Five Storage Containers to Keep You Organized

Get Organized

With These

5 Clutter Catchers

By Karen Porter, Editor

EasyHomeOrganizing.com

Clutter catchers are types of containers that you can use as catch-alls for quick clutter clean-ups and they're a permanent part of your home organizing system. You can get organized with the right know-how and the most useful clutter catchers. Here are just five types of container systems you can use to get organized at home today.

1. BASKET - There are dozens of shapes and styles of baskets suitable for organizing every room in your home. Nothing is simpler than placing a decorative basket in the family room to hold exercise DVDs and video tapes. Or use a wicker picnic basket with a hinged handle to tote your emergency sewing kit or coupons from room-to-room. The beauty of baskets is just that. They look too beautiful to be hiding clutter inside. No one will suspect that they're a catch-all for your unorganized stash of stuff!

2. SHOE BAG - Over-the-door hanging plastic/vinyl pocket shoe racks are perfect for holding pet leashes and supplies; mittens, scarves and knit hats; small purses and of course shoes. Get ones with translucent pockets so you can quickly see what's in each slot. Some of these hanging shoe bags also hang from closet rods or hangers too.

3. HAMPER - Tall cylindrical plastic hampers work well in the garage for holding any bric-a-brac that's vertical shaped (or vertically shaped when it's on its side). You can buy these very inexpensive hampers at large well-known discount retailers in the laundry section. Cylindrical wire hampers on wheels with or without a lining are great storage for basketballs, footballs and similar sports equipment. Pile it in. Roll it under a work table in the garage. They're deep enough to hold several of these type items but not so deep that your child can't instantly reach in for the right item. Lined wicker hampers in a bedroom closet can hold those extra sheets, blankets, pillow cases and/or pillows. A flexible fold hamper is portable; stash and carry backyard sports equipment in it.

4. TRUNK OR STORAGE CHEST - Trunks are not just something you store your most precious treasures in and then store in the attic for a decade. Today's trunks and storage chests are part of the household furniture and home decor. You set them in the family room as decorative end tables. You put them in the bedroom as foot-of-the-bed benches. And of course, you fill them up with stuff. That could mean guest bedding in a chest in the living room, game boards and pieces stored in a trunk in the family room or your favorite special occasion dinnerware stored in a chest in the dining room. Trunks and storage chests come in all sizes, all materials and all prices.

5. TRASH CAN - Get a large trash can on wheels for the garage. This is where you'll keep your long-handled garden tools like hoes and shovels plus your mop. The wheels make it convenient to move around so you can clean under it. I even store the long power tools like weed whackers in them. My preference is usually to store the sharp side of tools downward which is why I like this storage system (I won't poke an eye out!). Don't rule out small- and medium-size trash cans for other storage. I use see-through mesh office waste baskets (from the dollar store) for storing everything from golf balls and golf accessories to tape (mailing, electrical, etc., all goes in the same mesh bin). These tiny trash cans fit on storage shelves. You can find them in office supply stores too.