts in the green bins on the shelf. Sure looks a lot better than if they were just laying out on the shelf.
And my empty containers collection for making natural beauty products I keep in bins on the closet floor. Sure, I could keep them on the floor without the bins. But it looks much cleaner this way and it’s much easier to take them in and out of the closet.
And here is the closet in our bedroom. My clothes are on the right, Lars’s are on the left. And we keep shoes on the top shelf. We use these awesome plastic shoe boxes from the Container Store that are only $1.89 a box- and we got them on sale for even less than that.
Keeping the shoes in boxes looks much better than if they were loose on the shelf- and using uniform boxes looks neater than keeping them in the boxes they came in.
Here is the big closet in our living room. We keep all our linens and tools in here, among may other things. It’s hard to tell because everything is hiding neatly in bins and boxes!
And here is the desk in our guest room. It doesn’t have any drawers, so we keep basic office supplies in this neat box on the tabletop. Sure, it’s a mess inside, but you can’t see it.
In the kitchen, we use crates to keep snack food in. Instead of seeing messy bags and boxes of different heights and colors, you see the bins. Plus, you can use whatever colors you want and even use the bins to make more categories. You could put breakfast foods in one, regular snacks in one, and gluten free snacks in the third. Yay for organization!
Sure, we could neatly fold and put away blankets. But we are much too lazy for that. So instead we just put this blanket in a cute basket on the dresser in our living room. It’s freely available to use when we watch TV or movies, but also looks neat and has a place to go when we put it away.
More office organization. We could keep all our stationary, CDs, and craft supplies out on this shelf, but keeping them in the bins looks much nicer. I feel like I’m getting redundant. But I’m getting the point across right?
I got those cute grey boxes at Target on clearance for $2 each. Definitely check their clearance section, they always have good deals there on cute bins and boxes.
I’ve always had trouble organizing hair stuff. Ponytails, bobby pins, headbands, hairbrushes- kind of wound up everywhere. A simple bin out on my dresser keeps them all in place and neatly out of sight.
We keep photos, business cards, miscellaneous cords, and other office supplies on this shelf. But you would never have any idea. Organization kind of feels like you have a secret, right? I know it’s there, but you don’t.
And last but not least, under the side table in our living room, we have this large box and two medium hat boxes. We keep holiday decorations and gift wrap supplies in here.
So, I hope this post has convinced you that bins, boxes, and baskets are truly the secret to an organized home. I know it’s definitely how I keep my home organized. Without them, it would be a disaster.
What do you think the secret to an organized home is? Let me know in the comments!
Selene Galindo says
Nice organization skills and tips! I’m obsessed with organizing (and re-organizing) too!! It’s just so much fun knowing where everything is!
Elizabeth says
Ok. I need you to come to my house!! I must admit I have tried bins for my girls’ toys, but for little else. I wish (oh, how I wish) that my pantry looked so nice!! I guess I better set aside a little to organize that. If I only get that done this summer, it will be progress! Where do you get your bins? Are they pricey?
Susie says
I get them at all different places! Target’s clearance section usually has good deals on them, I get them at home goods, thrift stores or rummage or garage sales, and if I want to splurge I will go to the Container Store. They are often overpriced in my opinion so you can keep your eye out for a good deal. Pretty much every time I am in a store I am looking for them in the sale section.
Alice @ Mums Make Lists says
Can never have too many baskets – we have several in each room which are known as “tidy” baskets, i.e. the basket for mess you haven’t got time to put away ;-)
Bev says
I’ve always really disliked how our pantry looks because everything is just hanging out on the shelf. Despite having things grouped by types (i.e. canned foods, snacks, pastas, etc.) it feels really disorganized. I like the idea of group foods together and putting them in crates. Thanks for sharing, stopping by from the Pin It Party.
Erlene says
Thanks for sharing your tips on Merry Monday. I use a lot of boxes and bins too. Especially for the snacks (out of sight out of mind) for the kids.
Allison McGee says
I love those hat boxes! where are they from? I am totally obsessed with your pantry. I can’t stand all the misshaped boxes and bags.
Susie says
The hat boxes are from the Container Store. Aren’t they adorable?
Jan R says
I know this post is over a year old, but I wanted to let you know how much I love these ideas! In my own apartment, I’m about halfway there (have to save up to get some more!), but I keep at it. A few years ago, I was browsing a second-hand bookstore and saw this wonderful picture of a refrigerator organized with small and tiny baskets. “Ingenious,” I thought, and immediately hit the 100-yen store for my ‘fridge! It truly is more fun when you know where everything goes!