In this post, we’ve collected some tips that could be useful if you want to avoid making organizational mistakes in order for you to relax and enjoy your house.

1. You leave labels on products.

No one ever thinks about taking the labels off of products but they’re actually a source of visual noise and can tilt the room’s color balance.

What to do: Take the labels off and it will help to create a more positive atmosphere.

2. You store objects while mixing categories and sizes.

It’s common to put everything in one box, not caring about how to store the items the right way. But this causes containers to look messy and overflow.

What to do: Try to store objects by category and size. This will allow you to find stuff more easily and reduce clutter.

3. Everything has its place.

People often don’t know where to place objects, but everything should have its own place as to not cause clutter around the house.

What to do: Decide on a place for every object you own. This way, you’ll know where to put everything while tidying up and you’ll never waste time searching for something you can’t find.

4. You put items you need every day in spots that are difficult to reach.

If you put objects in spots that are difficult to reach, like on the highest shelf of your library, you will make an effort all the time for nothing.

What to do: Keep everyday objects in places that are easy to reach. This way, you’ll simplify your life while also staying more organized.

5. You keep a pile of papers on your desk.

Desks are often messy because of scattered papers and this prohibits you from finding things underneath all the piles.

What to do: Use folders. This will allow you to catalog documents and papers according to any criteria, saving space and time when you need them.

6. You don’t use food containers for your kitchen.

The amount of food and groceries in your kitchen is often out of control because products are usually left in the original packaging, and this implies a waste of space.

What to do: Start to use food containers. Ones made of glass or plastic will help you to know immediately where an ingredient is placed.

7. You don’t actually use all the space available inside drawers.

Wardrobes are always messy because the space available is not actually used in the best way possible and things get piled up.

What to do: Try to store things vertically inside drawers. This will help you to gain some space and store more items.

8. You use patterned boxes instead of clean ones.

Boxes with specific motifs or patterns do not allow us to see what’s inside them and they create visual noise. Motifs are negative for the harmony of a room.

What to do: Use clear boxes. It will help you to check at a glance where a certain object is when you need it and it will also improve the visual balance of the room.

9. You hang all kinds of clothing in your closet.

If you hang your clothes randomly, the space in your wardrobe will be poorly organized and drawers will end up being messy or half empty.

What to do: Don’t hang some types of clothes, like T-shirts (because it’s not necessary) or knitted and woolen clothes because doing so ruins their shape.

10. You keep objects you don’t use.

© Jordan Fischer / Wikimedia Commons, © publicdomainpictures.net
Everyone owns something that’s not useful anymore or that doesn’t encourage positive emotions. This is a sure way to increase clutter in your house.

What to do: Keep only what you need that sparks joy. It will help you to not collect as much stuff and to have a more harmonious atmosphere in the house.

Did you already know some of these organizational tips? Do you have some of your own? Let us know in the comments!

Michelle Crouch

Create five piles

When you’re organizing, you should sort everything into five piles: move to another room, donate, give to a specific person, throw away and, finally, the “marinating” pile. Pack up the marinating items, and label the box with a date that’s six months to a year later. If you never open the box before that date, you can safely discard those items. 

Your goal should be to remove the clutter, not create more storage space

People who think they’re disorganized always run out and start buying baskets, containers and hooks. You come home and try to use them, and they’re not the right type or size, because you didn’t sort through your stuff first. That’s just backward. All those new containers just end up adding to your clutter. Is storing harder in the kitchen?

Hanging shoe bags

In addition to shoes, I use them for gloves and hats in the winter, sunscreen, sunglasses, and goggles in the summer, and crafts, toiletries, and makeup in the winter.

To expedite an organizational project:

Make guidelines on what you’ll keep and what you’ll toss. For example, in your closet, you can select to donate any clothes that aren’t between sizes x and y, is stained or has to be repaired. With magazines, you can choose not to keep anything older than a year.

Anything that needs to go somewhere should be in your car…

…not in your house. Keep your coupons there in a clear folder so you have them if you need them. Get an errand basket to hold items that need to be returned. Use crates to store kids’ toys and emergency supplies. Also, a car trash bag is a simple thing—get one!

You will always take at least five times as long.

Sorting through a box of personal papers often takes considerably longer than you expect. Make a note of which everyday documents you should shred and set them aside from the recycle pile to be properly disposed of.

The number one problem for all my clients: too much paper

The whole idea of a paperless society is a complete myth. People are seriously scared to get rid of it. Remember, 80 percent of the paper you get you don’t need to keep. So it’s imperative to keep weeding out every single day, whether that’s magazines, catalogs, mail, receipts or anything else.

Sure, you could sell that item on eBay…

…but are you interested in finishing your organizing project or starting a new career hocking used stuff? Unless you sell online all the time or need the money, I recommend just giving things away so you can move on.

