Stop Cabinet Clutter Before It Starts With One Simple And Affordable Addition

If you've ever reached for a salt shaker in your cupboard and accidentally knocked over five bottles of Italian seasoning, then you know how annoying cabinet clutter can be. You can't just get rid of these common items to declutter your home, though; eventually you'll want to use them. That's why you should prevent cabinet clutter before it starts with a simple and affordable addition: overstock storage bins.

Having designated clear bins in your kitchen and bathroom for all your duplicates is the perfect strategy for handling those five bottles of conditioner or three identical boxes of tea bags. Then, once you finally run out of the product you've been actively using, you can "shop" your overstock bin and bring a replacement product into use.

Of course, this doesn't just have to be for kitchens and bathrooms. It can be helpful for anywhere you have multiple duplicate products. Do you really need four glue sticks on your craft room desk, or multiple identical paints? Moving the extras to an overstock bin is the perfect way to make more space for projects, and a genius craft room organization hack. 

A perfect overstock bin needs to be big enough to hold all your products that are waiting their turn to be used. It's also important that you can see exactly what is in it quickly. Depending on the size of your stash, the Clearspace clear plastic storage bins could make excellent overstock containers. Once you've picked a good container for your overstock bin, it's time to take an inventory of your duplicate items and decide what should be put away, and what should be given away or even thrown away. While products that you'll eventually use up may be worth keeping extras of, this isn't necessarily the case with things like can openers and curling irons. This is also a good time to check for and dispose of anything damaged or spoiled, watching out for telltale signs that these household staples need to be thrown out. Once you've set up your overstock bins, you need to find good spots to store them. Ideally, they should be in the rooms where the items are used but separate from your cabinets, such as in a kitchen pantry or under-sink unit in the bathroom, so you remember to check them regularly. 

Then, when you run out of a product you've been using — be it soap, eye shadow, spice, or paint — just check your restock bin and bring out one of your duplicates. It's not a bad idea to give your overstock bins a quick glance before going shopping either. This way, you know whether it's worth taking advantage of a sale, or if you're already stocked up for the next several months.