The Versatile Solution Joanna Gaines Uses To Elevate Home Storage And Organization

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The struggle is real when it comes to creating a home that looks livable, yet uncluttered. This can be especially true if you live with multiple people. Everything from bathroom toiletries and personal accessories to garage tools and craft supplies, at times, seems to pile up almost overnight. But the key to great organization is establishing a practical system for storage and combining it with simple storage solutions for your home. 

For this, famed interior designer and HGTV star, Joanna Gaines, recommends the use of open, cube-based organization to help bring order to chaotic areas and to seamlessly blend the shapes with the aesthetics of any area in your home. Gaines has stated (via Real Homes), "What I feel makes this modern is its very clean lines, it's simple, it's pretty raw." So, for example, one home decor storage solution could be using boxes or cubed cabinets in one room and shelves containing collapsible bins and color-coded plastic or wooden crates. The great thing about this storage approach is that it's so easy to take it in any direction.

It's also easy to switch it up to make room for new purchases and easily locate items that aren't used that often. This way, you'll have fewer items to get rid of come spring cleaning time. Fortunately, this method doesn't require a huge budget to implement, as you can create your own cubed storage containers or select from the many crate and bin options available online or from home goods retailers such as Target, Walmart, The Container Store, or Dollar Tree.

With Joanna Gaines' recommendations for using storage cube organizers around the house, you can effectively reduce clutter and add style. One example she uses involves working with plain wooden storage boxes, such as this set of LYDWOO8D Wooden Storage Crates, and stacking them against the walls for easy, open-area storage that also adds a rustic vibe. This tip would be especially useful in areas where space-saving tactics are needed, such as book-heavy living rooms or bathrooms. 

You can also use plastic crates for this method. For example, these multi-colored crates from Milk Crates Direct can easily be stacked to store small hobby supplies, tools, surplus bathroom toiletries, and other supplies. Add more crates or remove them based on the room's evolving storage demands. Need more open containers for your bedroom? No problem. Create a couple of rows of these crates, taking advantage of the unused vertical space in the room. Add labels to make it easy to remember where everything is stored. 

Use the crates to house everyday accessories such as scarves, belts, socks, or any of those small items that tend to end up in random areas, often adding to the clutter. They're also a great place to store overflow items, including extra hangers that won't fit on the closet rods, electronics, hair supplies, and makeup. Perhaps even spray paint wooden boxes or milk crates and use them in your living room to create storage options that double as focal points in the room. Consider using colors that already appear in your decor as decorative accents.