I love a good dollar store organizing hack, because I think about organization more in terms of function than form. I love the look of gorgeous, high-end organizing systems as much as the next gal, but I’d rather spend my money on something fun rather than bins, baskets, and other organizing tools I can find at any dollar store.
Since most of us homemakers have a budget to consider, it’s important to remember that getting organized doesn’t have to cost a fortune! That was the motivation behind a roundup of dollar store organizing hacks I shared a few years back.
And since being budget-conscious never goes out of style, I thought it was high time to revisit the subject! :-) Here you’ll find another batch of organizing hacks centered around things you can find at your nearest dollar store. Let’s get started!
For even more organizing tips and tricks, be sure to check out my eBook Get It Together! You can buy it in my shop, or download it for free if you’re an OGT Plus member!
9 Brilliant Dollar Store Organizing Hacks
1. Organize Your Schedule
Need help keeping track of all your appointments and to-do lists? Dollar stores offer a surprising variety of calendars and planners!
Look for wall calendars, desk calendars, pocket-size calendars, and more. It’s a great way to keep yourself on track without emptying your wallet!
Related: 7 Clever Hacks To Organize Your Kitchen On The Cheap
2. Keep Office Supplies Handy
Use simple containers from the dollar store to help keep supplies organized in your home office or workspace. Cups and magazine organizers are perfect for pens, markers, and copy paper!
3. Keep Track Of Papers
Keep track of your bills, contracts, and other important documents with portfolios, folders, and envelopes from the dollar store. I even found a binder of notecards with section dividers at my local dollar store that I’ve been using to keep recipes handy.
Related: How To Organize Paperwork: The One Simple System I Live By
4. Easy Access To Linens
These dollar store organizers were advertised as bins for picture books, but that’s certainly not the only way you could use them. I personally thought they would make a perfect solution for storing table linens like napkins, placemats, and tablecloths!
5. Double Duty Containers
Small containers with locking lids are extremely versatile, and you can find them at many dollar stores! Use them while you travel to store bar soap, hair accessories, cotton swabs, and more.
Speaking of travel, I also found this handy pencil case that’s perfect for my makeup brushes. It protects them in transit and has the added benefit of being easy to clean!
6. Mesh Earring Organizer
Mesh baskets like this one are a mainstay at dollar stores, and there’s a million ways to use them at home. Try mounting one on a wall and hanging your earrings from it! You can also store things inside the basket, like bracelets and other accessories.
More Ideas You'll Love
7. Creative Closet Storage
Coat closets aren’t always the most useful if you’re short on storage space. But with a trip to the dollar store and a little bit of creativity, you can make it a much more functional space!
One way to add more storage to a coat closet is to make your own hanging basket system. Just thread the handles of a few lightweight baskets over the hook of a hanger, then hang them from the bar in the closet. You can create extra bars with tension rods.
Use your hanging baskets to store craft supplies, clothes, or anything else you want to keep organized!
8. Color Code With Stickers
Kids aren’t the only ones who can benefit from the wide variety of stickers that most dollar stores offer! You can use small, colored stickers to color code items around the house.
For instance, a few sheets of star-shaped stickers can help you color-code your collection of herbs and spices! Use green for dried herbs, purple for chilis and spicy powders, yellow for baking spices, etc. A simple color coding system like this makes it easier to find what you’re looking for.
9. Corral Your Coin Collection
I found a bag of coin wrappers at the dollar store recently, and I’m kicking myself that I didn’t think of buying them there sooner! (I bought a package on Amazon recently for much more than a dollar and ended up with way too many of them!)
With a collection of coin wrappers at home, you can save the fees of going to a coin-counting machine and keep that money in your pocket.
Related: 7 Useful Things You Can Do With Loose Change
The Dollar Store Hacks Series
- For even more money-saving tips and dollar store hacks, check out the other installments in this series, including ones you may have missed!
- Explore the dollar store hacks series archive.
Have you come across any great finds at the dollar store recently?
More Ideas You'll Love
My favs are #5 (small locking containers) and #6 (mesh baskets). No more needs said about #5 for travel, so many uses… I especially size them for liquids and creams that could leak in my bag, if they do (and they have) the spill is contained. For #6 a tip: Mount the mesh basket on the wall but on the edge so it is facing up and sticking out like a shelf. Put earrings around the outer edge, use tiny s-hooks to hold necklaces and other pieces dangling from the bottom, and put your bracelets, rings, brooches, etc. in the basket.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The hanging basket with pens and markers,
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Are they half basket?
