5 clutter-cutting uses for baskets and crates

Baskets and containers are essential for an organized household. These creative ideas can help bring order to your home's most chaotic items.

• Place a decorative basket or crate in or near the most cluttered room of your house. Then, place all of the lost items that belong in other rooms in the basket.
• Anytime you exit the room, grab items out of the basket and return them to their rightful place.
• It'll become a habit that helps you out when it's time to do a more detailed cleaning.

• Loose items, such as batteries, buttons, lightbulbs and matches, often end up disappearing in junk drawers.
• Keep them at hand by labelling containers for these items.

• Save time by presorting your laundry. Label bags or baskets: "Whites," "Colours," "Permanent Press" and "Dry Cleaning."
• You'll always know when it's time to deal with a particular load, and you'll never waste time separating laundry again.

• Keep baskets or small bins on tables to store small frequently used items, such as remote controls, nail clippers and notepads.
• Similarly, put a small dish on the bureau top to collect loose change and earrings.
• An old mug on the office desk can hold pens, pencils and scissors.
• Surfaces will appear neater and your home will look cleaner and less cluttered.

• Create kid storage units that are lightweight and low to the ground — rolling crates and small plastic dressers, for instance. These can help your kids keep their toys organized.
• Tape a photo or drawing of the items to the outside of each drawer or crate to make clean up easy for the little ones.

Put these tricks to use and surfaces won't only look neater, you'll have an easier time getting your hands on what you need, when you need it.