40+ Dollar Store Organization Hacks That Will Save You Time and Money

by Shelley Thompson

Are you tired of the constant struggle to keep your home clutter-free without breaking the bank? We've all been there, yearning for fancy organizers and custom-built cabinets that seem financially out of reach. But fret not! In this article, we've got the ultimate solution for you. Brace yourself for budget-friendly storage hacks straight from the dollar store that will revolutionize your organization game. Say goodbye to chaos and hello to a stylishly tidy home! With these ingenious tips and tricks, you can organize your space with flair without emptying your wallet. Get ready to embark on a clutter-free adventure that's as practical as it is exciting. Let's dive in and transform your home into a haven of order and savings.

Use Desk Organizers To Create Storage

Let's be honest, we can never have enough storage in the bathroom. Whether it's for our cosmetics, hair care, or morning routine, the storage provided is always minimal. So what is it that we can all do?

We create our own shelves, of course. Using desk organizers or baskets, we can achieve that perfect shelf for all our bathroom goods. Scrap that, it can be used anywhere in the house, or even the office. Simple, yet effective.

Keep the pot lids in place with a magazine rack

Keeping pots and pans organized in the kitchen is challenging. And keeping track of all of the lids can be a headache. Storing the pots, pans, and their respective lids together don't necessarily work because they can't stay balanced on top of each other.

Pots and pans can be stacked together and then their lids can be stored separately. To do so, buy a metal magazine rack from the dollar store and attach it to the side of the cabinet. Then, place the lids on the rack.

Using A Clothes Divider For Your Jeans

Have you ever reached for your pair of jeans that day, only for every jeans you own to fall out when doing so? Because it happens to us daily, and we've had enough. But that doesn't mean we're going to go and hang them up.

Rather, using clothes organizers helps keep jeans separate but also organized and neat inside the cupboard. Just as we'd use these dividers for other clothes, they work perfectly when it comes to jeans too.

Use a makeup bag to store your first-aid kit

While we try to be safe and avoid injuries, accidents can happen, even when we are careful. Keeping a first-aid kit handy is very important in households, especially for children, but carrying around a massive box with everything seems inconvenient.

Using a dollar store makeup bag is a great solution. It allows for a smaller but functional version of the classic first-aid kit. Keep all the essentials, like Band-Aids, gauze, or disinfecting wipes at hand and take up only half the space.

Create Shower Storage With Dollar Tree Baskets

We all know that the Dollar Tree is the gift that keeps on giving, but even when we find something amazing inside the store, we don't always realize its full potential.

Take these baskets for example. By attaching them to a rod and putting it into the shower, we'd now have ourselves storage in the bath or shower. Not only that, but we can separate our shower gels from our hair conditioners, as well as, our sponges from our razors.

Tension rods can help organize your cutting boards

While it's possible to stack cutting boards on top of each other, doing so makes it harder to grab just one when needed. It might also prevent them from drying. There is a way to keep them organized without getting a fancy organizer.

All that's needed are some tension rods. Place them up on your cupboard, as seen in the picture, and start storing your cutting boards vertically instead of horizontally. This method will save space and provide easy access to your utensils.

Dollar Store DIY Shelving Unit

The Dollar Tree strikes again with its basic goods turning into home gold. For those of us living in small spaces, we know the everyday struggle of having minimal storage and would like some sort of help. That's where these Dollar Tree baskets come in.

Taking a few baskets and attaching them together, then having them on the wall, creates a shelving unit that probably costs just $4. Whether it's toys, drinks, collectibles, the list goes on for what can be put in them.

Make your own twine fairy-lights decoration

While our goal is to provide tips regarding how to organize your home, keeping it nicely decorated is also important. Nowadays, twine decorations are very popular. And with this DIY project, it's possible to create a cute decoration for your living room or bedroom.

These twine balls can either be bought at a store or else made by wrapping twine thread covered with glue around a blown balloon. Leave it to dry until it hardens. Once it dries, pop the balloon and add some cute fairy lights inside. 

Baskets Could Make For The Perfect Toy Holder

Sometimes we like not to go into the kids room when we know there are going to be toys everywhere. The mess and disorganization are enough to stress anyone out. But, these baskets do just the trick to help.

Attaching three baskets to string and hanging it on the ceiling, you'd have the perfect organizer in the kids room to deal with the ever-growing toy collection. It looks neat, clean and, with the right color, perfectly stylish!