Watch out for flat surfaces…

…which can quickly become drop zones for clutter. When my clients have a dining table that is always getting covered with junk, I’ll have them clear it off, put a flower arrangement in the middle, and set it with place settings. That usually prevents them from parking stuff there. 

My biggest secret?

Don’t procrastinate. If you postpone things that take a few minutes, it adds up and suddenly you’re looking at several hours to clear your clutter. Always open your mail right away, do dishes right after you use them, and put things away as soon as you’re done with them.

My favorite tip for a roomier kitchen…

…is to adjust cabinet shelves; it can create a lot more space. Also, get that popcorn machine, bread machine and the other huge appliances off your counter. If you don’t use it every week, store it in the attic or basement and get it out only when you need it. And do you really need all those plastic containers? Most people have cabinets full of them, but they only ever use a few. Figure out which ones you really use and donate the rest. 

Go into your closet today and hang everything backward on the rod

Once you wear something, hang it the normal way. A year from now, if you still have some things still hanging backward, you’re obviously not wearing them, so get rid of them.

Here’s a simple way to transform your closet:

Switch to one type of hanger. It makes a huge difference. If you have varying kinds, they get caught on each other, they’re not the same height and you can’t see everything as well. I especially love the thin hangers that are covered in velvet. Because they’re super slim, you can fit more into your closet, and your clothes won’t slip off them.

You’re going to be more motivated to get an area organized…

…if you make some changes you can get excited about. When you’re doing your closet, for example, throw up a coat of new paint, put down some cool floor tiles or a rug or add a beautiful fixture. It will make you want to keep it organized.

I swear I’m not a neat freak

Being organized doesn’t mean everything is in its place; it means everything has a place. If you can get your house ready for a surprise guest in 30 minutes, then you’re organized. Believe it: I have not one, but two junk drawers in my kitchen—and I sleep just fine at night. Need to get organized? 

Please, get rid of that storage unit

You could buy everything in there for the annual rental fee—and that doesn’t include the cost of the moving truck or your time. Furthermore, I’m sorry to say that the stuff you own are usually never worth as much as you believe. And who cares if they are? That’s still not a good reason to keep stuff you don’t use.

When all of the items in your utility closet are neatly organized, you won’t believe how much space you have.

Over-the-Door Organizer

This multi-use storage solution is great for holding smaller items in your utility closet. The five-tier design hangs over the door, so you can preserve floor space for larger items. It also features adjustable shelving to accommodate different-sized items.

Your Utility Closet is Begging for TLC

The utility closet is an often-overlooked organizing opportunity. However, given the variety of functions the items in it serve in your home, such as mopping, sweeping, vacuuming, and ironing, it stands to reason that you’d want to provide them with proper storage that’s crisp and clean.

Rather than rummaging through your utility closet every time you need something, try one of the 12 storage solutions we’ve listed here. You won’t believe how easy it is to find everything, and how nice all of your hardworking products will look when they are neatly arranged on shelves, racks, hooks, and more.

Mop and Broom Holder

If your utility closet needs nothing more than a simple place to store your mop and broom, this holder has your name on it. The 4-inch depth keeps the damp mop away from the wall, so you can stop it from rotting and keep your walls clear of potential water damage.

Tower Organizer

This tower organizer is the “glow up” your utility closet deserves. The design allows you to easily adjust two of the five shelves to accommodate items of varying sizes. Free up the ground by storing your broom, mop and dustpan on the five-peg rack. 

Ironing Organizer

Storing ironing supplies can take up a lot of space. This organizer offers such items a place to neatly reside in your utility closet. The ironing organizer features two storage hooks for standard boards, along with a steel wire basket for your iron.

Rolling Rack for Cleaning Tools

This rack is great for easily maneuvering items from your utility closet to different parts of the home. The cart can hold up to 10 large tools and 12 small tools, like a vacuum cleaner, broom, dustpan and more, so you can keep everything organized without having to pull them individually out of the closet, creating more work later.

Tension Rod Shelves

This adjustable storage shelf rack is great for utilizing empty wall space. The easy-to-install design requires no tools, so you don’t have to worry about damaging the walls in your utility closet. Cleaning supplies like spray bottles, boxes of sponges, gloves, and more are ideal for storing on the shelves. 

Pull-Out Drawers

These closet baskets allow you to easily access items while keeping them organized. The heavy gauge wire construction and full-extension ball-bearing system allows you to easily open and close the drawers. Meanwhile, the sleek design offers a stylish attribute to your utility closet. 

Hardware Organizer

Hardware thrown in a junk drawer takes up space and is easy to misplace. Instead, add storage for such items to your utility closet with this organizer. It can be stacked or mounted on the wall and features eight small and four large dividable drawers.

Easy-to-Install Lighting

If storage shelves, drawers, or just the utility closet itself need better lighting, add more with this easy-to-install option. This two-pack features rechargeable, dimmable LED lights, and the motion sensor ensures all your items are within sight as soon as you open the door or drawers.

