Photo: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers
Over the past two years of leading our home-organization coverage and writing about everything from shoe racks to drawer dividers, I’ve learned there is truly a storage bin — or box, or crate, or basket, or container — for everything. Storage and home organization has become a nearly $12 billion industry, fueled in part by gurus like the Home Edit and Marie Kondo and FYPs full of aesthetic restocks. So there’s much more on the market now than your standard Sterilite tub or Rubbermaid tote, including high-design crates from Hay and sleek caddies from Yamazaki.
To make the list of the best storage bins below, I started by consulting a range of home-organization pros who are well versed in the storagescape, including some who make a living off organizing small homes. I also asked my fellow neat-freak Strategist staffers for their favorites. (Predictably, the Container Store is a go-to, but there’s lots to be found at other retailers as well.) Then I began vetting the recommendations myself. I’ve tried close to a dozen storage bins so far, and I’m always adding more to my own home, using them day in and day out to store and organize off-season clothes, extra blankets, toiletries, and miscellaneous odds and ends. The storage bins on this list include my favorites in both function and form. And if you’re looking for more specific advice, like the best ways to store Legos or Christmas decorations or where to find actually good-looking toy storage, we have many more buying guides that will help you find exactly what you need.
What
we’re
looking
for
Type
The word “bin” is broad, and in the world of home storage, it can encompass everything from plastic crates and canvas cubes to wicker baskets and acrylic boxes. The function can change depending on whether or not a bin has a lid, whether the sides are rigid or flexible, and whether it’s airtight or ventilated. These details also affect a bin’s aesthetics. Below, I assigned each recommendation to a simple “shape” category and included any noteworthy details.
Material
The material a storage bin is made from also factors into both its function and aesthetic. A plastic milk crate is utilitarian and heavy-duty, but the holes can hold onto dust and dirt and can’t be wiped down easily, according to professional organizer Laura Cattano. Wicker is forever associated with linens and laundry, which is why home-organizer Caroline Solomon likes it for “outgoing items in your entryway,” like the dry cleaning you’ve been meaning to drop off. But it’s more delicate than other materials and can break under too much pressure. A soft-sided canvas box is safe for a playroom and provides a homey feel, Solomon says. Clear acrylic lets you see what’s inside, for better and for worse, which is one reason for the ROYGBIV trend — Neat Rules founder Allison Dunn says organizing clear bins by the color of their contents can help them look less chaotic. When you’re shopping for storage bins, you’ll want to choose a material that strikes the best balance between the look you’re going for and corresponding well to the stuff you’re planning to store. Also think hard about whether you want clear, semi-transparent, or opaque storage bins, and if you decide on semi-transparent or opaque, you should definitely plan to label them: “You think you won’t forget what’s inside,” Lisa Zaslow of Gotham Organizers says, “but you will.”
Portability
This point is directly tied to a storage bin’s functionality and practicality. An easy-to-carry bin can travel to any part of the house, holding cleaning supplies or tucking away little towels. Smaller items like craft materials naturally call for smaller bins. Heavier items like books often do too, so they don’t become impossible to lift. And while a huge Rubbermaid tote can stash just about anything, it will take more elbow grease to move, especially when filled to the brim. I rated each of the following storage bins as either portable or not-so-portable and made sure to detail anything else I observed about their size.
SmartStore Nordic Basket
From $8
Type: Bins in three sizes and colors with lids sold separately | Material: Recycled plastic | Portability: Portable
After almost a year of packing — and unpacking — a medium-size Nordic Basket with linens (like a set of full-size sheets), extra toiletries, bathing suits, and stacks of magazines, it’s my pick for the best storage bin overall. It’s a great all-purpose option with a perforated dot pattern that doubles as ventilation while still hiding what’s inside. Made of durable and rigid recycled plastic, the bins are structured enough to be dragged across carpeted floors or to hold heavier items. They’re available in small, medium, and large sizes that all have the same 14.5-inch by 11-inch footprint, but vary in height. The bins are nestable when not in use, stackable if you spring for the separate lids, and portable thanks to the convenient handles on the sides, making them suitable for all sorts of spaces. Plus, they are nice-looking enough to have out, even if the contents are a mess, and relatively affordable at about $9 for the largest size. I think it’s worthwhile to also buy the lids, which start at $5 and come in the same colors as the bins themselves, as well as bamboo. They slide on and off easily, cover what’s inside the bin, and are crucial if you plan to stack the bins. (Tags for the handles are also available as an add-on, to label the contents.)