Use plastic containers to tidy up your drawers

Let's be honest: Your drawers tend to become a dumping ground for all the clutter around your house. Even if this happens unintentionally to keep these things out of sight, it does not mean that our drawers should be a mess.

On your next visit to the dollar store to pick something up, grab some small pencil containers, too. These can be used to place all the items lying around in the drawers, and they will keep everything in place. 

Create More Space For All Your Laundry Room Essentials

The laundry room is one of those places in the home that just gets totally cluttered with things. From fabric softeners to dryer sheets, we have things everywhere. So, now we have the perfect laundry or utility room solution.

This small laundry organization idea allows you to make the most of your space, while leaving things cleaned and organized. All laundry essentials can be placed in these plastic baskets that form a shelving unit with some DIY.

Organize your kitchen spices

Stop buying dozens of weird organizing tools to keep your food organized. Instead, head out to the nearest dollar store and get a hanging shoe organizer. Its simple shape makes it perfect for holding anything, from spices to kitchen utensils.

A shoe organizer can fit your kitchen. Feel free to get a small or large one according to your needs. If your pantry doesn't have room for it, it's possible to hang a smaller one on the back of your kitchen door.

Placing Pegs On The Wall To Hang Up Shoes

Keeping the entryway of our home decluttered is probably one of the hardest tasks of keeping the home looking neat and tidy. From our coats to our shoes, we sometimes lose hope that there's any solution. Until now...

Placing pegs into the wall to fit our shoes is just one perfect way to keep that entryway looking less cluttered. Not to mention, if they're muddy, it keeps them off the floor, saving another step of cleaning. It's easy, reachable and looks neat all the same.

Make more room in your car

Every car owner knows how easy it is for clutter to gather in the car. It's complicated when it comes to bags, though, because we don't want to leave them on the seats in case they might leave a stain. 

A good and simple solution is to buy a few carabiners and clip them to the back of the front seats. That way, creating an extra storage area in your vehicle is possible. These hooks are great for freeing space in the backseats.

Using An Ironing Board For Storage

A crafts room is next to impossible to keep organized and tidy. Whether its paint, scissors or a sewing kit, things seem to go everywhere. So that is why keeping an old iron board may help!

As one crafty person showed with their DIY, by taking an iron board and removing the top of it, they had themselves the perfect organization hack for their sewing goods. Since it also leans against the wall, it takes up no space but totally helps with saving space at the same time!

Use hooks to make a mess-free cord station

It seems like no matter how hard we try to keep all of our cords organized; they always find a way to get tangled. Here's an inexpensive and easy way to store them without making an even greater mess. Check out how.

Make your own organized cord station: Buy a pack of small adhesive hooks at the dollar store. Then, attach them behind your door or on the side of your desk for easy access. Each cord gets its hook.

Keeping Things Organized on the Toilet

Keeping your bathroom organized and clean has proven time and time again to be a lot harder than we'd like to think. With so many products, we want to have it all but seem to lack the space.

However, by attaching a loo roll holder, a desk tidy, and a magazine holder to the toilet, your space can be decluttered while also keeping all the essentials in the room and even organized! No more having toilet rolls just placed anywhere it'll fit!

Repurpose your coffee filters

Coffee filters are a blessing for coffee lovers. But no one likes them scattered all over the kitchen. It can be hard to keep them organized when they're used so often. Here is a great way to repurpose them.

Coffee filters can serve many more purposes than just brewing coffee. So, get them out of the drawer and use them as food separators for candy or cookies, as tea filters for your loose-leaf teas, and even as blotting paper.

Create your personalized kitchen set

If looking to create your own custom kitchen dish set but don't want to spend money on pottery classes, we might have the perfect solution with the help of simple materials from the dollar store. This hack is fun and cool.

With a set of plain white dishes and permanent markers, let your creativity go wild. Once your design is finished, make sure to put them in the oven so that the paint sets. Remember that the color will fade a bit after that.

Get some shower caddies to hold your snacks

There is nothing like picking up your favorite snack at the grocery store, getting takeout, and then enjoying a nice movie night with your partner or family. Still, it can be complicated to relax if there's nowhere sturdy to place or hold the food.

This problem is easily solved by buying a shower caddy at the dollar store. Instead of using it to keep your essential toiletries, get one to organize your favorite movie-night snacks for at-home viewing or out and about at a picnic. Take them everywhere.

Use a cupcake baking tray at picnics

Picnics are a fun, social activity. The best thing about them is that there's no need for a lot of supplies to have a wonderful time. However, balancing the glasses and snacks on the blanket can be tricky. And spills are annoying.

