5 Storage Solutions You’re Throwing Away | Organize Your Life

5 Storage Solutions You're Throwing Away!

The Organize Your Life series with me and Annie from All Things Big and Small has been such a fun series so far! And this post is my favorite so far. I’m sharing my 5 favorite storage solutions that are usually destined for the trash!

This post started a few weeks ago. I was organizing the garage and brought inside an empty trash bag box. A few minutes later, my husband was walking that empty trash bag box BACK out to the garage to the trash can! I think he jumped out of his skin when I shrieked “Don’t throw that away! I need that!”, because his response included a wide-eyed, shocked look, followed by “what do you need this trash for?”.

Well, what indeed? It occurred to me that, throughout the house, I’ve got FREE organizing solutions scattered around that you definitely have as well. It just might be in your trash can!

Flat Boxes | It may come from Costco or Sams Club, but you know what I’m referring to, right? It’s the flat box that a set of cans are shipped in. When you check out of Costco or Sams, it’s their solution to taking the groceries to the car. I use these in a few ways!

5 Storage Solutions You're Throwing Away!

  1. It lines my wire pantry shelves I have in my garage. All the cans out there tipped over so easily until I put those flat boxes down.
  2. I use them to transport cooked food to potlucks and get-togethers. Don’t have a casserole carrier, but paranoid about spills? Plop it on a flat box! It fits nicely in your trunk and protects your car from food spills. Not to mention it’s SO much easier to carry your food with this box.
  3. BONUS Idea! Use them in a dresser as a simple drawer organizer!

Plastic Shopping Bags | I know you already use these as trash can liners, right? So do I! Such an easy way to reuse the bags. But I also keep a stash in all of our suitcases as laundry bags or even as travel shoe bags! And if it gets soiled or torn? Oh well!

Trash Bag Box | That trash bag box my husband almost tossed? I use it as a storage spot for all those plastic shopping bags! I stuff them in and tuck the box under the sink in my laundry room. I also have a trash bag box in the garage. So convenient!

5 Storage Solutions You're Throwing Away!

Diaper & Wipe Boxes | Theseย large, sturdy boxes are AMAZING to use as pull out bins in closets. The large versions usually have a hand hold on it where you can grab and easily pull out. I discovered the Costco wipes boxes fit PERFECTLY in my linen closet to fill the gap left next to my fabric bins. I plan on elevating them by covering them with some burlap, ala Do It On a Dime’s tutorial!

Produce Containers | Looking for small storage containers for spices, food pouches, or small boxes of snacks? Save those clear, plastic berry produce containers! The best ones are for strawberries. I keep a stash for my pantry, one for cheese sticks in the refrigerator, and a set for plastic cutlery. Leave the lid on or cut it off!

5 Storage Solutions You're Throwing Away!

Do you have anything you’re using as storage that usually just goes in the trash?? I’d LOVE to hear your ideas! Or tell me if you have any other ideas for my 5 options!

Are you loving this Organize Your Life series? If you’ve missed the Meal Planning and Parenting organization tips, catch up after this.

Annie at All Things Big and Small has been rocking the tips for this series, so don’t forget to also swing over and check out her manageable cleaning schedule!

There is one more week in this series! Can’t wait to have you come back next Tuesday!

Organize Your Life series with Cup of Tea and All Things Big & Small!

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15 comments

  1. Whitney Jordan says:

    Great suggestions! I love those sturdy box lids, too. They’re perfect for delivering food to friends, taking cupcakes somewhere and for corralling unruly things. We reuse the plastic shopping bags to clean out the litter box. I also organize art supplies in plastic produce containers. And lastly, I save big glass jars for baking supplies. I just finished a huge jar of jalapenos and am planning to wash it and store paints in it. I might even spray paint the lid a new color ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Colleen says:

    I LOVE your idea of using the old trash bag box to store plastic shopping bags in! I am definitely going to try out that idea! I also use the flat boxes to put canned goods in. This is not totally a storage solution, but I will save those nice, sturdy black plastic takeout containers (such as from Applebee’s or Noodles) and use them to send home leftovers with my family or friends after we host a big meal. They can store hot food, be washed and reused a few times, or my family/friends can simply pitch them and not worry about returning them to me!

  3. Victoria says:

    Great ideas! I love the trash bag box idea for the grocery bags! Good stuff! Thanks for sharing these ideas. Definitely going to think twice before throwing some things out! ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. Jaelan says:

    This. is. genius. !!!

    You are full of great organizational ideas, Katie. We recently started using those flat boxes and I was surprised at how much they helped!

  5. Tiffany says:

    We definitely use plastic grocery bags for garbage in the bathrooms, and I use shoe boxes to organize our socks and undies in the drawers. Keeps them nice and neat and from rolling around. Great ideas!

  6. Rachel says:

    These are neat ideas. I like the use of the blueberry basket for storage. We use plastic food boxes/flattened to wrap our Christmas tree or stencil around and place the ends in the folds of the tops.
    Rachel xo

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