We’ve all been there. We watch the organizing shows on TV and get inspired. Then we head to our favorite stores to buy pretty bins but are stopped in our tracks by the expense of those pretty bins. I’m going to offer you some hope by recommending some budget-friendly, affordable organization options.

*This post contains affiliate links. Any item you purchase through one of the links in this post entitles me to a small commission on your purchase at no additional cost to you.

My Rules for Organizing Products

Before we get too far, you know I always have rules! I’m a rule follower. Is that part of my Enneagram 1 status? As an aside, I know very little about the Enneagram except I am a 1 – a boring, rule-following, perfectionist 1 – which explains why I’m a professional organizer and why I wanted to be a librarian when I was young.

I do have 6 credits toward a Masters of Library Science, in case you’re wondering! When the baby factory opened, that plan got totally shelved. Totally worth it!

Alright, back to my rules…

1. Not every item in your home needs to be in a bin. Isn’t that freeing? Bins are great for setting boundaries or for keeping random small items from rolling around in a drawer or cabinet. However, if you have minimal items under your sink and you can reach all of them without any falling over – no bin necessary. Cabinets that are well organized – like with like – don’t always require a bin. Think of cabinets as a bin in and of themselves!

2. Don’t buy bins without a specific purpose. I get it. All the stores have the prettiest bins, baskets, and organizers now. They’re so tempting and pretty and often even affordable. Yet, if we buy bins without a specific purpose, the bins we bought to organize our clutter become clutter themselves. I know this for a fact from my own fascination with pretty bins and bins that I think look like they would work for this, that or the other!

3. Keep the tags on the bins you buy and keep your receipts handy. Even when we do buy bins with a very specific purpose and we know they’ll fit our space well, they don’t always work just right. Our items don’t all fit. We end up getting rid of items so we don’t need as big of a bin. The pipe under the sink hangs lower than we imagined it does. The door frame hangs over a 1/2 inch more than we measured. All these things can and will happen! Return those bins that don’t work. (See #2 as to why I think you should return them!)

4. Measure, Measure, Measure! Use the most possible surface space you have by getting bins that fit your space well. Measure the height of shelves. Measure the width of openings. Measure the depth of your shelves. Measure the clearance from shelf to shelf bracket. Measure the space between shelf brackets. Measure it all and write it down or jot it in the notes on the phone so you make well-informed bin decisions at the store.

5. It’s OK to “Make-Do.” Remember, this isn’t about perfection! More than likely, we have items in our homes that will work just fine for containing our items. The things already in our homes will cost us $0 extra. It may not be the best quality bin or even the most perfect fitting bin, but if it helps us find our stuff easier and does the job we need it to do, it is just fine!

Affordable Organization Options

• The Sterilite Shoebox Bin (6qt bin)
  • These Shoebox size bins can often be found for around $1 at Target or Walmart.
  • A few ways to use the Shoebox bin are:
    • Craft Storage
    • As Drawer Dividers
    • Small Items in the Garage
    • Pantry Bins
    • Undersink Storage
    • Inside Larger Bins
    • Toys (legos)

• Shoeboxes – The cardboard ones that your shoes came in
  • These can be used for many of the same uses as the Sterilite Shoebox Bin.
  • Since they are not as durable, they are great in drawers where they aren’t touched or moved often.
  • One word of caution: Cardboard attracts rodents!

• Sturdy Boxes
  • Think about the packaging that some of the items you buy arrive in.
  • Sometimes these gift boxes, photo boxes, cell phone boxes, Teavana boxes, etc. can serve as really good storage options.
  • Use inside drawers to corral small office supplies
  • Keep collections or small sets together (figurines, dice, marbles, rocks, etc.)
  • Also useful for video games, CDs, DVDs, etc.

• Repurpose Jars, Candles, and Cans
  • Mason Jars or glass jars from sauces are great for storing pencils, pens, paintbrushes, makeup brushes, etc. They also come in various sizes and chances are you have some in your cabinets.
  • Glass candle jars can be cleaned out fairly easily. Better Homes and Gardens offers 4 different ways to do this.

• Rubbermaid or Ziplock Food Storage Containers
  • These containers come in various shapes and sizes.
  • They are quite inexpensive and useful.
  • In the garage, they can store nails, screws, nuts and bolts, and other small tools and parts.
  • They are good for storing sidewalk chalk or other art supplies for our kids.
  • Because they are inexpensive, losing or destroying them isn’t a huge deal.

• Sterilite Ultra Deep Bins
  • If you’ve watched any of my Lives in my Facebook group, you’ve seen me use these all over my house.
  • They are a great size bin and super versatile.
  • A few things you can use these bins for:
    • Sweaters
    • Purses and Bags
    • Shoes
    • Extra Towels
    • Toys
    • Decor
    • Gift Bags
    • Winter Hats and Gloves
    • Pet Toys, Clothes, and other Accessories

There you have it! You CAN organize your home without breaking the bank. Scan your home for items you already own and you likely have storage and organizing solutions already within reach.

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