Next time there's a picnic with friends, take a couple of muffin trays. These are not just for baking sweet treats. They also work great to keep your drinking glasses and your food stable on your picnic blanket. Fewer spills means more fun.

To get a clean fridge, use placemats

The best way to keep your fridge clean is to first, wipe and disinfect each of your fridge's shelves. An organized fridge makes cooking easier since all the ingredients are easy to identify and grab. How can we keep it clean?

However, if there is no time to clean the fridge shelves every week, a few placemats will suffice and do the trick. Buy some inexpensive ones at the dollar store and place them on the shelves. Take them out once a week to clean.

Make a massager out of socks and tennis balls

Everyone loves a good massage. Most of us can't afford to get one regularly. However, now there's no need for one. Here is a super helpful trick that will allow us to get a massage after a long day of work whenever we want.

The dollar store comes to the rescue once again. Just grab a long sock and drop a couple of tennis balls. Tie the open end with a rubber band and use this homemade massage device on every body part that feels sore.

Get your makeup nice and organized

Having lots of makeup helps us to be creative with our make-up. But tons of makeup requires tons of space to store it. For those running out of room in the bathroom or bedroom, this hack can be super helpful in organizing makeup.

There's no need to buy a fancy makeup organizer. All that's needed is a hanging shoe organizer. Its pockets are the perfect size to store makeup items. And it can even help to categorize all the makeup by color or type.

Plastic pencil containers can also work as spice racks

Pencil holders are much more helpful than what we give them credit for. With a little creativity, they serve a much wider purpose. The best part is that they are cheap and can be versatile and used in many areas of the house.

They can be used in the kitchen to keep spices. Just glue a couple of small magnets on either side of the containers and stick them to the side of your fridge. Consider storing bag clips or lightweight measuring spoons in them, too.

Have fresh herbs on hand

Using fresh herbs in your meals can make a big difference in how flavorful and good the dishes turn out. However, not everyone is lucky enough to have a garden patch to grow their herbs. These DIY planters are the perfect solution.

Put your old cans to use and punch holes in either side, almost at the top. Then, attach a wire to create a handle. Now, fill the can with fertilized soil and plant your favorite herb. It's as easy-peasy as it sounds.

This shower caddy doubles as an organizer

The dollar store is full of treasures waiting to be found. For example, it's possible to get the cheapest shower caddies, give them a new look with some paint, and repurpose them as cute organizers for every house room.

Take the caddies out of the bathroom and into any room where there's a need for some extra storage space. These caddies can be painted your favorite color or even decorated with some colored yarn as seen in the image.

Create a pillow headboard

Not everyone can afford a lovely headboard. Still, having one is very important, especially when streaming is easy and watching movies in bed is a given. Instead of buying a headboard, it's possible to head out to the dollar store and make this.

Attach two large cushions or pillows to a curtain rod. Then, place the rod where your headboard should be. Not only is this makeshift headboard comfortable, it's also perfect for sitting back and relaxing while watching TV. Plus, it also looks amazing.

Give your doors a colorful twist

If your home features a bold aesthetic, plain doors can look way too simple. Still, painting them is both expensive and time-consuming. To avoid the hassle, simply go to your nearest dollar store to get the supplies for this DIY.

Once there, grab a few rolls of washi tape to use for decorating the door with whatever the design of choice is. The best thing about this DIY is that it is simple but still has an amazing and even professional-looking result.

Use cans as pencil holders

One thing we can all do to reduce our waste is to start reusing our tin cans. Do not just throw them out in the bin. Instead, start creating useful crafts with them. They can provide a great excuse to get a little creative.

This DIY is great because there's no need for paint, so... no mess. Just get some wrapping paper from your dollar store's craft section. Carefully wrap it around the can and use double-sided tape to keep it in place.

Organize your cans with file holders

Some file holders have the same width as a standard can. This is why these holders can come in handy when organizing your pantry. Consider using them as can holders. Aside from being functional, they can be stylish with some help.

Once your file holder has gotten a makeover, flip it on its side, and place your cans in it. Use some wire or a small piece of cardboard across the bottom to keep the cans in place.

Keep your stationery organized with a spice rack

It can be hard to keep your stationery organized on your desk. The smaller pieces are the hardest to store, and they are also the most likely to get lost. With this hack, never lose your paper clips, pins, and sticky notes again.

Here is a very easy and neat way to store these items: simply use a spice rack from the dollar store. Stop scrambling around a messy drawer to find your smaller stationery items and keep them in these small jars instead.

