Totally Living Closet Storage Bin Modular Storage System
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The Best Storage Bins for Every Room, According to Professional Organizers
Photo: Barbara Reich and Lara Metz
If you've ever tried to organize a room — whether it's your bathroom or bedroom or home office — you've probably realized that you need to buy some kind of container to hold your stuff. But it can be tricky to know what type of storage bin is best for which purpose. So to save you from buying things that won't actually help you achieve the organized home of your Kondo-inspired dreams, we spoke with professional organizers about their favorite storage bins for every room and purpose, including toy storage bins, clothing and shoe storage bins, and underbed storage bins. And though every room and organization project is different, these 17 baskets, bins, and boxes are the options that organizing professionals reach for the most when tackling any client's space (and, in one case, even their own).
If you're organizing condiments or a massive collection of nail polishes, you may want to see everything you've stored away. Lisa Zaslow of Gotham Organizers is a big fan of these clear bins, which allow you to "turn a shelf into a drawer." "It's always hard to get to small things in the back of a shelf, which is why you want to contain them," Zaslow says. "So if you put all of your spices or all of your beauty products or small office supplies in one of these bins, you can pull the whole bin out and see exactly what your stash is."
If you have items you need to both store and carry around, like tools or cleaning supplies, Zaslow recommends InterDesign's organizer baskets, which conveniently feature a handle as well as holes that promote airflow and visibility. "They do stack if you don't fill them above the edge," she points out. "And they also have a solid, plastic bottom."
Anyone living in the "out of sight, out of mind" camp will like these storage bins that come in a variety of sizes, from a narrow version that's perfect for small items to deeper bins that can hold toys or clothing, but Mary Cornetta, founder and co-owner of Sort and Sweet, thinks they're "great for virtually anything." "We love them because they can store a variety of items from bathroom overstock to electronic cords, but they're also aesthetic enough to blend in with a room's decor." You can opt for a white or bamboo lid, and for an extra $2 you can purchase two tags for labeling. "The top also sort of slides off," says Barbara Reich of Resourceful Consultants. "You don't have to get your finger under it to pry it off, which is why I like that one."
Cornetta also suggests this smart charcoal color.
Sharon Lowenheim of the Organizing Goddess, meanwhile, likes the decorative bins from Open Spaces, which "look classy enough to have out in the open" and can be purchased with or without a lid.
For storing things out in the open, you'll want a bin that complements the rest of the room. Cattano likes large rope storage baskets, which she recommends for clients who don't want toys (or shoes or blankets) strewn everywhere. "Some of my clients don't just want clear, open plastic bins all over the house," she says. "These are good for bigger things, so you can kind of hide it, and if someone walks in, they see a beautiful basket instead of the toys." And if this one doesn't appeal to you, there are rainbow, subdued stripes, wicker, and knit white baskets, too.
Nothing creates more clutter in a kitchen than disparate bags and boxes of pasta, flour, rice, and your favorite cereal. That's why it's worth investing a whole gaggle of these airtight containers from OXO. "I think it probably does stay fresher than flour in a paper bag, and in that way, it works," says Lightfoot. "But anything that's in a box with directions, don't put that in a separate container. You can put them into bins by groups."
If your fridge has limited space, Lowenheim calls the iDesign deep stackable organizer her favorite refrigerator bin of the moment. "It's long and skinny and goes from the front of my fridge to the back," she says. "It holds all of those annoying packages that don't stand up on their own but take up too much room if you lay them down. We keep skinny packages in it like ham, lox, and cheese."
Cattano loves soft-side linen storage boxes because "they hold a ton of clothes, but they're not huge, so when they're full, you can actually lift it." She bought hers from Muji — where they're currently sold out — but we love these dupes that have a nice leather handle. "For me, it's important that the box not only hold what you're holding but it's not so heavy that you can't lift it," she says.
Anyone living without a dresser knows how hard it is to find space for clothing that you need access to on a daily basis (i.e., underwear and socks) but that you also don't want to see when you don't need them. Lowenheim recommends investing in some storage cubes like the ones from AmazonBasics, available in six colorways. "They are great for items you are going to access frequently, so you don't want to have a lid on it," she says.
We can all agree that few things are as unsightly (and as frustrating) as a pile of shoes sitting at the bottom of your closet. These incredibly affordable shoe boxes can help – though, as Bneato Bar founder Beth Penn says, they can help for a lot more than just shoes. "I actually have never used them for shoes, funnily enough," she says. "I have two in my linen closet: one holding clothes helpers like fashion tape and lint rollers and a little sewing kit, and the other one is holding medicine, all that stuff you don't use on a daily basis."
For two dollars more, there's also this tall version, as spotlighted by Ann Lightfoot, a founding partner at Done & Done Home, she uses the boxes to store baking supplies, but they're beautifully suited for boots and heels, too.
If you need clear boxes that you can stack to the ceiling with no worries that they'll topple, professional organizer Laura Cattano really likes these slightly pricier drawer-style shoe boxes. "They're not airtight, which is good, because most shoes are leather and they want to be able to breathe," she says. "You can just grab the one that you want. And the drawer comes fully out, which I like because you can take the whole drawer out, put the shoes on, put them back. They're very easy to use."
Cornetta prefers the drop-front style because sometimes the drawers don't slide seamlessly. The boxes make it easier to stack multiple on top of each other "and not have to move them all to get to the bottom." She prefers the clear style, too, because it makes it easy to "see which pair of shoes you need and are ventilated to protect them." These also can fit "all types of shoes from high heels to flats to sneakers," so you won't have mismatched boxes.
If you'd like boxes that look less functional and slightly more stylish, Cattano recommends these linen shoe boxes, featuring a paperboard frame, magnetic closure with a drop-front, and small, clear window. "I find that the drop-front boxes keep the dust out," she says.
For our story on organizing a small apartment, Zaslow and executive creative director Emmett Shine of Pattern Brands both recommended these stylish striped boxes, which can double as décor. "We keep these for paperwork, receipts, tax files," Shine told us. "Things that aren't pleasant, but in these boxes they feel a bit nicer."
For items you're not reaching for on a regular basis that you might store in your garage or your basement, Cornetta suggests these. "They reduce the visual clutter that usually comes with the territory of clear storage bins and give a streamlined, organized look to any space." They come in three different sizes — 10 gallon, 18 gallon, and 30 gallon — and you can even buy a case of them if you know you'll need a whole bunch instead of just one or two.
Cornetta pointed out that they also come in this matte black, if that's more your style.
And then there's the holiday decorations, the clothes you're saving for your second cousin's baby, and other items that come in large, hard-to-organize amounts. "Any of the big bins made by Rubbermaid are fantastic quality for outdoors," says Zaslow of Gotham Organizers. "They have really secure-fitting tops, and they stack. But you do have to label them, because these are not clear. You think you won't forget what's inside, but you will." (These labels from Amazon should work for you.)
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Totally Living Closet Storage Bin Modular Storage System
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