They are actually just small decorated tin buckets.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have a small organizer box with compartments- the type for kids desk’s supply caddies. I’ve had it for awhile. I was using it for something else. I decided to try using it for my makeup on my desk. Shortly after I had an incident where I was unable to use my room for makeup. My dad was doing a small repair project and I ended up having no lights or power in my room for about a day. I was easily about to just grab the caddy and my small makeup mirror and do my makeup in a better lit area of our house.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The hanging baskets on hangers for closets is a good idea. But, building downward uses only the space/width of a basket. At the $1Store buy either the chain sets for hanging plant baskets to use on different widths & heights of tubs; or buy several of the wire baskets already with chains for hanging. Connect the top S hook to the center bottom of another hanging plant container. You could also use the parachute cording found in either crafting or hardware sections of the $1Store. I invision a taller plastic bucket/launder basket at the bottom; punch two holes on each side. Loop cording thru 2 holes to create loop handles. To hang above choose another basket less tall, create or use handles. Connect bottom basket to next by double looping cord up to handles on each side. Let bottom basket sit on floor. Build upperwards using smaller baskets until last basket hangs several inches below rod. Tie of cording, running double loop from top basket handle up & over rod & back to basket handles. This will allow you to slide “TOWER” to right/left or center. You can see what is in 3 of the 4; the bottom you can see into.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Remember RECTANGULAR tubs/baskets fit better into closets. These shaped tubs can be found at the $1 Store, too.
So 2 packages of cording & 4 tubs =$7.50 @ Walmart a closet sweater hanging organizer can run quite a bit more. Benefit closed box shape; top & sides.
Coin wrappers are available at your bank for free.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My bank doesn’t have very many brick and mortar buildings as most all banking is online now, so I would definitely need the sleeves from the dollar store.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Mine charges a small fee.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have an upright freezer that needs to be defrosted from time to time. I organize it by purchasing different colored baskets from The Dollar Tree. Pork in one color, beef in another, seafood in an other, and chicken in yet another. Veggies go into a color all their own. The basket drawer of the freezer holds frozen fruit. It helps to remove those baskets rather than deal with individual packages of mystery.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We did that for my Dad’s freezer; 3 shelves, 4 areas. So much easier for him. Beef, Pork; top area, Poultry, Seafood; 2nd area, Breads/Pizza, dinners either self made or TV type; 3rd area in 4th area Fruit & Vegetables, ice cream, pies etc. Desserts; like cookie dough on door. Fast foods: hot dogs, potpies, also on door. He doesn’t exactly put his food away this way; but my sister & I go thru it & check items, put in correct area to the back. Checking dates, moving the need to use sooner to the front. We also throw away “old” stuff❗️We also set up his pantry in sections for him.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Do not keep jewelry out! It tarnishes! Seal them in a jewelry box or some enclosure and put the square 1 x1 silver saver in it. Or get a box already lined with it. We pay a small fortune for our jewelry..dollow stuff too. take care of it!! These silver liners also work with gold!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.what is “silver saver”?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.These are some great ideas! The closet one with the baskets and hangers is going to be a game changer for my craft room!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great ideas Jill! How have I never thought about getting calendars at the dollar store??
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love the calenders from there.. I get the ones that are about 8″x10″ that come in a plastic sleeve. I keep 1 on fridge using magnetic clips, also from $1Store. I can file needed receipts, medical appt cards etc. Anything needed for end of year tax info.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Most banks will give you those paper coin wrappers for free
Please log in or create a free account to comment.For future reference, most banks will give you coin wrappers, if you ask for them…
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve always gotten my coin wrappers at the bank for free. Just ask.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I recently went to my credit union with some rolled coins. They would not take them. I had to break them open and put them in the coin counter
Please log in or create a free account to comment.A coin counter like Coin Star is fun for little ones who have been saving up for a while. Between the sound and the little screen that counts how much money there is, they have a blast.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Buy your envelopes there! I needed some 9×6 manilla envelopes. $6 FOR 6 at Officemax, yet only $1 for same amount at dollar store!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The best way I’ve ever found to organize recipes is the CopyMeThat app. It allows you to instantly copy, picture and all, any recipe you find on the web. Super-easy to use, many features (grocery list, meal plan, tags, et cetera), and free! Or you can get a premium membership, $12.50 a year or $25 lifetime. I love it and don’t know where I’d be without it–oh, wait, yes I do, I’d be looking through an enormous folder of printed recipes, searching for something I made eight years ago. And no, I’m not affiliated with the company in any way.
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