Plastic containers are stacked precariously like some leaning tower of crap.  I once purchased three eyeliners, because I kept losing mine in the depths of this organizational despair. This cabinet is where contacts go to die and sometimes the door won’t shut because of the junk I’ve shoved in there.

I’m not proud of what I’ve done to this cabinet.  Cabinet rights groups are probably going to flour-bomb me.

My 90-year-old home is lovely, with oak crown molding, glowing wood floors, original glass door knobs and a bathroom that resists every attempt at organization. There is no room for shelves, no room for storage.  No room for much at all. When my husband and I renovated the bathroom, we planned on adding shelves, but therein was the problem. Because of the size of the room there was only one place to hang a shelf or medicine cabinet—over the toilet. And that narrow space of wall was too small for most commercially made medicine cabinets and we know, we searched for two years. In the process we bought and returned five separate cabinets, before my husband broke down and restored the original cabinet. This is our only choice and it has to store my stuff, my husband’s stuff and my infant daughter’s growing pile of hairbows.

The plastic containers represent my previous attempts at organization. But as you can see, those organizational attempts were futile. Mostly because they were impractical. In the early morning rush to workout, shower and get ready before my daughter wakes up at 6:30am, I don’t have time to reorganize every small thing back into its proper plastic tub. My make-up and hair products are strewn over the small counter top.

My organizational philosophy is that organization has to fit your disorganized life. You organize where the mess accumulated, because where the mess is, is where you live. I can’t very well move my make up to the bedroom, I tried. I just end up with make up all over the bedroom and the bathroom.

I needed something simple. Something easy. Something that would contain the clutter where it accumulated and offered a level of organization beyond my previous plan of “shoving it all in a large bin.”

So I chose the expanding acrylic organizer. I can adjust the size for my narrow shelf and it offers enough compartments to collect bobby pins, hair ties, make up, contacts, extra razor blades, my daughter’s hair ties, and jewelry.

Total time to organization? 15 minutes. It was so easy, that I am actually ashamed I’ve lived like this for over a year and done nothing about it.

Before:	After:

As my daughter grows, I’m sure my organization will have to grow with her (anyone have good ideas for bow organizers?) but for me, this solution fits perfectly and no longer will I be fishing bobby pins out of a Tupperware filled with spilled dry shampoo. Ew.

Add it now: Lipstick organizers

Where: Three different sizes – 12, 18 or 24 – suit nearly any makeup collection and offer storage versatility for drawers, shelves or the countertop.

Timesaver later: Store lipsticks with the label up so you can find the shade you want quickly.

Other uses: Handy compartments also work great for nail polishes. Outside the bath, try storing craft paints, tubes or beads, earrings or rings, even hardware pieces like small nuts and bolts.

Add it now: Apothecary jar

Where: Countertop. It’s too cute to keep hidden.

Timesaver later: Store everyday items like cotton balls and Q-tips to keep them close at hand.  As a bonus, the clear design will visually remind you when your supply is running low.

Other uses: The options are endless when a storage piece has such a classic, attractive design. Besides Q-tips or cotton balls, try bath salts, pretty soaps or make-up brushes. In the office, stash paper clips or thumbtacks.  In the kitchen, little candies, small pet treats or spare change look right at home.

Add it now: Hanging bath and cosmetic organizer

Where:  Behind a door or inside a closet.

Timesaver later: Having bathroom necessities like deodorant, lotions and medicines in one portable spot can cut minutes off your morning routine. Hanging it on a door or inside a closet also saves valuable space. It also makes a fantastic traveling companion. Simply fold up, clip it closed and you have your bath items already packed and ready to go.

Other uses: A great option to store jewelry, small toys, utility supplies like tape, nuts and bolts, craft items like beads or threads- anything you want to separate- yet store together- while keeping easily visible and accessible.

Add it now: Clear boxes

Where: With so many to choose from- a 5-section vanity organizer, all purpose box , flat top acrylic box, cotton ball/swab box-  these can go anywhere in the bathroom. Open top boxes look nice out on the countertop or use them inside a drawer or closet to keep everyday essentials like makeup, lotions and medicines together. Boxes with lids offer a space-saving option since they can be stacked inside a medicine cabinet or closet.