Stylish Bins

Add a hint of style to your utility closet with these contemporary storage bins. Store items like rags, towels, blankets and more in the Nordic baskets. The optional bamboo lids allow you to stack your baskets neatly. To easily pinpoint what’s in each bin, use a dry erase marker to label them, wiping off and re-labeling when needed.

Bag Dispenser

Don’t let bulky bag boxes take up unnecessary space in your utility closet. Instead, use this innovative bag dispenser. Simply stack your bags within the dispenser, and quickly pull them out when needed. 

A holder made of self-adhesive hooks

A vertical shoe shelf

Plastic shelves adjusted on magnets

A door with shelves for spices

A second life for egg cartoon boxes

 A convenient roll towel holder

A way to sort laundry baskets

A glass jar as an organizer for makeup

 A convenient way to store vegetables (and not only them)

Hanging baskets for fruits

Yogurt jars where anything can be stored

 An organizer for ribbons

A holder made of self-adhesive hooks

 A vertical shoe shelf

Plastic shelves adjusted on magnets

A door with shelves for spices

 A convenient roll towel holder

 A glass jar as an organizer for makeup

A convenient way to store vegetables (and not only them)

Hanging baskets for fruits

Yogurt jars where anything can be stored

A hanger for boots

An unusual solution for storing knives

An original way to leave notes

A convenient ironing board on the washing machine

An organizer for toys made of flower holders

A hanger for hats made of clothespins

A spice rack that can be easily pulled down when needed

A second life for egg cartoon boxes

By Manasa Reddigari |

There is never enough storage space. Whether they live in a little cottage or a large estate, homeowners usually seem to moan about the closets—their disappointing scarcity and annoyingly small size. There’s no need to feel bad about it. But if you’re not ready to give up yet—if you still have a little fight left in you—don’t despair. Many individuals before you have faced closet conundrums and triumphed, sometimes via creative DIY hacks, sometimes through wise purchases, but always by making the most of every single square inch. Continue reading for the best small closet ideas from senior design gurus and the most space-savvy average Joes!

PUT IT ON YOUR TAB

Empty soda cans may take up space in the recycling bin, but in a cramped closet, they create more. How? By doubling the number of garments you can hang on one hanger. Simply pop the tab off the can and slip it around the hook of a hanger. You can then slip another hanger through the hole in the tab. Easy, effective and best of all, free.

OFF THE CHAIN

This homemade hanger hack may be the missing ‘link’ between you and a clutter-free closet. Here’s what to do: Spray-paint a foot-long plastic chain in any color you like, then attach the last link to a large S-hook. Fit the S-hook over the closet rod and finally—the coup de grace!—slip hangers hooks through each link in the chain. Smart, right?

STAND ALONE

Take your most frequently worn items out of the closet and store them out in the open, in a freestanding organizer like this one. Watching your spending? Don’t shop for one; make your own instead. There are options aplenty. You can even get creative. The clothes rack picture came together entirely with repurposed materials, including an old office cabinet.

SPLIT PERSONALITY

In a space-challenged closet, forgo a single, inefficient tension rod in favor of this double-duty DIY organizer. By reserving half the closet for a skinny shelf and the other half for two short rods, you’ll create ample room for garments that hang as well as space for shoes and folded clothing, while minimizing visual clutter.

STAGGERING GENIUS

It’s never too early to teach your little ones how to get organized. Easier said than done perhaps, but this simple idea certainly helps get the message across. What’s involved? Simply install a companion closet rod at a child-friendly height, both to let kids hang up their own clothes and also to give the closet a handy additional rung of hanging space.

SLIDE ON OVER

Escape clutter and invite rustic charm into your bedroom by eschewing a traditional out-swinging door in favor of one that slides back and forth. Barn doors are nothing new, of course, and there are many possible approaches, but one thing’s certain—there’s no better fix if your problem amounts to not being easily able to reach items toward the back or along the side of your closet.

FANCY FEET

For fashionable footwear display without the sticker shock, try this shoe rack on for size. It couldn’t be simpler: Just prop a sheet of sturdy wire mesh against the wall, then slip high heels in between the wires.

CUSTOM COMBO

Many homeowners who purchase a custom closet solution end up believing it was money well spent. Hiring professionals isn’t your only option, though. If you have the tools and experience, why not design and build your own? In fact, even for novice woodworkers, building out closet shelving and cubbies often makes for a satisfying project.

BEHIND BARS

Need a place to put bath linens? Try mounting multiple towel bars inside the door to the nearest closet. You can even add curtain rings to the towel rods if you need to store them, not towels and washcloths, but small, loose items like jewelry.

DIVIDE AND CONQUER

Successfully cramming more and more into a small closet isn’t the be all and end all. After all, to be truly satisfied with a closet, you need it to hold what you want, but you also need to be able to find what you need. Want to go the extra mile? Label shelves and cubbies to help make sure there’s a place for everything, and that everything stays in its place as time goes by.

