Clever things that make your home & car 10x more organized with almost no effort

Jan 14, 2024

Streamlining made simple.

Walking into closet chaos is never a fun way to start the day. Neither is cooking in a disorganized kitchen or getting ready in a bathroom that's stuffed with clutter. I mean, even a messy car can make giving someone a ride a moment to avoid. Fixing this level of messiness can seem overwhelming, but creating order from chaos is often a simple matter of owning the proper storage solutions so that your space begins to become decluttered and streamlined as you use it.

To help you achieve this, here are a bunch of clever things that make your home and car 10 times more organized with almost no effort.

Stash your essential documents in this slim registration and insurance holder and slip it into the glove box to reduce stress if you get pulled over or in an accident. The color makes it easy to grab and the interior organization makes your papers easier to find since they are all secured in clear, see-through slots. It comes in 23 colors so you can choose one that will be easy to spot in your car.

Stop chasing errant cables under the bed and desk. Secure them in place with this set of cable clips so they are always waiting for you when you need one. They peel and stick to a desk or any surface and hold five cords firmly in one and three in the other.

"This is great for cords that fall and look messy," said one reviewer. "It keeps my charging cords organized while also making them easier for me to access. [...] This is something you don't think you will need but definitely do!"

This big pack of matching food storage containers will organize everything in your pantry so that it doesn't go stale and you can find it all easily. The snap-closed lids seal pasta, snacks, grains, and cereals in and humidity and bugs out. The various sizes stack and use the same lids to maximize your storage space and reduce your irritation. They come with rewritable labels.

"Our family can find the items in our pantry easily now," said one reviewer. "The clear containers and labels make it so much easier."

These headrest hooks are the cheapest car upgrade that you will love to own. Hang the grocery bags from the back of the headrest and they won't spill all over the back seat. You will always have a place to hang your bag, stash your keys, and more. It takes just a second to hook them over the headrest poles and they will be there, ready for use, forever.

Bring order to your storage area and skip right over labeling boxes by moving your off-season clothes, blankets, and other storage-bound soft goods in these foldable clothes storage bins with a viewing window so you can see what's in them. They are huge — and hold 90 liters each — and are easy to lift with the big side handles.

"These storage bags have greatly simplified the challenge of storing winter clothes in summer and same for summer clothes that I store in these during winter," said one reviewer.

Strap one of these backseat organizers into your car and put an end to "Are we there yet?" as the only way to pass the time. It has pockets for snacks, toys, and beverages. There's a see-through sleeve that can house a tablet for movie viewing. Another big pocket can house a book or drawing paper. It keeps the road-trip sundries organized, tidy, and within easy reach, so you can focus on driving.

Turn your pocket change into easy-to-access toll or parking meter money with this car change organizer. You will never veer all over the road counting change before a toll or spend 10 minutes hunting under the car seats to feed the meter. This thing will dispense precisely the right change into your palm with no effort.

Transform that under-the-sink mess of hard-to-find cleaning supplies and personal care products into a space that stores everything neatly so you can find it — and double the storage space at the same time — with this expandable under-sink organizer. The height, width, and depth all adjust to fit your space and the items you want to store and it's super easy to install.

When it comes to domestic life, communication is key. And this little dishwasher magnet sign makes communicating the status of the dishes in the dishwasher super easy. When you run a load, slide it to clean so no one adds dirty dishes to the machine. When you unload it, slide it back to dirty so everyone knows it's OK to put dishes in there again.

Got a lot of tank tops? This clever idea will store them all in your closet where you can see them without taking up the entire closet rod. Each tank top hanger takes only the space of one standard hanger yet holds eight tanks so the arms don't slide off. This is a pack of two so it will store 16 tanks, tees, bras, or other similar items.

If long drives are a — literal — pain in the neck, strap this neck pillow to the headrest for some relief. The memory foam molds to your shape and supports your neck and head while you drive. The breathable fabric cover keeps you cool and it's handy for car naps, too. "I love this little pillow, OMG is so comfortable," said one reviewer.

If your mops or long-handled tools are taking up more space than you have for them, mount this broom holder and garden tool organizer to a wall and snap them into the five dedicated slots. They won't fall over, eat up the closet, or disappear into the garage. The six hooks flip out when you need to hang something on them and retract out of the way when you don't.

Every time you drop groceries, your gym bag, and sundries for a road trip into this car trunk organizer, you will pat yourself on the back for purchasing it. It makes it easy to organize everything you carry, keeps it all from flying around the back, and has pockets and spaces for the items you like to keep permanently in the car. The tie-down straps secure it.

If you travel with gear — laptop, water bottle, sunglasses, and more — this front seat car organizer makes it easy to keep them at hand and organized. When someone joins you in your car, it will be easy to flip them all around to the back seat to clear your passenger seat. It has several big interior compartments — including a laptop sleeve and water bottle sling — and mesh pockets on the outside for smaller items.