Timesaver later: Whether you choose a box with a lid or without, the clear design lets you see everything inside with just a quick glance.

Other uses: These handy boxes shouldn’t be limited to only the bathroom. Jewelry, kids’ arts supplies, sewing necessities and craft items are just a few other ways to put these to work.

Add it now: Two-shelf bamboo tray

Where: Countertop

Timesaver later: Keeping some of your most used items such as hand lotion and perfumes readily available saves time rummaging through a drawer. The two tier design doubles your counter space. Choose the corner design to make use of wasted corner  countertop space.

Other uses: The sleek contemporary styling makes these trays a nice addition to a kitchen countertop area as well. Place next to a sink to hold hand soap or lotion.

Here are some of the best solutions we found while we were at the show – we’re curious what you think.  Leave us a comment and let us know what boot storage options you would use at home.

#1 Floor Boot Rack

This boot rack fits under your hanging clothes and will hold 6 pairs of boots, keeping them neat and tidy.

#2 Shoe Tree with Boot Hangers

This option turns a traditional shoe tree into a boot storage unit so that you can hang your boots from the top cuff.

#3 Combo Boot/Shoe/Accessory Storage

This option offers you 4 compartments for boots plus another 8 compartments for shoes and other accessories.

#4 Boot Shaper Rack

This space saving boot rack will hold three pairs of boots and the shaped boot holders will hold a variety of boots - ankle boots to knee boots.

(Simple Human is one of the vendors we’ll stop by to see in Chicago)

We’re headed to the International Housewares Show in Chicago this weekend to see what’s new and exciting in the organizing world. Brandi is going to be getting to know all of the new sales reps we hope to work with, Kendra will be picking out the most on-trend organizing tools from the “Discover Design” showcase and Jen will geek out over all the technology incorporated around the home. We’ll try to share pictures along the way, technology willing, so you can get a feel for just how big this show is too.

There will be over 2000 booths of housewares and our priority is to weed through them all and find the best organizing tools to offer at SpaceSavers.com. We’ve got a strict schedule of appointments over two days to see our current vendors and find out what they’re promoting this year that we should add to our store, but there’s some time for browsing, ooh-ing and ahh-ing as well. Jen, in particular, loves to “see with her hands” to help understand the quality of the products.

Plus there are 500 new vendors we’ve never seen before, so we’ll be checking out their booths to see if they have innovative storage and organization products that make sense to add to SpaceSavers.com. Several of these new companies offer eco-friendly options and will be part of the “Clean, Contain + Sustain Expo” – a must-visit area for us.

Since we’re going to be gathering ideas for new products to fill our virtual shelves, we thought we’d ask you to help us make some room the new inventory. Use coupon code SSH2012 to save $20 on every order of $100 or more while we’re gone (March 9-March 13 at Midnight Central time) and help empty our warehouse shelves.

To enter the contest, share a picture of your clutter problem with us – post on our Facebook page, tag us in a photo you post to one of your albums, or share a link to an external photo sharing site. Each picture you share with us increases your chances to win (you can add one new entry every day during the contest.)  For an additional entry into the contest, share this contest link with a friend on Facebook or like this blog post.  Come back here to mark your entries so you get credit for each task you complete.

Clutter Control Prizes:

Sterilite Camp Footlocker - great for travel, dorm rooms or garage storage. Meets most checked baggage size limits.

This revolving shoe tree consolidates 18 pairs of shoes in a tiny footprint. The chrome finish adds style.

This Stor-n-Slide Box is great for linens and seasonal clothes - but it has built in grooves for letter & legal file storage too.

Here’s how to enter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Silk and knit items are best stored flat to retain their shape, while linen should be rolled before placed in storage to prevent permanent creases from forming over time. When storing folded clothes, place acid-free and dye-free tissue paper in between items. This not only protects the fabrics, but can help prevent damaging wrinkles. Be sure not to wrap and pack items too snug. Garments- especially natural fabrics such as cotton, linen and silk – need to be able to breath. Packing too snug can cause creasing or invite mildew to form over time.