ABOVE THE FOLD

Why is it so hard to keep clothes neatly folded on closet shelves? We may never know. But in the meantime, here’s a great way to reinstate order: set dividers at regular intervals along the full length of each shelf. That way, folded shirts, pants, and sweaters don’t revert to formless mounds of fabric that are a pain to sort and sift through.

MISTAKEN IDENTIFY

Bins and baskets are the go-to storage solutions for a small closet, but if they’re not properly marked, finding the item you want can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Before stashing closed storage bins in a closet, be sure to attach plain or decorative labels to them for easy retrieval.

TIGHT CORNERS

For certain items, S-hooks are your best bet, and that’s especially true in closet corners too cramped to accommodate the fuller width of a traditional hanger. Here, S-hooks hang alongside wire hangers to keep purses, belts, and hats suspended within easy arm’s reach.

HANGING BY A THREAD

Are there homeless hats, scarves, and belts hanging over the backs of chairs throughout your house? Stop the madness! There’s a better way: Create an off-the-wall organizer to serve as the designated, permanent home for accessories. Your solution doesn’t need to be fancy. Look at this one: It’s nothing more than a hanger on a nail, embellished with homemade hooks.

TIES THAT BIND

A bare-bones wardrobe assistant like this one provides the perfect perch for neckties and similar items. Mount yours to a side wall in the closet, to the back of the closet door, or even in your bedroom dressing area. Making one involves nothing more than driving a series of nails into the surface of a painted-or-stained piece of scrap wood.

By Hook or by Cook

Steal a few hooks from the entryway, add a dash of inspiration, and you have all the makings of a baker-friendly cabinet. Start by mounting a key rail or self-stick plastic hooks to the back of a cabinet. Then, hang measuring cups and spoons, whisks, and mixer attachments to create an organizational oasis fit for a pastry chef.

Functional Décor for Small Kitchens

If you happen to have inherited your grandma’s rolling pins, knotty wooden utensils, and/or well-worn cutting boards, you have a design opportunity waiting. Consider storing these beloved kitchen wares out in the open as authentic décor elements by hanging them on available wall space. Just make sure you mount them in such a way that you can easily take them down for use.

Top-Shelf Idea

Cure cabinet chaos on the cheap with a storage solution borrowed from your workspace. Stash an off-duty office organizer inside a deep cabinet to provide a perch for pots and pans, lids, and other tools of the culinary trade. As an added bonus, this organizer can be transferred to the countertop to store your favorite recipe books.

Rule with a Rod

Rescue your under-sink cabinet from clutter by enlisting help from a bathroom basic. Secure a tension rod to the sidewalls of the cabinet to create hanging space for any cleanser that comes in a spray bottle. With the floor of the cabinet clear, you’ll have plenty of room to stash baskets filled with brushes and sponges and other cleaning staples.

Room for Boards

It seems there’s no good way to store cutting boards. They’re sometimes too tall to be stored vertically on a shelf, and when laid flat, they take up valuable real estate that could be used for cookware. This bespoke behind-the-door organizer offers an elegant solution to the problem. Here, scrap wood is secured to the inside of cabinet doors with screws and L-brackets—just the right size for caching a collection of cutting boards.

Organize Your Fridge with a Six-Pack

Do all of your small bottles in the refrigerator door like to tip over after opening or closing the door? Fortunately, the answer to tidying those wayward bottles is just a recycling bin away. To keep your kitchen storage and organization under control, use an empty six-pack holder to hold the condiments in your refrigerator door.

Never Bin Better

Left on shelves or in drawers, heavy kitchen essentials like cast-iron pans and ceramics can topple over or even crush more fragile items in the vicinity. Stash them instead in bargain baskets and bins on the floor of a cabinet to keep them safe and secure—and out of sight.

Soup’s On

Why splurge on a commercial can stacker to stem the avalanche of soup cans in the cabinet? You can make your own bargain version at home from an empty soda-can box. Cut a hole in the top of the box large enough to fit a soup can, then glue decorative paper to all four sides of the box to conceal its humble origins.

It’s a Wrap

If bulky boxes of plastic wrap and aluminum foil are adding to the chaos of your kitchen cabinets or jam-packed drawers, transplant them to the back of a cabinet door. Secure two self-adhesive hooks to the wall for every holder, then slide the ends of each box around the hooks to keep them in close reach for wrapping up leftovers.

Think Outside the Box

Those boxes of pasta, rice, and dried goods in the cabinet may hold the makings of home-cooked comfort food, but they can also make already crowded shelves too cramped for comfort. Transfer their contents into space-smart glass jars to bring visual order to a pantry cabinet.

