These Clever Storage Hacks Will Help Anyone Keep Their Home Neat And Tidy

by Shelley Thompson

Cleaning up the house is tedious and a bit frustrating. Finding the right place to store all your belongings takes a lot of planning and effort, and most of us are too tired at the end of the day to give that task the dedication it deserves. However, decluttering and organizing every room to make them look more spacious positively impacts your mental health. Not only does it give your place a clean and vibrant aura, but it also improves your mood and your productivity. To help you find a way to keep your home neat and tidy, we've put together a list of clever storage tricks you've probably never heard of until now. Let them inspire you to make the most of every space in the house!

Bathroom suction cups can make a big difference

"Floating" suction cups, like in the picture are a great solution for messy bathrooms, as they are affordable and don't require any wall drilling. The only downside is that they can fall sometimes, but there is a cool trick to keep them from doing so. 

If you want your suction cups to stick stronger and longer, use petroleum jelly. Apply it to the suction surface so the jelly fills any gaps between the cups and the wall. This way you will get a tight seal and a suction cup that won't slip. 

A frugal hack for storing all your pots and pans

Most of us store pots and pans under the cabinet, but if you have a small kitchen with limited storage, finding the right pan can be a real challenge. One Reddit user with an extra-small kitchen came up with a brilliant solution exactly to this problem.

A kitchen pegboard is an effective way to create storage in a space that would otherwise be wasted. Pegboards are also great for storing small items like utensils and cleaning supplies, making everything easy to find and within hand reach, even in the tiniest kitchen.

Storage bin to toy box DIY

If your child has dozens of toys scattered around the house, this DIY project is the solution. You can easily keep all the toys organized with this homemade toy box, and it is all made from things you probably already have. 

All you need to make a cute toy box is an old plastic storage bin. Use a spray adhesive and attach nice fabric to both sides. Drill holes in the corners, add wood feet, embellish with wooden letters and hot glue, and Voilà! 

DIY jewelry organizer in seconds

Necklaces, earrings, and rings are the simplest way to upgrade any outfit. The problem starts when you get home - where do you put all your precious accessories that always tend to get lost and tangled? 

Keep your jewelry organized with this tip. It's inexpensive, easy and you probably already have what is needed. Simply take an ice cube tray and place each jewelry item into one of the slots. Oval ice cube trays work best, making it easier to scoop out the jewelry. 

instant shower storage

Need more shower storage? nstead of adding expensive shelves or making permanent changes in your shower, this shower space hack only requires a tension rod, shower baskets, and curtain hooks. 

Attach the shower clips to the baskets like in the picture, slide the clips and some hooks onto the rod and hang it against the wall. You can now clip all the soap and shampoo bottles, fill the baskets with bath products, and enjoy your tidy bathroom. 

Create a budget-friendly makeup organizer

When you own more than ten eyeshadow palettes and dozens of lipstick shade. So every morning we think to ourselves there must be a better way of sorting through makeup. Well, there is. And due to this hack it's even budget-friendly. 

Makeup organizers are certainly helpful when it comes to organizing, as their name implies, but they are also quite expensive. The alternative is to purchase a few transparent plastic boxes and assemble them into an organization by yourself. It's just as good, but much cheaper.

Follow this simple rule for an organized fridge

Do you feel like your fridge is always a random chaotic assortment of foods? You're not alone. But making sure it's organized and functional is easier than you think, as long as you follow some basic principles. 

The first step in making your fridge work for you is storing food properly. Half-eaten takeout should never go into your fridge; instead invest in reusable containers like Tupperware and Mason jars. Once your fridge is arranged, you will find it much easier to stay organized and keep track of supplies.

Hang upside-down wicker baskets

Every interior designer says it's the little details that make the difference between a messy bathroom and a stylish one. For instance, a towel rack can totally transform a room, but these racks are usually pretty expensive. So why not use this design trick instead? 

All you need are a few wicker baskets or rattan boxes from the Dollar Tree store. Organize your towels in them and your bathroom will instantly feel like a spa. You can also hang the boxes vertically on the wall to add even more style.

No more garden tools on the garage floor

In most houses, gardening tools are scattered all over the garage floor. We agree that tossing the yard equipment around is less tiring than storing it properly. Still, doing so may cause you to lose your tools if you forget where you left them.

Fortunately, creating a proper storage space for your gardening tools is pretty simple. Just put up a pegboard on an empty wall and hang all kinds of equipment using hooks and screws.

Use a hammock to store dolls and toys

If your child has a lot of plush toys, you know how easily they get lost. You can store all the toys in an aesthetic yet inexpensive box or install shelves, which are pretty but also expensive. Luckily, there is a simpler and better solution.