Add some elegance to your light switches

For fans of decoration hacks who are looking for ways to add an extra touch to your home, this next DIY will be appealing. Your light switches might be the most forgotten part of the house, but we will glam them up.

Get a small picture frame and remove its glass. Place the frame around your light switch plate. Then, paint the frame to match the color of your wall or, to create a bold decoration, paint it in a contrasting color.

Avoid creases on your clothes by using pipe cleaners on hangers

A lovely velvet hanger can make a difference. This fabric is excellent for preventing your clothes from falling off the hanger and keeping the clothes from getting creased. To get the same result for less than half the cost, make this DYI hanger instead.

No need to get any unique hangers; use the ones in your closet. The only material needed is pipe cleaners, which can be found at the dollar store. Then, wrap a pipe cleaner around the top part of the hanger and cover it.

Make an improvised baby station

Parents of small children, especially babies, know all too well the struggles involved in childcare. When babies start crying late at night, and they need a quick diaper change, it is very important to have all the needed supplies in one place.

With a DIY baby station, parents can access everything needed to change a smelly diaper. And all with a simple organizer that can be decorated with fun, colorful stickers or a ribbon. Then, fill the organizer with diapers, wipes, and baby oil.

Use cheap plastic organizers to keep your drawers mess-free

A house can never be fully clean or organized if every drawer is a complete mess. For those brave enough to admit to having a problem with clutter, it's time to decide to be proactive about organizing the messy drawers once and for all.

There is no need to look for a fancy or expensive drawer organizer. The dollar store has plenty of affordable options to keep your drawers organized and mess-free. Look at the simple yet functional option in this image, for example.

Display your jewelry with this fun DIY project

When it's time to go out, finding the exact jewelry piece needed to perfectly accessorize your outfit can be hard, especially if there's no jewelry stand. This solution is a great way to store everything, from necklaces to rings.

Without spending lots of money, just get a couple of tea saucers of different sizes and two short candlesticks from the dollar store. Use a hot glue gun to attach them. We recommend using the smaller saucer on the top for proper weight distribution.

Make a tablecloth with a bedsheet

If there's a porch in your backyard, having a nice outdoor table is a great idea, especially for entertaining. The problem is that tablecloths can get blown away with even the slightest of breezes. However, here is a clever solution.

Instead of using an ordinary tablecloth to cover your outdoor table, get a twin bedsheet. The elastic around the bedsheet is the perfect solution to having it stay on the table without flying away. Having tons of delicious food will also help.

Add a nice decorative touch to your spoons and spatulas

To add a touch of cuteness to your kitchen utensils here is a simple way to decorate them and make them look like a set. Check out this fun DIY project. The best part is that all that's needed is different color paint.

Place your paint in cups. Then, wrap a bit of tape on your utensils' handles where the border of the color should be. Now dunk the utensils in the different cups of paint. Then let the excess paint drip off and dry them.

Keep your mail organized with a dish rack

Here is a way to avoid the clutter for people tired of having messy documents, bills, and letters gathering dust on the front table. While keeping these documents in sight might be essential, it is not good to leave them completely disorganized. 

This device is perfect for collecting all your mail and will save time when looking for the correct document. It's also easier on the eyes than staring at a messy pile. Even bills look better this way.

Use a basket to store your ironing supplies

We can all agree that ironing is one of the most boring and time-consuming chores. Still, it is necessary from time to time. To make ironing easier, simply keep everything that's needed in one neatly organized spot. Here's an easy way to do that.

A simple basket from the dollar store can turn into a great shelf for all your ironing supplies. It can be hung on your wall and taken it out whenever there's any ironing to do. Besides being practical, it also looks really cool.

Mason jars double as holders to organize stationery items

Whenever in need of organizing a messy desk, here is an easy and cheap solution. For people with tons of stationery items lying around and want somewhere to store them, simply get a couple of mason jars. The rest is easy.

Mason jars are incredibly versatile. They also look great in any room. Because they come in different sizes, they work great to hold all your writing supplies. They also look good while clearing your desk of all that clutter.

Storage hooks can help in rooms where space is limited

Storage hooks can be of great help if your home does not have much space. They can be placed almost anywhere because they are auto-adhesive, and they can be purchased in all sorts of different sizes, colors and styles to match any room.

Just look at this picture. It is one way of many to use storage hooks. They can be used to store different kitchen tools and utensils. As seen in the picture, they are perfectly in place and do not take up more space.