Stick to It

Even a cleverly conceived pantry organizer isn’t complete without labels. With stylish stickers made from adhesive vinyl letters, you’ll never have to guess what’s in stock. Adhere the labels to the front of each storage canister to identify foods in a jiffy and avoid “oops” moments during your next baking session.

Spiced-Up Storage

Variety is the spice of life—so why not change up your storage with a new behind-the-door spice rack? Assemble scrap wood, a wooden dowel, and a few screws into a lightweight shelf. Secure the rack to an interior cabinet door lined with decorative contact paper to store your aromatics in style.

Group Mentality

How you arrange items in your cabinets is as important as what you choose to store in them. Take stock of your pantry and categorize items by type—for example, baking supplies, dry goods, spices, and canned goods. Once everything’s been sorted, stash like items into designated bins to make searching and scavenging for ingredients a thing of the past.

Tension Rod Storage Hack

It can be difficult to keep spray bottles and other cleaning supplies from falling over and making a mess under your kitchen sink. Thankfully, we have plenty of cabinet organization tips and tricks. To keep your cleaning supplies upright, hang them from a short tension rod inside your cabinet. Another clever idea is to slide a paper towel roll through the tension rod for easy access. This tension rod organization hack is also a great place to hang dish-drying towels and rubber cleaning gloves.

Use Kitchen Storage and Organization as Decor

A simple addition of molding along the upper cabinets adds a decorative touch as well as more kitchen storage space for displaying favorite dishes. It’s painted to match other features in the kitchen. You could also replace your cabinets with trendy open shelves.

Install a Kitchen Cabinet Rollout

A shortage of storage space in kitchen cabinets would sour anyone in need of maximum stowaway room. Kitchen cabinet rollouts give additional capacity to cabinets and make it easier to find items so you can smile while you snack. Learn how to build your own rollouts for your kitchen with the help of the Family Handyman’s DIY University.

Kitchen Window Plant Perch

Do you like having fresh herbs at your fingertips? Keeping them on your counter takes up valuable space and doesn’t expose them to enough light. Try this easy storage idea: Install a wire shelf between the upper cabinets flanking your kitchen window. You can set your plants where they’ll get plenty of light without blocking the view. This also makes watering easy and keeps them readily available for snipping. Make sure to install the shelf high enough so you don’t bump into it when you’re working at the sink. 

Wine Storage and Organization for Small Kitchens

What, no wine rack? No wine cellar either? No problem! You can just as easily store your wine collection in a deep kitchen drawer, if there’s one that’s vacant. Just be sure to alternate the direction of the bottle so that they nest well together. If you’re feeling ambitious, you could try making your own roll-out drawers to house your wine supply within a more spacious cupboard instead.

Kitchen Storage: Better in a Basket

You come home from the grocery store with an armful of fresh fruit, but lo and behold—there’s no spare fridge or counter space available. A stylish solution for this storage problem is to hang a single or tiered wire basket from the ceiling. You can store your apples, bananas, and oranges as well as potatoes, onions, and garlic here. Plus, a hanging basket adds visual interest to your kitchen.

Instant Drying Rack

Does your family have a lot of clothes that cannot be put in the drier? Even those collapsible drying racks with several bars for draping wet clothes still aren’t enough for big laundry days. And if you hang wet clothes on top of wet clothes, it lengthens the dry time significantly and can even leave your clothes smelling a little musty.

To fix your air-drying space shortage, grab a 1×2 board from your scrap stash in the garage and trim it to fit across a few joists overhead in your basement laundry room. Tack it in place with a heavy-duty nail in each joist. Then you can air-dry several more pieces of clothing using hangers!

Write Notes on the Washer

Stop shrinking your sweaters! When you put a load of clothes into your washing machine, use a dry-erase marker to note on the lid which items should not go into the dryer. That way, whoever switches the load from the washing machine to the dryer will know which items to leave out for line drying.

The enamel finish on most washing machine lids is similar to a whiteboard, and dry-erase markers can be removed easily with a dry paper towel.

Lazy Fix for a Disorganized Fridge

Digging to the back of your fridge to find a certain ingredient is a pain. Instead, use a Lazy Susan to bring that food to you! Simply place a lazy Susan on a shelf in your fridge and stock it with condiments and other small containers. Nothing could be easier than spinning your ingredients around to find just what you need.

If you’re short on space or just want to add some extra storage, there are some clever kitchen storage solutions you may not have considered.

Reusable Grocery Bags

Have you ever had a heavy load of groceries that your reusable grocery bag just can’t handle without ripping? Find a scrap piece of plywood lying around your workshop and cut it to the measurements of the base of your reusable grocery bag. Replace the thin plastic insert (so prone to cracking and splitting) with the measured and cut a piece of plywood and place it in the bottom of your reusable grocery bag.

Organize Cleaning Supplies

It can be difficult to keep spray bottles and other cleaning supplies from falling over and making a mess under your kitchen sink. Thankfully, we have plenty of cabinet organization tips and tricks.