Use a designated toy net or turn an old hammock into your own plush toy organizer. Stylish, frugal, and easy to use, it keeps all those stuffed animals, toys, and squishes tidy and neat and will fit any children's room. 

Place a drawer under your bed

Those of you who do not have a lot of storage space or who live in small homes will find the next tip helpful. In this case, the space under your bed can be one of the handy hidden storage areas in the house.

Interior design experts often recommend placing a mesh drawer unit under the bed. The units come in a variety of sizes and prices and are the perfect place to store all these out-of-season clothing, shoes, and even a spare set of sheets.

Use shower curtain rings to organize your closet

A pack of shower curtain rings costs less than 2$ at Dollar Tree, so we wondered what else they could do. Lucky for us, they are not only cheap but also versatile and can be used in many ways. 

One of our favorite uses for shower curtain rings is as scarf organizers. You can hang the rings on your closet rod or attach them to a thick hanger to save even more space. Either way, your scarves will always be within reach. 

How to make ugly plastic drawers look good on a budget

We all know those plastic storage drawers. They are practical, affordable and can be used in any room of the house to create some extra storage space, but unfortunately there isn't much of an aesthetic appeal to them when it comes to design.  

Make your drawers more attractive with a DIY makeover. Cover the drawers with a nice self-adhesive book cover from the Dollar Store, like in the image above, and they will immediately look more appealing while all the mess remains hidden.

Fill wasted space above kitchen cabinets

If your kitchen cabinets don't touch the ceiling, you'll find much room to store things in the gap between the piece of furniture and the roof. Since that space only serves to collect dust, keeping it occupied with storage boxes is a great idea.

By doing so, you'll have extra storage space in your kitchen while saving yourself the hassle of cleaning that particularly hard-to-reach area. As you can see, this trick literally lets you fill two needs with one deed. What are you waiting for to try it at home?

Store wrapping paper the right way

Most of us wrap gifts once or twice a year, on special occasions like Christmas or birthdays. However, it doesn't mean that you should keep all your gift wrapping rolls collecting dust in the back of your closet until you need them.

To store your wrapping paper the right way, screw some small wooden shelves to the wall and keep the rolls in place with a piece of twine. That way, you'll be able to keep them ready for use.

IKEA shoe cabinet is the perfect small bathroom storage space

When it comes to space-saving furniture, shoe drawers are the best. They're sleek, narrow and you can store almost anything in them. Their structure makes them especially suitable for those tiny bathrooms, and there's one model that fits perfectly for this purpose. 

IKEAS' STÄLL shoe cabinet with 4 compartments will help you make the most of your tiny bathroom space. You can place your essentials in it, and it also works well as a closet for towels. Just fold them into a roll and place them inside. 

Hang your wine glasses upside down

Are you the kind of person who enjoys drinking wine with their meals? If that's the case, we're confident that you need a place to store all your glasses. They often take up much space because of their distinctive shape: a broad base and a tapered design.

The best way to organize these glasses and keep them from shattering is to get a rack and hang them upside down. Apart from providing storage space for your wine glasses, this furniture will give them an overall fancy vibe to impress your guests.

Make the most out of your closet doors

Even though your closet may be huge, you can run out of storage space. Still, that doesn't mean that you can't find a way to turn its doors into racks to safely store your favorite pairs of shoes and your precious accessories.

Just put a pegboard on each one and place some sticks horizontally to use as hangers. This picture may give you some ideas. As you can see, making the best of the free space on your closet doors isn't difficult.

Upgrade your dollar-store laundry basket

Laundry baskets are essential items in everyone's homes. They allow you to store all your dirty clothes in it instead of leaving them on the floor. Not only do they keep your house organized, but they also add a decorative aspect to your place.

If you're feeling creative, you can craft your own laundry hamper at home. All you need is an ordinary basket, a hot glue gun, and some colorful pieces of rope. Although the result looks fancy, they're surprisingly easy to make.

Put up a pegboard on an empty kitchen wall

Although pegboards are often used to organize garages and tool sheds, it doesn't mean that you can't put up one in your kitchen. With the right idea, this board can become a stylish and easy-to-reach spot to store pots, pans, and other utensils.

Apart from being the perfect place to hang your most-used kitchen essentials, pegboards can also become part of your kitchen décor. Just take a few photos and postcards you'd like to show your guests out of your nightstand drawer and pin them all up.

Keep your spices in small glass jars

If you love to cook and try new recipes every now and then, you probably have dozens of spices in your kitchen. However, keeping them organized is a challenge. Most of us simply toss them back in the cabinet after using them, which creates a terrible mess.

