The 11 Best Storage Ideas For Keeping Small Items Organized Without Hogging Space

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Why does it always seem like smaller items are more challenging to keep organized than larger ones? If you've ever dealt with little bottles and containers falling off your bathroom countertops, had to dig through a huge pile to find the tiny beads you need for a crafting project, or knocked over several spice jars trying to reach for one in the back of the cabinet, then you know precisely what we're talking about. Thanks to their size, these items can be difficult to organize because they mix together more easily, get lost in the shuffle, or end up adding to clutter as they spread out and take over a surface.

Fortunately, it doesn't have to be this way. With the right storage solutions, you can not only keep your tiny belongings from overwhelming your space, but you can also make sure that they're clutter-free and easy to find when you need them. We've rounded up a list of some of the best storage solutions to help you accomplish this goal. We looked for a variety of product types to match different storage needs and used customer reviews to help us narrow down our selections. Each of our products has a minimum rating of 4.4 stars and has been reviewed by 280 or more customers. If you're interested in learning more, we'll have a more detailed breakdown of the criteria at end of the article.

If you're searching for genius ways to store spices without cluttering up your kitchen, then you might want to consider the HuggieGems Magnetic Spice Rack. The set of four storage racks mount to the side of your fridge — an often unutilized space — using strong magnets, preventing your spices from taking up precious space on your countertops, in your cabinets, or in your pantry. Each rack is made from painted metal (which the manufacturer says is rust-proof) for longevity and can hold up to 8 pounds. HuggieGems offers more than 15 color options as well to let you coordinate with the look of your kitchen. A few of the available choices include black, gray, cream, white, blue, silver, and purple.

This magnetic spice rack from HuggieGems comes highly recommended by customers. It has a high, 4.8-star rating, which is based on nearly 6,000 reviews. Beyond the high average, 89% of reviewers were so impressed that they gave this organizer a 5-star rating. Customers highlight the storage capacity, space-saving features, and magnet strength in their write-ups. Here's what one happy user shared: "My kitchen doesn't have a lot of counter or cabinet space so I tried these out and wow! What a game-changer. They are so easy to hang, they can hold so much weight, and the versatility is endless. Could use in your laundry room even!"

If tubes of toothpaste, face wash, Q-tips, and other toiletries are taking over your bathroom countertops, now might be the time to try the GFWARE Countertop Organizer. In fact, using organizers like this are one of the best tips to help keep your bathroom clutter-free. The holder's relatively small footprint will open up a lot of counter space by providing you with a designated spot to hold many essentials that you use regularly. It offers a tiered design to utilize vertical space and ensure that you're able to easily spot what you need. In all, there are seven compartments of varying sizes to help you separate your items. A few other features of this organizer include its anti-slip base, drainage holes, and easy-to-clean design with the removable upper compartments. The manufacturer also offers this model in five finish options — including stylish marble designs — to match your bathroom's decor.

By and large, customers are pleased with their decision to give this toiletry holder a try. It has been reviewed by more than 1,000 customers and has a 4.7-star rating, with 79% giving it 5 stars. Reviewers note that it holds a lot and helps them keep their bathroom counters organized. One customer wrote, "I'm a bit OCD when it comes to clutter, so I like a neat counter. This organizer is a terrific size to keep most of my spouse's daily toiletry items neat and tidy. It's sturdy, easy to clean/rinse when needed, and the rubber pad/feet keeps it in place on the counter."

Despite being so small, keys and mail have a way of cluttering large surfaces. Many of us drop them on a table or kitchen island when we walk in the house — and then have trouble finding them again when we need them. The FifthQuarter Key and Mail Holder can help you combat these problems without sacrificing space. It has a slim and compact design that will only take up about a foot of wall space. The organizer features six hooks to hang keys, wristlets, and other small items. It also has an open slot to keep mail or important cards, a drawer for loose items and other valuables, and even a little shelf where you could put a decor piece.

The vast majority of customers are impressed with this key and mail holder from FifthQuarter. It has a 4.7-star average with more than 2,300 reviews, and 84% of reviewers gave it a 5-star rating. Many users praise the organizer's overall quality, usefulness, and capacity. "Perfect for placement in a mudroom or by any door from which you enter and leave your home. It's small and fits close to the wall, but will hold several sets of keys, any bills or cards that need to go to the mailbox, and your wallet so you don't leave home without it," wrote one customer.