To keep your cleaning supplies upright, hang them from a short tension rod inside your cabinet. Another clever idea is to slide a paper towel roll through the tension rod for easy access. This is also a great place to hang dish-drying towels and rubber cleaning gloves.

Save that Six-Pack!

Do all of your small bottles in the refrigerator door like to tip over after opening or closing the door? Fortunately, the answer to tidying those wayward bottles is just a recycling bin away.

To keep all of your condiments under control use an empty six-pack holder to hold and organize the condiments in your refrigerator door. 

Wine Box Shoe Storage

Why pay for a fancy compartment-style shoe storage container when you can just pick one up for free at almost any store that sells wine? Designed to protect fragile glass bottles, a wine box is perfect for storing footwear because it comes equipped with cardboard dividers—a place for each shoe! In addition, the exterior cardboard is very sturdy, again to keep wine bottles from breaking, but also great for protecting your kicks in storage!

You could get fancy, too, and paint or cover the exterior of the wine box with decorative wrapping paper if you plan to keep it in your closet or entryway.

Easy Drawer Organizer

My kitchen drawers used to be an absolute wreck; pans and dishes crammed in however they’d fit. And nearly every time I needed something, it was always at the bottom of the drawer. My solution was to cut a piece of 1/8-in. pegboard to the size of the drawer bottom and attach dowels using screws from underneath. Now my pans are organized and easy to access. The 10 minutes it took to build was easily made up for with how much frustration it has saved me.

Pool Noodle Inside a Drawer

I have always hated the way drawer organizers move around when you open and close a drawer. I measured the distance from the back of the drawer organizer to the back of the drawer and used a utility knife to cut the noodle to size. The pool noodle fits snuggly in place, so the drawer organizer doesn’t move around anymore. You could also cut the pool noodle in half lengthwise to reduce the amount of space that it takes up. — Roy Allison

All Your Condiments in One Place

The next time you host a barbecue or a patio party, pull out a muffin tin. Rather than using it to bake muffins (although you can do this later too), fill the cups with various condiments and barbecue toppings. This way your condiments are easy to access and your buffet lines will move along quickly. You will also dramatically increase your table space, and cut down on the separate serving bowls to clean up afterward.

Organize Small Cords

In today’s high-tech homes, keeping track of small cords can be challenging. Almost every electronic device has a cord that goes with it: cameras, smartphones, computers and the list goes on. Rather than tossing them in various drawers throughout your house, where they can get tangled or forgotten, try this simple and inexpensive solution.

Find a small box (a shoe box works perfectly) and fill it with as many empty toilet paper rolls that will fit vertically. Then place a single cord in each toilet paper roll. Next time you need one of your small cords, you’ll know where to find it, and it’ll be free of tangles!

Cardboard Box Bag Dispenser

Need a way to store all of those plastic bags you get from most stores? Here’s an idea: Straighten them out and stack them into an organized pile. Then place the pile in a small cardboard box. Cut a hole in the box so you can pull out one bag at a time as you need it. This works great at our garage sales when we need to bag items for our customers! — John Mylander

This plastic bag dispenser would also be handy in the basement or wherever you keep your cat’s litter box or near your dog’s leash. Then you’ll have a stash of bags ready when it’s time to clean up after your pet.

Keeping your towels folded and in line can be a struggle, but with the proper storage, it’s simple. This list has 23 ingenious towel storage ideas to get your bathroom, linen closet, or laundry room in perfect order.

1. Stylish Farmhouse-Inspired Towel Racks

A stylish towel rack can be tough to find, but this reclaimed timber number fits the bill. Featuring sharp angles in a muted wood color, these stunning shelves highlight the wood’s grain for a rustic look.

Not to mention, this is the perfect setup for a small bathroom space. When hung on your walls, these shelves take up very little space while offering ample storage for your towels. I call that a win-win.

2. Rustic Antique Towel Rack

If you have an antique spice rack or plate shelf lying around from yesteryear, give it a new life as a gorgeous towel rack. The contrast of soft towels and hard oaken corners is the perfect interplay of textures.

Older pieces typically require some refurbishing, so be prepared with sandpaper and a suitable varnish like this to protect the wood from moisture. This rack is great for storing towels of any size!

3. In-Vanity Towel Storage

Next up, we have a classic towel storage idea: the in-vanity shelves. By simply removing the doors from one side of your existing vanity or extending it with a simple shelf, you can add easy-to-reach towel storage.

This approach is simple if you already have a vanity installed and perfect for classically-styled bathrooms. Just make sure to roll or fold your towels consistently when storing for a uniform look.

4. The Towel Ladder

On the other end of the spectrum is this minimalist-inspired towel ladder, which is perfect for renters. Take advantage of that vertical wall space without screwing or nailing anything into the wall; use a wooden ladder!