Create your own DIY marble cups

Fans of DIY projects are most likely familiar with this DIY project. It is possible to create your own marble-stained cups by simply using nail polish. It is not only easy and inexpensive but also very stylish. Here are the steps.

Fill a bowl with warm water. Then, add a few drops of your favorite nail polish color and swirl it around to create patterns. Then, quickly dip your cups into the bowls of color before the polish settles. Lastly, seal them with Mod Podge.

Make your own baskets out of cardboard boxes

Here is a fun and clever DIY to make use of all the cardboard boxes. Many people are afraid to throw out such boxes because they will need them at some point. But here's a way to use them instead of letting them age.

Get some twine and wrap it around your brown boxes. Then, add some fabric on the inside, and that's it. These cute, repurposed boxes can serve as stylish storage containers that will save a lot of space in your home. They also look lovely.

Forget about your tangled jewelry with a curtain rod and S hooks

It seems like even if your necklaces, bracelets, and scarves are arranged in a neat pile, they will always end up in an ugly, tangled mess. There seems to be no way to prevent them from getting all wrapped up.

But there's no need to worry. Here's a great tip. Use some trusty S hooks and a curtain rod to hang all your jewelry and scarves, and necklaces without worrying about those annoying tangles. This will make it easier to store your jewelry.

Paint bottles and vases to create fun, aesthetic decorative pieces

It can be difficult to find lovely home decor pieces that match your aesthetic, especially if there's a tight budget. Getting a piece that matches your favorite color, shape, or texture sometimes seems almost impossible. But it doesn't have to be this way.

With the help of enamel paint and some vases and bottles, it's easy to create these stylish pieces. To create a matching set of vases, get some from the dollar store and paint them in the color of your choice. Easy and creative.

Keep your face masks organized and on hand

Face masks should have a designed spot in the house; They shouldn't be lying around, especially because that looks unappealing and is unhygienic. Hanging them from their elastic bands is no good because they can stretch, but here is a clever trick.

Use clothespins to organize your face masks. Glue the clothes pins on a wooden board and then use a hook to hang the board on your wall. The best part is that these pins also work for scarves, keys, photos and mail.

Add style to your curtains by making some custom tiebacks

Having curtains can really make a difference in any room. Not only do they work to keep the light from coming in, but they are also a great decoration piece. However, to upgrade their look, all that's needed is to add these tiebacks.

Some cotton rope is needed, and a clasp that matches the rope. Cut your rope into three equal parts and braid them. Then, tie the clasps on one end and attach the other to the wall. The result will look professional.

Decorate your furniture with thumb tacks

Most people have hundreds of thumbtacks lying around at home that are not being used. Most likely, no one wants to throw them out because they only have one use. But this is not true. They can be used for many different projects.

For example, use thumb tacks to create intricate designs, like the one in the picture above. Just draw your design on the surface and start nailing the thumb tacks into place. In no time, your furniture will be transformed into a piece of art.

Use popsicle molds to organize your car

Car owners know how hard it can be to keep things in place inside the vehicle. Your whole car can easily become a junkyard if it's not organized properly. Here is a dollar-store hack that can help keep your car neat.

A popsicle mold can help organize small objects left in your car. Place one on the console compartment to store everything, from loose change and hair ties to sunglasses and your keys. Anything can be stored in an organized fashion with these molds.

Make your own high-end book stoppers

There is nothing as fun and decorative as personalized bookends. These can transform your basic bookshelf into an interesting part of your home decor. This DIY project will help create some high-end bookends with dollar-store materials. It's fun and functional.

Get a couple of plastic animal toys from the dollar store and glue their feet to a block of wood. Once the glue dries, spray paint them with some coats of golden paint or any preferred color and finish it with a sealer.

Keep your kid's bath time toys organized

It can be difficult to keep your child's bathtime toys organized, especially if it's a small bathroom. And things can get messy if your whole family shares a bathroom. However, a shower rod in your bathtub can save some space.

As can be seen here, a shower rod is just needed to hang a couple of baskets that will keep the kids' toys safe and organized. The rest of the family will be thankful for all the extra space.

Use a shower cap to keep your suitcase free of dirt from shoes

Vactioners have to pack according to their specific destination. This might require packing many and different types of shoes. A typical problem where packing shoes is concerned is how to keep them from dirtying up the rest of the suitcase's contents.

Get a few shower caps and wrap them around the soles of each pair of shoes. This way, they will keep any unwanted messes inside the shower cap. This is a super cheap solution. Many hotels offer free shower caps, too.