Over the years, I’ve narrowed down the best home organization products through a lot of trial and error. Last month, I posted a box of clear closet organizers because I was lost in my favorites to see if something cheap would work. Unfortunately, the less expensive versions were so thin and stiff that several had cracked when I opened the box. I quickly realized that they would not last.
That experience made me realize that it would be nice to share my go-to list of editing products that have not let me down. I love helping others learn from my mistakes! Of course, the best doesn’t mean the most expensive. Some items on the list are very affordable. But in some cases, like clear cabinet organizers, it’s worth paying less for something that will last longer.
Having said that, I was hesitant to write this post. I hate the belief that you have to spend endless money to get organized. And writing one post full of the best products we’ve found over the years supports that obvious belief. But, you can be completely organized without these extra tools. When we originally planned the pantry, the containers were from the Dollar Tree. They were very useful and we used them for years. I truly believe that you can grow your organization on any budget.
Don’t read this thinking you MUST use these examples or you will never get edited. Instead, I want to highlight the things that add the most value and functionality in the long run because they are appropriate and well-made solutions. They are products that make sense to save for as needed. My instinct is to get the best deal. While that has been very beneficial in the past, there is also something to be said for getting the best tool for the job. Yes, for no reason!
Now that I’ve probably accidentally scared you into thinking I’m recommending multi-thousand dollar gold cabinet organizers, let’s get into the list. I promise it’s not that bad, I really hate people who think they can’t make progress without perfection and don’t want to accidentally perpetuate that rumor!
Best Bathroom Cabinet Organizers
Since I mentioned the worst drawer organizers I’ve found in the introduction, let’s start with the best drawer organizers I’ve found. The STORi brand is the strongest I’ve tried and it’s so deep, we use the full length of our drawers. Acrylic is very dense, and seems like it will last forever. I linked to their variety pack, but you can also order individual sizes if needed.
It’s been almost two years since I organized all of our bathroom shelves. The hair accessory closet is always my favorite. Being able to mix and match sizes meant being able to customize a design that worked for everything from bobby pins to large brushes.
As soon as I measure my desk drawers and the new accent table in the entryway, I will be ordering more of these clear drawer organizers!
Clear Shelf Storage Bins
While we’re in the bathroom, some of the clear containers I’ll reorganize over and over again are a BINO product. They are also open containers, but large for shelves or deep drawers. As a STORi product, they are much stronger than others I have tried. That’s important because I often take them out of the closet shelf to access the back items. Unlike other models that waste shelf space, these come in a 14.5″ tall option perfect for 15″ cabinet shelves.
One of my favorite brands of acrylic containers is mDesign. Our pantry shelves are not as deep as the bathroom, so I needed 10″ containers. They help keep everything organized and easy to find on the bottom shelf while streaming. While it may seem like they won’t make that much of a difference since everything is lined up on the shelf, they really help keep it tidy.
Clear Estackable Bins with Lids
All of the bins I’ve shown so far are open, which I always recommend for any items that are used regularly. However, for anything that is used less often, stackable containers are really good.
For cabinets, I prefer them to be clear so that I can see everything at a glance after opening the cabinet door. I really like mDesign bins with lids, so I’m including them, but this is one item on the list that I think should be a little more expensive. It’s worth it if it’s clear it makes a big difference, like helping kids put their toys in the right bin, but I’m always looking to see if another option can work as well based on value.
Some Stackable Storage Bins with Lids
Although I don’t find the clear overlapping bins above to be of great value, I will do them for you in this section.
IKEA KUGGIS boxes with lids are beautiful, flexible, and very tasty! They come in a large size and are designed to pack well. We’re using the 7×10 ¼x3 ¼ ” size in the kitchen and bathroom, but I’ll be ordering more soon once I get to the top of our linen closet. It’s a total disaster that gets little use, but has a lot of potential!
Another affordable stackable bin that I like are photo boxes from Michaels. Be sure to grab them when they go on sale, which happens quite often! I’ve written two posts on things to keep in picture boxes – one for year-round storage and one for Christmas storage. What has been a big help for me is still the cookie cutters and decorations. I keep them on the top shelf in the pantry, but it’s easy to grab a ladder and find what I need since they’re labeled and contained.
Best Closet Dividers
While adding bins to cabinets is often the perfect solution, sometimes expandable dividers are a better choice. For example, if you need to store tall kitchen utensils, standard cabinet organizers are often too short, small, or don’t maximize the space well.
Expandable dividers have been our game changer!
I prefer these bamboo kitchen cabinet dividers, and they’re still going strong two years later. This time, I didn’t try any other types of comparisons, but the six-pack was a good value for us. It was enough to divide three drawers into three parts each, and now I’m so happy every time I open the drawer!
It’s another thing that doesn’t seem like it would make that much of a difference, but before, things would shift sideways, and you’d end up doing something like a game of pick-up sticks trying to catch a pair of pliers. Now, nothing strange!
We also loved these drawer dividers. Decades of dirty clothes drawers are solved in no time! One important note is that the product listing refers to kitchens and sinks, but these dividers are too tall for any of our kitchen drawers. On the other hand, that height is beneficial when it comes to sorting clothes. At the very least, I compliment myself on little things like workout clothes and tank tops. But I don’t know how I lived without it in every wardrobe, from pajamas to denims.
The Best Door Planner
For years, I refused to join the Container Store Elfa Door Rack club because they felt expensive. I was missing out!
For under $150 and in less than 15 minutes, I can make functional, easy-to-access, brand new storage appear in any room of our house. We now have them in our master bathroom closet, under the stairs closet, and in the laundry closet. Instead of things being put in bins, I can find anything I need quickly.
I like to reuse old bins between the Elfa racks to keep each basket organized. For example, I used old, inexpensive plastic cabinet organizers to hold bandages of various sizes. Although the containers weren’t perfect in the closet, they are perfect for the job!
However, don’t use sticker labels like I tried in the picture above. I was hoping it would get better, but they are peeling. I ordered Elfa labels to replace them. This reminds me that I need to go change the labels. 🙂
So those are my favorite home organization products!
We also use some other items like my favorite baking containers and a candle holder, but I wanted to stick to a variety of items that can help every home today. I hope you find something that makes every day easier in your house!