Those looking for a storage solution for sponges, little scrub brushes, and other small cleaning tools might want to consider the iDesign Affixx Plastic Wall Mount Organizer. This plastic storage bin can be mounted on the inside of a cabinet or cabinet door, providing a convenient place to keep cleaning tools so that you can access them when needed. Or, you can take advantage of the side of your washing machine or dryer — places you probably didn't think to utilize. Essentially, it doesn't require any space on a countertop or flat surface.

This storage bin has a 4.6-star rating, which is based on nearly 500 reviews. Moreover, 79% of reviewers gave it a 5-star rating, demonstrating their satisfaction with its performance. The bin's size, sturdiness, and overall functionality were three things that came up across several positive customer reviews. "These are so nice and useful for storage in small spaces. Since closet space is limited and we don't have a ton of room for cleaning supplies in my home, I like to use these for the laundry room (more like a closet) to hold supplies and vacuum/cleaning accessories. Super easy to stick on the wall and very efficient for organizing," shared one customer. While most reviews for this wall-mounted bin are positive, there are a few customers who expressed dissatisfaction with the strength of the adhesive, so this organizer probably isn't well-suited for storing heavier items.

Are your crafting supplies taking over your work surface or piling up inside a drawer, making your space cluttered and preventing you from finding what you need for a specific project? If so, the Iris USA Organizer Cabinet might be a must-have upgrade to your home arts and crafts studio. It offers 44 smooth-sliding small drawers, which are perfect for holding everything from buttons to beads to jewelry wire. There are 12 slightly larger drawers (6 inches by 4 inches) and 32 small drawers (6 inches by 1 inch) to accommodate a range of items. You can put this cabinet directly on your desk or workbench, or you can even mount it to the wall to further reduce the space it takes up. The total width is around 20 inches, and the height around 15 inches, so while it's not a tiny organizer, it holds a ton of items that would otherwise need to be stored elsewhere.

Reviews for this organizer cabinet are overwhelmingly positive. It has a 4.7-star rating (with 81% of people giving it 5 stars), which is based on feedback from more than 7,000 buyers. The storage capacity, size, and sturdiness are three features that several customers mention in their reviews. One individual shared, "I craft in my spare time, and needed an organization system for my charms — this has me SO excited and motivated since everything has a place now! Excellent quality, spacious drawers, and easily removable drawers as well. I will be utilizing for years to come."

The Vasagle Slim Rolling Cart might just be the perfect solution for holding all those small bottles and canisters that are taking over your pantry or countertop. The cart has a very slim design, allowing it to slide into narrow areas, such as the gap between the refrigerator and cabinets. Even if you don't have a gap next to your fridge, you could slide the cart at the end of a row of cabinets without sacrificing much space at all, as it is only about 5 inches wide. The rolling organizer features three lower tiers along with a flat top level. You could fit several bottles of olive oil, wine, or unopened salad dressing on it, along with canisters of rice, flour, sugar, and other pantry essentials that consume space that could be put to better use. To help each user coordinate with the look of their kitchen, Vasagle offers this cart in four finish combinations: rustic brown and classic black, ebony black and classic black, heather greige and classic black, and oak beige and classic white.

This rolling cart has been reviewed by nearly 1,500 customers and maintains a 4.5-star rating. Moreover, nearly 90% of reviewers deemed it worthy of a 4- or 5-star rating (71% gave it 5 stars and 17% gave it 4 stars). Overall, customers are happy with its functionality, slim design, and storage capacity. "I didn't have enough space in my kitchen and needed a nice place to put the overflow of spices/cans/bottles. I had this cart put together (by myself) in under an hour. It holds more than I expected and it looks good in my kitchen. I would 100% recommend," wrote one reviewer.

Most households have several smartphones, tablets, watches, and other devices. When charging, these items can take up space and contribute to visual clutter on your desk, countertop, nightstand, and other surfaces. The Creative Design Charging Station is designed to solve the problem by providing you with a compact and convenient space to recharge your devices in one place. Its small footprint — about 7 inches by 4 inches — won't take up much room, but still offers slots to charge up to six phones and tablets, plus an Apple Watch. The station — which comes with a white, black, space gray, or silver finish — has a max output of 2.4A, allowing it to deliver fast charging speeds.

The vast majority of reviewers are satisfied with this charging station. It has been reviewed by more than 3,700 users and holds a 4.4-star rating. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of reviewers gave it a 5-star rating. Some of the features that are highlighted across reviews include how much space it can save, the included charging cables, and the overall ease of use. One happy customer wrote, "Bought this for the kitchen counter and it's really cleaned up the space! We had cords going everywhere but now everything fits in a small space and so much neater!"