Almost any wooden ladder will fit the bill, but to take that one step further, I recommend painting it to match your bathroom’s color scheme. Scandinavian inspired? Go with chalk blue. Modern? Black is the answer.

5. Floating Towel Organizer

Here’s another idea suited to a compact bathroom! This is perfect for freeing up some space in your linen closet while simultaneously making your bathroom look like an upscale hotel suite.

You’ll need five square-edged towel rods of the same size (like this). Now, mount these in your desired spot, leaving about seven inches between each towel rod. Now you have sleek, modern storage space.

6. Home Office Storage Tower

Just because you’re revamping your bathroom storage doesn’t mean you have to shop in the bathroom section! This next idea uses a wire storage tower to create space in a small bathroom.

These little beauties are perfect for awkward corner spots, creating space where previously there was just a blank piece of floor. Make sure to carefully measure your distance before heading out to buy your tower!

7. Rustic Wooden Shelf and Towel Rail

Maximizing storage is all about making spaces multi-functional, and that’s exactly what this next hack does. By mounting a towel rail to the underside of a ledge shelf, you have a two-in-one storage area!

Accessorize the top of your shelf for a touch of style, or use it to hold your unused towels. Below that, the towels currently in use will hang out to dry on the bar, preventing the touch of mold or mildew.

8. Tabletop Wine Rack for Towel Storage

Whether you have one of these wine racks that you’re not using or you’re just on the hunt for some tabletop towel storage, this idea is for you. It’s perfect in its simplicity; use the rack for towels, not bottles!

I’m particularly fond of this idea because it’s easy to repurpose or fold away. If you find it’s not working for you in that space, remove the towels, fold them, and use the rack to store something else in a different room.

9. Easy-to-Build Box Shelves

These DIY wall shelves are a personal favorite for three reasons: they’re simple to build, you can make them any size, and the result looks incredibly professional. Try mounting them above and below your mirror!

Make these shelves modern with clean angles and a dark stain like this, or embrace the wood’s rustic nature with light oil and some gnarled edges. The choice is yours; that’s why this hack is so versatile!

You could use this organizing idea for a craft room as well.

10. DIY Outdoor Towel Rack

When you think towel rack, you usually think of the bathroom. But what about the pool? If you’re lucky enough to have a collection, you know the plight of wet beach towels draped over every spare surface.

Instead of dealing with towels everywhere, create a dedicated towel rack for days by the pool! Buy a pre-made one like this, or make one of your own!

11. Simple Wire Basket Shelves

If you have minimal time on your hands (or you’re a fan of the minimal aesthetic), these simple wire basket shelves are perfect for you. You need only buy some wire baskets like this and mount them.

Not only is this ideal for storing any sized towel, but they’re also great for use in the bathroom. Make sure you invest in stainless steel so the shelf can withstand the changes in moisture brought on by steam!

12. Reclaimed Wood Corner Shelves

Corner spots are often wasted in bathrooms because they’re difficult to utilize, but these reclaimed wood corner shelves are the ideal solution. Crafted from triangles of reclaimed wood (like this), these offer ideal storage.

Upgrade your shelves using pewter pipe brackets (like these) for a rustic look or modern with some black brackets. This is ideal if you have some old wood lying around that needs a new life.

13. Rolled Towel Stackers

Sometimes the best possible answer lies in simplicity. This rolled towel stacker idea embodies that principle to the tee. These sit neatly on your shelf in any room, from the laundry to the linen closet.

It’s easy to make this stacker for yourself using some magazine racks (here), or try dividing up your shelf with these for a simple upcycling job. I recommend a monochromatic color scheme to keep it chic and minimal.

14. Simple Wicker Towel Basket

Let’s continue with the simplicity principle: a gorgeous wicker basket like this not only adds to the bathroom décor, but it also makes sure the family will always have clean and dry towels.

If wicker isn’t quite your style, you could always try a wire basket with a rope handle or create your rope-wrapped basket with this hack. Keep it stocked with clean, dry, fresh towels for an instant elevation.

15. Reclaimed Wooden Ladder

Next up is the ultimate rustic towel storage hack. If you have an antique ladder hanging around, revive it with a few extra planks and some metal anchors to keep it leaning at the right angle.

I love how this looks. If you live in an older home, this is a great way to incorporate some of the house’s history into your modern décor choices.

You could also use this to organize your closet.

16. The Towel Tunnel

Many bathrooms have an awkward space just past the end of their bathtub. This space can feel almost infuriating with how tough it is to use, but you need not tear your hair out with the towel tunnel.

Instead, extend your bathtub using matching tiles and a porcelain slab, but leave a gap in the middle of the shelf. There, you can hide your fresh towels for easy access. This is, in a word, genius.

17. Art Deco Golden Basket

Much like the wicker basket from a couple of hacks earlier, this golden basket is ideal for providing clean, fresh towels as soon as you step out of the shower. However, this one embraces the Roaring Twenties style.