This set of magnetic measuring spoons is so carefully thought out, you will wonder how you survived with lesser tools. The eight spoons cling to each other magnetically so they are silent in your drawer, always connected, and easy to separate. On one side, the spoons are round, perfect for measuring liquids. On the other, the spoon is a slender oval that fits easily into spice jars. Each spoon is clearly labeled and the set comes with a magnetically connected leveler so you get an accurate measure.

Drop this swing-top car trash can into a little-used cup holder and solve the problem of what to do with wrappers and other pieces of small trash so they don't end up on the floor. It hides the trash, looks good in your car, and is easy to empty. It could easily serve the same purpose on your desk. There are seven color options.

Give the backseat passengers an easy way to watch a movie on long road trips by mounting a tablet or phone into this headrest mount. It attaches firmly — with hard plastic and aluminum rods — to the base of the front seat headrest mount so it is stable and secure. The tablet simply clamps into the mount and the viewing angle and position are completely adjustable.

End that endless search for the lid to the storage container you want by organizing them into this food container lid organizer. It adjusts to fit your collection, stands them on edge to save space, and makes it easy to see and find the one you want. Dropping them into this from the dishwasher is just as easy as tossing them into a drawer yet the entire process will be more efficient.

Turn your phone into a heads-up display on your dash with this car phone holder. It clings to the dash so you can see the navigation without taking your eyes off the road to glance at the vent area. It has a cord holder and a tray you can use to keep coins. It works well on a counter or desk, too.

"I was able to place this right behind my steering wheel on the dash," said one reviewer. "It does not block my view and helps me keep my eyes on the road better than looking at my car's built-in GPS."

If your car tends to bake backseat passengers, help them get access to the AC faster by mounting this dual car fan to the headrest mount of one of the front seats. It plugs into the lighter and cools a hot car faster — and can also help reduce cigarette, pet, or gym odors. Each fan adjusts separately and you can control the speed.

Stash this rolling storage cart under your desk, in a corner of the bathroom, or next to the bed to keep all your essentials stored nearby. The three shelves fit into a 5-inch space yet hold a surprising amount. Three hooks snap on where you want them and you can remove a shelf to make it fit where you need it. The smooth, locking casters make it easy to access, even if you store it snugged between two appliances.

Put some shelves right where you need them — in your closet — by hooking this four-shelf hanging closet organizer over the closet rod. Fold pants, leggings, sweaters, and other hard-to-hang garments among all your other clothes to make outfit decisions so much easier. One of the shelves can be a drawer if you slide the included bin into one of the shelves. And the mesh pockets on the sides are a great place to stash small accessories.

This clever box organizer for plastic wrap, foil, and wax or parchment paper is so elegant. Get rid of those annoying boxes — and their ineffective cutters — altogether and slide the rolls into this bamboo container instead. An effective cutter slices your product neatly without yanking. It comes with 21 preprinted labels so you can decide what goes in each slot.

Turn that space on your visor into a filing system for your most-used in-car essentials with this sun visor organizer. It has slots for cards and keycards, your insurance and registration, wallet, a pen, your sunglasses, and more. And there's a big pocket for your phone or anything else you like to keep handy. It comes in seven colors.

Bulky coats eat up closet space. So, when the weather is too warm to use them, store them in these hanging vacuum storage bags — right in the closet. They will take up much less room, stay clean and bug-free, and be ready when the weather changes or you travel. Just hang the coat in them, attach the vacuum cleaner to the valve, and suck out the air to reduce their size.

Expand the storage space in your closet, shelving units, and cupboards with this tension shelf that expands to fit. You can stop stacking dishes in the kitchen and separate them with a shelf instead. Or make a hat rack in the closet. It's super versatile, going from 16 inches to nearly 24 inches to easily accommodate your specific storage challenge.

End the annoying in-car hassle of dropping things between your seat and the console by filling that space with this seat gap filler. It slides in easily over the seatbelt clasp and between the seat and console and eliminates that key and phone-eating hole forever.

"These paid for themselves the first time I dropped my credit card in my car and didn't have to spend thirty minutes trying to find it under the seat," said one reviewer. "I also no longer have three-month-old desiccated French fries on my floor."

Solving the eternal dilemma over where to store the razor in the shower turns out to be surprisingly easy. Just peel and stick this razor holder to the shower wall and hook your razor into it. The razor drips dry so it won't rust or get weird. And there are two hooks in case you share the shower. They work well for hanging a robe or towel — or even your keys in the entryway, too.

Storing all the water bottles and thermal coffee flasks that modern life requires is surprisingly challenging. This two-pack of stackable bottle organizers fixes that, though. Set them on a shelf in a cupboard — or in the fridge for loaded bottles — and they will lie down without rolling around, allowing you to store more in less space while still being able to find them all.

Protect the splash zone around your faucet with this clever silicone splash guard that redirects the water into the sink where it can do no harm to your counters or fixtures. It slides easily over the faucet base and looks surprisingly good while giving you a sleek and grippy place to toss the sponge or stand the dripping soap bottle.