To prevent that, you should transfer all your condiments to matching small glass jars and label them. That way, it'll be much easier to keep track of your spice inventory and find what you need while experimenting in the kitchen.

Attach some folding chairs to the wall

We all have a few folding chairs lying in the garage, right? These items always come in handy when inviting people over because it helps you provide enough seats for your guests. However, folding chairs can do more than that.

If you need some temporary storage solution, you can hang a few of these chairs on the wall. Since they aren't much heavier than a shelf, it should be safe to prop some items on top and hang laundry from the bottom.

Create almost invisible shelves for your books

Nowadays, the minimalist aesthetic is all the rage in home décor. If you want to apply it to your furniture as well, we think there's no better way to do it than creating some invisible bookshelves to showcase your favorite novels.

Basically, you just have to screw a few metal brackets into a wall and place a hardcover book on top. The “floating” illusion is created when you make the metal piece sit between the internal pages of the book and the back cover.

Optimizing the storage space under the kitchen sink

There's no denying that one of the best places to store everyday items out of the way is under the kitchen sink. However, most people don't know how to keep it from becoming a hot mess that is impossible to organize.

In our opinion, optimizing the storage space under the sink is much easier than it seems. All it takes is to get some plastic bins that match the color scheme of your kitchen, label them, and arrange items under different categories.

Get a utility cart for your bathroom

Utility carts are helpful in pretty much every room of the house, but you can make the most of them when you place them in small bathrooms. Not only are they compact, but they're also perfect for keeping your bathroom essentials within hand reach.

If you don't want your cart to have wheels, you can take them off. Still, we believe that mobility is always a plus because it gives the piece of furniture some extra versatility that can come in handy while cleaning the bathroom.

Buy a hanger for tank tops and camisoles

Although it may not seem like it, storing tank tops and camisoles inside the wardrobe is complicated. These clothing items often slip off regular hangers no matter what you do and folding them always leaves you with a wrinkled mess.

Still, not everything is lost. You can easily purchase a hanger designed to hold up spaghetti straps neatly. If you can't find one at the store, you can try making your own by bending a regular wire hanger into the shape you see in the picture.

Explore other ways of using dish racks

We all know that dish racks are a must-have in every kitchen. However, these items often take up much space on the counter when being used. So, we recommend buying a rack to place over the kitchen sink.

And here's an extra tip. Once you're done using the dish rack, don't put it away. It can also serve as another area to store glassware, dishes, and kitchen utensils. Just be careful in choosing what to place on it to avoid accidents.

Store your linens under the mattress

If you've ever lived in a small house or apartment, you probably know what it's like to struggle to store your extra bedding. Finding the right place to keep your clean linens is hard, especially when there's little to no space in your wardrobe.

A trick to tackle this issue is to store your extra bedding under the mattress. Apart from saving a lot of space, this hack allows you to prevent your sheets from developing wrinkles. It's like killing two birds with one stone, right?

Get a cardboard box and turn it into a classy charging station

Keeping your cords organized is challenging. If you don't have a drawer in your home office or kitchen to store them, you probably have to deal with many charging cables sitting around the house. Still, that doesn't have to be that way.

For example, you can get a small cardboard box at any retail store and turn it into a classy charging station. All you have to do is paint it in a color you like and embellish it to match your house décor.

Sew pockets to your shower curtains

We can find shower curtains in almost every bathroom. They're mainly used for a single purpose: giving us privacy in the shower. Nonetheless, you can easily enhance them and turn them into a handy storage space with a bit of creativity.

Look for a waterproof material similar to your shower curtains' fabric, cut out some squares, and stitch them onto the curtains. Then, use those pockets to keep essential bath accessories, general toiletries, and even hand towels without taking up any space in the bathroom.

Use the free space in the back of your closet

Although it may look like your wardrobe is overcrowded, there's always a way of creating some extra space inside it. For example, if the inside walls of the closet are free, you can use a little trick to turn them into the perfect place to hang your handbags.

As you can see in the picture, there's a lot of potential storage space on the wall behind the clothes hanging on the closet rod. To access it, you just have to put up some cable straps and hook up a purse hanger.

Upcycle some old drawers into storage bins

Sometimes, the manufactured and mass-produced containers most stores sell aren't enough to satisfy our storage needs. Still, we shouldn't worry much about it. After all, we can always upcycle those generic drawers that you can buy for a dollar and turn them into helpful storage bins.

Simply buy a few cheap drawers, decorate them with spray paint, and add a stylish metallic hook on the front of each bin. After you finish personalizing them, everyone will think that you bought those containers at an overpriced fancy home store.