Blouses, dress shirts and dresses store best on hangers, but change out those dry-cleaner hangers that have foam strips. Over time, the foam can transfer color to the fabric, ruining your favorite piece of clothing. Your best bets: sturdy wooden, padded or plastic hangers. Hanging clothes can also be easily covered with natural canvas for the ultimate storage solution. A few of our favorite options include rolling wire shelves or storage wardrobe.

Try cotton canvas for the most benefits: Breathable and lightweight, yet sturdy, durable and stackable. Plus, they fold flat when not in use, for the ultimate space-saving option. Our Vision™ Canvas Storage pieces from Household Essentials ™even have a see-through window so you can easily see what’s inside. Sizes include a large24” size , a medium 12” size or 3-piece set. A full clear top style  is great for sweaters and easy to stack.

But don’t write-off plastic containers. Just save them for items less likely to be affected by temperature or moisture, such as shoes, or less valuable items in your wardrobe such as t-shirts, shoes, swimwear, socks, mittens, etc. Because you’ll be removing the items when the seasons change, stick with containers that are clear to make it easier to find just what you want quickly. Another tip: if you’ll be storing items for more than one family member, consider buying different colors of boxes or lids to easily keep items separated visually. Both our Sterilite and IRIS USA totes come in a wide range of styles, sizes and colors.

There are lots of containers out there to choose from, but keep the golden rule of clothing storage in mind: don’t use paper bags or cardboard. Bugs love them and will enjoy the feast- and your favorite clothes as dessert.

So once you know where you’re going to store clothes, and have the best container you can just get to it, right?  Well…

Myth #5: All clothes can be folded or hung and stored together.

To maintain the effectiveness of cedar, the wood does need to be lightly sanded when the scent begins to dull. The cedar variety also come in a range of options, from traditional ball-shaped to bar-style , discs, bags, and blocks.

Choose the moth protection that works best for where your clothing will be stored.  You might think it’s best to completely seal off your clothes so that moths can’t get anywhere near them, not quite true.

Myth #4: Airtight is always best when storing clothes.

A cool, dry place is best for storing clothes. If you must keep items in a hot space like an attic, use breathable canvas garment bags or boxes to allow air flow. If a damp area such as a basement is your only choice, airtight containers may be the best choice but take special care to prevent mold and mildew. Adding some desiccant packs such as silica gel can help prevent moisture buildup. Store boxes high up on a shelf away from the floor or walls, which tend to hold moisture. Also consider running a humidifier to keep the dry out the dampness of the air.

If you need to store a lot of hanging clothes in an attic space, consider a canvas wardrobe that can hold full length dresses and has space to store folded clothes on the interior shelf.

If you just have select folded pieces you want to put away, try canvas storage boxes that you can tuck onto existing shelving and move in and out of the attic.

Airtight storage for basements generally comes with a silicone or foam seal inside the lid to prevent air flow in and out of the container.  Containers come in a variety of sizes and shapes.

Now that you know the basics of where to store clothes, what’s next?

Myth #3: Moth balls have to smell bad to really work.

By far the most important step when it comes to storing clothing is to wash or dry clean clothes first. Even clothes that may look clean could have very light stains, perspiration or perfumes that can darken and set with time. Stains can also invite unwanted guests- insects like crickets, roaches and silverfish. Although they generally will not eat the garment the way moths do, it can be enough to cause damage to the garment.

Take special care to follow the care directions on the garment label and wash or dry clean as directed. If you do dry clean, remove the plastic dry cleaning bag before storing. Chemical residue from the cleaning process can remain in the bag and damage your clothes over time. Also be sure to have your dry cleaner hold the starch before you pack clothing away. Bugs love starch, so your favorite dress shirt is sure to quickly become a tasty lunch buffet.

Ready for more clothing storage solutions?  Shop the closet organizing section of our site or read on…

Myth #2: An attic or basement is the best place to store clothes.