A beautifully organized laundry room, closet or kid's room can seem like a daunting -- and expensive -- task. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Some of the best organizing tools for your home can be had for $10 or less at your local dollar store. From brightly colored bins to snap-together shelving, here are the best organizing deals for your buck, courtesy of dollar discount stores:
Storage Bins
If you've got $10 and some change, you've got what you need for creating a great looking mud room, laundry room, kid's room and more. Dollar stores are full of sturdy and attractive storage bins that are usually priced in the $1-$2 range. Several square or rectangular bins in bright colors can help organize and hide clutter in the mud room or laundry room, while magazine bins and small bins with lids can bring order out of chaos in a kid's room, corralling books, puzzles, small toys and other items.
Laundry Baskets and Hampers
The lowly laundry basket/hamper is an often-overlooked organizational tool. In a kid's room, they make toy boxes that grow with your child, holding dirty laundry long after the dinosaurs and dolls are outgrown. In closets with plenty of room under the bottom shelf or hanging rod, a laundry hamper can store pillows, out of season clothing or other bulky items without the worry of mildew or mold that comes from storing these items in an airtight bag or storage box.
Hanging Shoe Bags
Hanging shoe bags get their own category for good reason -- these closet staples are often virtually useless for shoes, but are the secret weapon of well-organized homes. Hang an attractive shoe bag on the back of the bathroom door to hold brushes, combs, extra soaps, even rolled wash cloths and hand towels. In a coat closet, a hanging shoe bag can hold your whole family's collection of gloves, hats and scarves. Cut a plastic hanging shoe bag apart horizontally, taking care not to cut the bottoms of the pouches, and tack to the inside of kitchen cabinets to hold pot holders, packets of seasonings and other small items.
Baskets
Dollar stores are a treasure trove for those who love baskets. From modern metal baskets to traditional ones made of natural materials, baskets can create attractive storage throughout your house. In the kitchen, baskets hung from the wall can keep fruit, pot holders, tools and other items together and off the counter tops. Use a collection of small baskets in the bathroom to hold hand towels, wash cloths, tissues and toiletries. Metal file baskets can create instant "drawers" on shelves or in closets that organize your items while also leaving them in plain sight.
Simple Shelving
Small shelves can transform everything from kitchen cabinets to closets, literally doubling or tripling your space. At dollar store prices, you can afford to stock up. Dollar Tree stores often carry small cabinet shelves in their kitchenwares section that can make it possible -- not to mention safer -- to stack canned and boxed foods in your cabinets. The plate racks can help organize lids and shallow baking pans.
Snap-together plastic shelves available at Dollar General and Family Dollar stores can help organize everything from closets to mud rooms. A plastic shelving unit with three shelves can be used for boot storage in a mud room or entry way, or for shoe and handbag storage in a closet, either on the floor or on a shelf that's got too much head room. In laundry rooms, these plastic shelves are genius for keeping detergents organized and close at hand, and unlike wire shelves, are easy to clean.
Getting your home organized doesn't have to cost a fortune. At your local dollar store, just $10 can put you well on your way to a neat closet, tidy laundry room, or clean kid's room -- and more!
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