Create a rack for your bathroom with window boxes

If you love to embellish your house with plants, you're probably acquainted with windowsill garden boxes. These beautiful planters add extra color, texture, and dimension to any home. Their primary purpose is to complete the building's exterior design and make it stand out.

However, window boxes can also be used inside the house. For example, you can mount a few on the bathroom wall to store toiletries. This trick will not only provide you with some extra storage space, but it'll also brighten up the room.

Invest in a garment rack

Whether your closet space is walk-in or non-existent, a garment rack can be a great way to keep your entire wardrobe organized. It'll arrange your clothes on poles or compartments to help you grab what you want to wear in a trice.

The best thing about owning a garment rack is that you can easily repurpose it once you don't need it anymore. For example, you can move it to the living room and turn it into a chic coat hanger or a modern décor piece.

Use baking trays to create more space on your fridge

Even the most spacious fridges get overcrowded after a birthday party or a holiday get-together. Of course, you could use Ziploc bags and Tupperware containers to store all the food, but there's an even easier solution lurking in your cupboards.

Look for some baking trays and turn them into makeshift shelves for your refrigerator. They should provide you with some extra space for leftovers. You can even stack the trays on top of Tupperware containers, as shown in the picture.

Craft a boot rack with PVC pipes

Unless you live in a cold country, you have to find a way to store your winter footwear every year. And we aren't just talking about making some space in the wardrobe. You also need to put something inside them to prevent them from losing their shape.

It sounds like too much work, right? Well, you can skip it by crafting a boot rack. Just get a plank of wood, drill a few holes to attach the PVC pipes with screws, and paint the DIY a stylish color.

Turn tissue boxes into storage bins

Everyone loves doing a great DIY project every now and then, especially one that involves repurposing something old into a practical, eco-friendly item. In this case, we think that it'd be a fantastic idea to turn empty tissue boxes into handy storage bins.

All you have to do is cut out the top of the box and decorate it with some wallpaper or a piece of colorful fabric. The result is a small yet practical bin where you can tuck away essential items, such as medications.

Get a Lazy Susan and use it to store condiments

Sometimes, we have too many spices and too little space in our cupboards to store them. If that's your case, don't panic! All you need to keep your condiments organized and your kitchen looking as charming as ever is a Lazy Susan.

With a simple turn, you'll be able to reach whatever condiment you're looking for in the blink of an eye. Besides, your spices won't take much space in your pantry, which leaves you with more room for other kitchen items.

Repurpose tin cans and turn them into containers

More often than not, people throw away tin cans right after consuming what's inside them. Although that's perfectly normal, there are many things that you can do to be more eco-friendly. For example, you can repurpose them and turn them into containers.

All you have to do is select some cans that are the same size, remove the stickers around them, and embellish them to match your décor. After that, tie them on a rack and fill your new containers with whatever you want.

Use pant hangers to store bags of snacks in your pantry

Although it may seem like it, organizing the pantry is no small feat. You need a ton of patience and a keen eye to sort through all the things piled on the shelves. Apart from that, you must find a way to keep the open bags firmly closed.

As far as we can tell, using pant hangers to store open bags of snacks is perfect for keeping their contents fresh and crispy for long. While having a wired shelf makes this trick more effective, you don't necessarily need one to make the most of it.

Add wheels to your laundry basket

If you live alone and do your own laundry, you probably know that carrying dirty clothes from the hamper to the laundry room can be pretty messy. If you've had enough of dropping socks around the house, you can try adding wheels to your laundry basket.

We know that carrying your clothes from one place to another isn't that hard, but this trick will make the process less tedious. In fact, it can also come in handy when you want to take your clean laundry outside to hang it to dry.

Keep your countertops clutter-free

Organizing kitchen countertops is, in truth, a never-ending chore. In fact, clearing them of clutter is a daily task we all seem to forget. Still, keeping those surfaces tidy is the perfect way to give your house a better overall look.

So, you should try mounting a shelf on the wall, getting some hooks, and putting the items you often leave on the countertops in a different place. It may take time, but you'd be surprised at all the free space you'll be left with.

Grab some empty glass jars and use them to store toiletries

Regardless of your bathroom's size, your vanity is likely filled with dozens of toiletries that quickly mount up and make it look cluttered. And since no one wants to see their bathroom turned into a mess, here's a trick to keep it organized.

Look for empty glass jars in your pantry, wash them out, and turn them into nifty bathroom storage containers. The best thing about this idea is that you can see through them, which means that you'll quickly find what you're looking for in the vanity.