Add some pretty to your car while making it easier to clean the cup holders by slipping these cup holder coasters in there. They fit neatly but have a finger indent to make getting them out easy. The soft, thick rubber keeps metal cups from rattling, too, so your car is quieter. They come in 11 colors and patterns.

Can there ever be enough cup holders? Add this cup holder expander to your car and you will have one more — and this one is a workhorse. Snap it into your current cup holder and extend the arm and that single cup holder is now two beefy ones. One of them expands to fit larger containers, too. So you can eat a snack or have more than one beverage, and still keep it all within reach.

Finally, an under-bed storage solution that makes retrieving your stored items as easy as opening a drawer. This under-bed storage container with wheels slides easily under the bed and pulls out again just as easily. And this metal bin is sturdy! It doesn't require you to open a box or unzip a bag so access to your stuff is unencumbered. And when you aren't using it, it folds for storage. It comes in five colors.

Create an orderly sink-side storage station with this sink caddy that has a rack for brushes, a draining shelf for sponges and the soap bottle, and a rod to hang a washcloth. The slide-out tray on the bottom traps runoff water so it doesn't foul your counters and it all fits in a small and tidy footprint.

Stop digging around in a giant toolbox, injuring your hands on loose screws and sharp tools, to find your gear. This power tool organizer mounts everything to the wall so you can see it, access what you want, and keep all your power tools charged. It has shelves for your toolboxes and sockets sets and four holsters for power tools.

"Went from a tool tote bag to this wall-mounted storage," said one reviewer. "Much handier and easier to see what I need and always know exactly where things are."

If your desk space lacks sufficient storage, this under-desk drawer will fix that. It mounts to the underside of your desk with adhesive so it's easy to install. And you can put it exactly where you need to stash essential items within reach and get clutter off your work surface. Or create a row of drawers. The drawers slide open and closed easily and are sized to hold office supplies.

Build a spice rack in that otherwise unusable space on the side of your big fridge with these magnetic spice racks. Just stick them on, load them with spices, and cook away. This is a four-pack and the super-strong magnets will hold lots of spices, even oil and vinegar bottles.

"Great way to move bottles and spices off the counter and make a bit more room," said one reviewer. "They are very sturdy and will hold even the heaviest bottles."

If you keep bikes or a luggage rack atop your vehicle, getting up there can be a hassle. Not so if you attach this handy car step to the front or rear door. It has a top hook that simply slides into your car's door latch, and rubber feet brace it below. It holds up to 400 pounds and has an adjustable, universal fit. Slide it on and off in seconds and stash it in the glove box when not in use.

Solve the eternal dilemma of where to stash your bag, backpack, wallet, phone, and laptop bag in the car by slinging this handbag holder over the headrests. It fits a small bag or laptop perfectly, along with pockets for a wallet, water bottle, and other items. It can also create a barrier between the back seat and front to keep the dog from leaping through. And there is a sleeve in the back for installing a tablet so back-seat passengers have entertainment.

"I [used] it to put my dog's collar, extra leash, some toys, his vest, [...] or other things [...] on my seat or on the floor of my car. [This] keeps everything organized."

Store fruits, vegetables, and canned goods on the counters without giving up any counter space with these kitchen counter baskets that have a solid top and a reach-in front opening you can set things on top of them. Or they stack, one on top of the other, so you can create a root cellar in the pantry for potatoes, onions, and other vegetables that don't like the fridge.

"These bins have created so much extra storage space, that the organization in my pantry has been completely transformed," said one reviewer.

Whether you want to corrall socks, shirts, undies, or office supplies, these ultra-adjustable drawer dividers are here to help. Made of flexible-yet-sturdy plastic and with a grid design that allows for countless permutations, they make it simple to customize your drawer space for enviable tidiness.

Cruising the drive-thru and scarfing food in the car isn't the most glamorous of activities — but it's necessary sometimes, and this clever car tray revolutionizes the act. It slips into the cup holder, is adjustable and 360-degree swivel-able, and has a 9-inch surface so there's ample room for a burger, fries, and sauce. There's also a handy spot for your phone. Use it for wallets and watches when mealtime's over.

Make underutilized, even oddly shaped spaces into neat and functional storage with the help of these wire modular shelves. The set comes with six cubes that you can stack as you like — movable corner connectors give your chosen configuration sturdiness. Each cube can hold up to 22 pounds and reviewers tout them as a "good value," "versatile," and "easy to assemble."

Get cord and charger clutter out of the bottom of your backpack and put it in sparkling order with this accessory organizer. Woven, rubberized elastic bands secure items of all sizes, and the whole thing folds and zips into a compact little package. A zippered pocket on the back provides additional storage.

Next time you get the urge to cast a line, ensure your gear is in top shape by keeping your lures inside this airtight tackle box. Its translucent brown lid protects your goods from sun exposure though still lets you easily see what's inside. Movable dividers give you flexible storage, and the whole thing is waterproof and floats.

This article was originally published on Feb. 4, 2023