Geometric shapes and a golden sheen combine to give a lustrous art deco vibe that’s perfect for a modern bathroom. Grab a golden wire basket here and pay homage to your love of 1920s style.

18. DIY Tiny Towel Slot

This is the ultimate compact bathroom hack, transforming strange nooks and crannies into valuable towel storage. All you need to do is install some floating shelves (here) in the space, and you’re away!

This particular crafter used a tall yet narrow spot right next to their shower, populating it with wooden shelves to use as towel space. This would also work for in-set areas near your mirror or next to a bath.

19. Above the Door Towel Storage

Speaking of strange storage spots, one of the keys to utilizing space in a compact bathroom is to look up. The area above your door jam is perfect for a floating shelf, providing ample room for your rolled-up towels.

If this spot is relatively high, consider keeping a step stool in the bathroom. This shelf will only hold your freshly-laundered towels, so you won’t have to break out the step stool every time you get out of the shower.

This could also be a great small bedroom organizing idea.

20. Master Bathroom Drying Area

Now, if you’re blessed with a bit more space in the bathroom, this is your chance to get luxurious. Consider installing a decked-out hall tree in one corner of the room to create a dedicated drying area.

Coat hooks, floating towel storage, a padded cushion, and a wet towel basket are all critical features of this sumptuous addition. You can build it from scratch using timber or use a pre-built hall tree like this.

For this DIY project, you’re going to make a dreamcatcher that’s moonlighting as a jewelry organizer. It’s super easy to make, and you don’t need a ton of supplies.

If you’re familiar with how to make a dreamcatcher, you’re already about halfway there. But even if you’re not, don’t worry about it; I’ve got you covered!

Supplies to Make the Organizer

First, take a look at all the supplies you’ll need for this DIY.

• Embroidery hoop
• Cotton string
• Scissors
• Beads
• Pencil (optional)

• Tassels (optional)
• Strings (optional)

Tassels and strings are completely optional, but they do add an extra oomph factor to the dream catcher! Alternatively, you can string beads, buttons, shells, and any other embellishments you see fit, too!

How to Make a Jewelry Organizer

Before you begin, just keep in mind that you’ll need to decide how big you want your jewelry organizer to be. You’ll be picking out the ring/frame for the project based on your requirements.

Once you’ve decided on that, you can get started.

Step 1

Grab a marker and draw little pointers around the ring. You can divide it into as many parts as you like, and your dreamcatcher pattern will vary accordingly.

This pattern, however, calls for eight equal parts. So, you can demarcate 3 o’clock, 6’o clock, 9 o’clock and 12 o’clock and then the center point between each of them. There you go!

Step 2

Pick out your embroidery threads—you can choose a simple beige or plain black, or you can make it bold and colorful!

Step 3

Make a simple knot at the 12 o’clock mark. This will be your starting point, so make sure the knot is secured and doesn’t move around.

Here’s a tip: you can use a tiny amount of glue to hold the knot in place while you maneuver the thread.

Step 4

Pull the embroidery thread to the next pointer and loop over the ring. It might help if you hold the ring in place with one hand and use your dominant hand to loop the thread.

Step 5

Continue to work your way around the ring, looping the thread at every pointer until you complete one full circle.

Just make sure that the embroidery floss doesn’t move around too much and remain taut and secure.

Step 6

Once you come back to the 12 o’clock pointer, loop the thread around the ring and hold it in place. When you proceed to the next round, you will be looping the thread in between the actual thread itself instead of the ring.

Try to center the loop as much as possible to ensure that you get an even pattern going.

Step 7

For round three, continue to loop the thread around in the same fashion, with a mind to holding it taut and not giving room for it to move.

You can consider changing the color at this point, or you can continue with the same color.

Step 8

When you’re finally finished winding and looping the thread through the entire frame, you’ll find that your pattern will start to shrink. When you’re as close to the center as you want to get, it’s time to finish up and knot the thread.

Step 9

This step is completely optional, but you can insert a bead just before you knot the thread to help you secure the knot firmly in place.

Step 10

After you knot the end of the thread, you can snip off the extra bits and just tuck it into the bead to hide it. Or, you can use a fine application of clear adhesive and stick it to the adjacent thread.

Step 11

If you decide to hang tassels, beads, or string as an extra decorative feature, then go ahead and make them as you see fit.

You will have to make several knots along the thread to hold them in place for the beads.

Tie the ends to the frame, as seen below. Secure it with a tight knot

Go ahead and make any other decorative pieces you wish to add to your DIY project.

Step 12

You’re almost done making your DIY jewelry organizer. There’s just one thing left to do, and that’s to make a loop at 12 o’clock. This is what you’ll be using to hang the dream catcher slash jewelry organiser to the wall.

Ta-daa!

Go ahead and hang your earrings and other jewelry on the dream catcher and enjoy the swirl of color it adds to your room.