Plastic storage organizers may be the answer if an orderly home is only a distant memory. Is it hard to remember when your shelves were neat and the closets were tidy? Is it difficult to find things among the clutter? Plastic storage organizers will help with this dilemma. Too often our storage systems are just a way of hiding our mess in a box with a lid. That doesn't solve the problem. If you are going to move some of that clutter into plastic storage organizers, you need to categorize your belongings; group similar items together. Skip the step about creating piles and organizing the piles. Instead line up several plastic boxes, in a variety of colors, on the floor, and sort directly into them. If the plastic storage organizers are labeled (use a fat permanent marker on the tag), your work will go a lot faster.

Find stackable systems with lids. Purchase one or more sets of boxes for the garage, and smaller sets for the closets. You may want some of them with pull-out drawers. Seek out containers in colors to help you categorize and sort your things. Our "Plastic Storage Organizers Resources" section has ideas on how to make your space more efficient. Some of the big hardware stores have large plastic boxes with special lids that have hand-holds for carrying, so they are easy to move. Buying containers online is always an option and the variety is endless. And since they are lightweight, the shipping costs are minimal.

Place often-used items in convenient locations and hide the others in plastic storage organizers in the garage or attic. Also, look for "low" rarely used areas (such as under the bed) to add a long flat plastic drawer that lends itself to sports gear and shoes. You can also raise the bed a few inches to accommodate any of your plastic storage organizers. Another low area that is not fully utilized is under bathroom sinks, near the back. We store our daily items (such as towels or cleaning supplies) up-front, but the recessed spots at the rear are often empty. Or seek out "high" seldom used areas (such as at the top of closets) and add an extra narrow shelf for wrapping paper or clothing that is seasonal. Have the box labeled, so the list of contents is easy to read from below.