Despite its name, you can use the Gorilla Grip Over the Door Shoe Organizer for far more than just holding footwear. One of the smart ways to use an over-the-door shoe organizer is for holding granola bars, fruit bars, applesauce packets, and other snacks. And, with 24 pockets, you'll be able to keep a lot of your favorites easily accessible. Because it hangs over a door, it doesn't take up much space and can actually free up a substantial amount of room on your pantry shelves that would otherwise be holding all of those snacks. The hanging organizer can hold up to 40 pounds, so you shouldn't need to worry about overloading it. It has breathable mesh pockets to ensure adequate airflow, while still allowing you to easily scan to find the snack you're in the mood for or the ingredient you've got to grab. Gorilla Grip even offers this hanging rack in eight color options.

This over-the-door organizer has a 4.6-star average from more than 33,000 reviewers. Three-quarters of those reviewers liked it enough to give it a 5-star rating. In their write-ups, several customers highlighted the storage capacity and organizational functionality of this product. "I actually use this in our pantry for snacks, not for shoes. It fits so much stuff! Easy to use, affordable, and my pantry is much cleaner," shared one user.

If you've had enough of digging around in your desk drawer for a pen, then it is clearly time to get everything in order to avoid such frustrations. The Kutesna Interlocking Desk Drawer Organizers can help you do just that. The set comes with 15 trays of varying sizes. The trays are all interlocking, allowing you to create a custom layout that matches the dimensions of your drawer and your needs. With the different compartments, you can designate a spot for each of your smaller office supplies, ensuring that you're able to find what you need with ease. The organizer will probably even take up less space in your drawer than the jumbled mix of office supplies you're currently dealing with.

According to customers, these interlocking organizers are one of the best items you can use to organize your desk. They have a 4.6-star rating from more than 1,600 customers. Beyond that, 75% of reviewers gave the trays a 5-star rating. One customer who was very pleased with their decision to purchase the trays said, "I love to have an organized office and these are perfect. They allowed me to customize my desk drawers to meet my needs and keep everything in order. My boss thought they were amazing and she ordered herself a set as well. They hook together easily and are sturdy."

A remote for the television. A streaming stick. A device for the fan. Controllers for gaming consoles. Does all of this sound familiar? If unsightly remotes and controllers are taking over your coffee table or worse, routinely taking refuge under the cushions of your sofa, there is a better solution. The MaxGear Remote Control Holder Caddy offers four slots — two narrow and two wide — to help you keep all of these devices organized and easy to find when needed. It features a 360-degree rotating design to make it even simpler to get your hands on the right remote when you need it. With its natural wood look, it can even add a polished touch to your living room.

If you're looking for a stylish solution to organize remotes around the house, many reviewers would recommend giving this model a try. It has more than 3,000 reviews with a high 4.7-star rating. Overall, customers find the caddy to be well-sized, noting that it holds what they need without taking up too much space on a table or nightstand. "My nightstand was covered with remotes. Now they're all in one spot and don't fall under the bed," said one purchaser.

Are you currently storing your hardware items in a motley assortment of jam jars and plastic containers that have seen better days? The Horusday Wall Mounted Storage Bins offer the ideal solution for storing screws, nails, nuts, bolts, and other small hardware. The 30 bins fit securely into place on the included wall-mounted pegboard — meaning you won't need to give up any workspace to keep your hardware and other little items conveniently stored. You can either reach into the desired bin to grab what you need, or easily pull it off the board.

Overall, customers are pleased that they decided to give these wall-mounted bins a try. They have a 4.5-star rating, based on more than 3,500 reviews. Over 70% of reviewers gave this storage system a 5-star rating, with an additional 16% giving it 4 stars. In their reviews, several mention how much the shelves have helped them keep small essentials organized in their garage or workshops. One customer wrote, "I love how convenient this is. All my hardware is sorted and readily accessible. Quality of materials is as expected."

As we put together this list of the best storage ideas to keep small items organized without taking up too much space, we aimed to include a variety of product types. We wanted to address the storage needs of readers in each room of their home — including the bathroom, kitchen, office, and bedroom — ensuring that our recommendations offered effective solutions for all of these spaces. In addition to looking for different storage options, we also closely considered customer reviews, making sure we were highlighting only top-rated picks. Each of our recommendations has a rating of at least 4.4 stars. Moreover, we also looked at the number of reviewers to ensure the rating was a true indication of the product's performance. At least 280 customers reviewed these items, with 85% or more of the customers giving the storage solutions a 4- or 5-star rating.