The Affordable Dollar Tree DIY That Turns Empty Pantry Door Space Into Extra Storage

The little things add up. This oft-used phrase is fitting for so many things. When it comes to taming pantry clutter, people run into a couple of problems when finding spots for small items. First off, small necessities are hard to find when they're simply scattered among boxes and jars. Then, there's the go-to method of corralling similar-sized stuff into one container. But that doesn't always improve our ease of finding that last packet of hot chocolate or taco seasoning. Good thing Dollar Tree's Jot Metal Binder Clips are here to simplify things.

Dollar Tree is an everyday hero for cheap organization tools — and it's not always their obvious wares that star in pantry arrangement hacks. One thing we all know, though, is that going vertical while organizing is hard to get wrong. So, why not enlist some metal binder clips to hang up hard-to-find pantry essentials? At just shy of 2 inches wide, these clips are just the right size for dangling necessities in clear sight. What's more, hanging them on the back of your pantry door or a cabinet is a great way to secretly add more storage to your kitchen. You might not even need to head to Dollar Tree if you already have a decent stash of binder clips lying around.

Hooks, pockets, and racks are smart ways to use the back of closed doors — but binder clips can be just as handy, especially for organizing your pantry. Start by sticking a few adhesive hooks (which you can also grab from the Dollar Tree) to the surface. Then, slide the binder clips over them to hold bundled sauce packets, drink mixes, or even resealable plastic bags. You'll want to clip these at their zipper opening to prevent the clip from making holes in the body of the bag.

Alternatively, you can up your storage game in tandem with a repurposed resealable plastic baggie to store even smaller basics. Keep takeout sauces together, hung up and ready to grab from the bag. Or, rid the junk drawer of loose rubber bands and twist ties by making their new home a hook in a cabinet. You're more likely to want them close at hand in the pantry than mingling with used batteries and expired coupons in a drawer, right?

You don't need the back of a door to take advantage of this mounted mini storage solution. If your pantry has bi-fold sliding doors that don't expose their backs for practical purposes, you can adapt this idea to other spots. You might find unused wall space above or beside your shelves that's not blocked by stacks of cans. Or, maybe it's your fridge that could really benefit from this hack. Keep refrigerables like bags of cheese sticks, baby carrots, and packed lunch components at the ready instead of jumbled in the crisper drawer.