From $8
at The Container Store
Hay Basket (Small)
From $30
Type: Open-air basket in two sizes and multiple colors | Material: Plastic | Portability: Portable
Hay’s Basket, with a capital B, has become another favorite of mine. It’s billed as part of a laundry-basket set, with a small ($30) and large ($50) version (though the latter is sold out right now). It’s available in pleasing pastels like sherbet, baby blue, and duckling yellow and features a graphic open-air grid pattern, making it especially nice-looking. I first learned about the basket from declutterer Britnee Tanner, who uses them for laundry and likes the way the small size nestles inside the top of the large one, kind of like mixing bowls. The taller and narrower large Basket, which stands close to 25 inches tall, is an obvious hamper candidate. And while the shorter and wider small Basket has the familiar profile of a laundry basket, it’s also an excellent all-around storage bin. On laundry day, I haul dryer sheets and detergent inside of it. Even at less than half the height of the large (at around ten inches tall), it makes a good resting place for folded blankets in the corner of my bedroom or a catchall for rolled-up tote bags and big scarves.
From $30
at Design Within Reach
Yamazaki Storage Caddy
$37
$37
Type: Caddy | Material: Plastic (with wood handle) | Portability: Portable
Japanese houseware label Yamazaki describes this caddy as “a tinkerer’s toolbox.” Because of its handle, it’s among the most portable of the storage bins I’ve tried. I use it to hold a rotation of dishcloths, sponges, Clorox bottles, and Wet Ones wipes, and I can comfortably carry it one-handed. The removable wooden dowel handle — which is held in place with silicone rings — stays securely put when you move the bin, though it’s a nice touch that it can be detached if you need to clean accidental spills or dust inside (an occasional necessity due to the open top). It seems exceptionally sturdy; I’ve banged it around a bit with no cracking or scratching. And the bin itself is quite lightweight, which helps with its overall portability.
$37
at Amazon$37
at West Elm
The Container Store Our Shoe Box
From $2
Type: Box (see-through) with snap-on lid | Material: Plastic | Portability: Portable
Both Beth Penn, owner of Bneato Bar Professional Organizing, and Strategist senior editor Jen Trolio have bought these multipurpose boxes in multiples. Though you can buy them individually, the real value is in the sets of five and 20 (there’s also a larger version). They are sized to hold shoes, but the potential uses are endless. Penn counts on them to keep cabinets and closet shelves tidy by storing medications, first-aid supplies, and bathroom essentials like dental and feminine-hygiene products. Trolio has them all over her house, holding everything from sidewalk chalk to Barbies to extra school supplies. The lids snap on securely, and the bins’ stackability and transparency are especially useful for quickly finding what you (or your kids, as in Trolio’s case) need.
From $2
at The Container Store
Ikea Skubb Storage Case
$10
Type: Case (zippered opening) | Material: Polyester | Portability: Portable
Ikea’s Skubb storage case is similar to a piece of carry-on luggage in that there’s a zippered top that flips open (as seen here) to reveal what’s inside. The case slides right underneath a bed, with a handle to pull it out as needed. There’s some minor assembly involved to get the Skubb set up: You slide the included plastic boards into pockets on the sides of the case to help it keep its shape. You’ll want to be careful about overloading the Skubb, as that could make the sides bow out. I have bedding in mine, which holds about five complete sets of full-size sheets without bulging or stretching. The ventilated nets in the corners of the case maintain their just-laundered freshness. Strategist writer Jeremy Rellosa also likes the Skubb for this reason, using them to hold out-of-season clothes. His have held up through multiple apartment moves, and they’re a bargain at $10 each.
$10
at Ikea
OrganiHaus XXL Cotton Rope Basket
now 44% off
$28
Type: Basket (woven with side handles) | Material: Rope | Portability: Portable
When one reader wrote in to our advice column, “Ask the Strategist,” in search of nice-looking baskets for bedding, writer Lauren Ro (who happens to be our team’s home-décor expert) shared her own favorite. Ro has bought a couple of these OrganiHaus baskets over the years. That’s in part because of their affordability, especially compared to other rope baskets out there (“You really don’t need to spend a lot on them unless you want to,” she says). These are roomy enough to hold sofa cushions and a big yoga bolster, “so it’s safe to say one would accommodate a couple of pillows and a blanket or two,” Ro explains. These are tricolor and well-made with easy-toting handles, she says, which makes them look more expensive than they really are. Note that they’re slightly floppy when emptied, but that isn’t a problem if they’re packed with bedding.
$28
at Amazon$28
at Amazon
Pillowfort Stackable Wood Storage Bin
From $15
Type: Bin (open-front top) | Material: Wood | Portability: Portable
These bins are great for smaller toys that might get lost in a bigger basket, or for an ever-expanding book collection. You can choose between small and large sizes, which can all be stacked — a fact that Tanner appreciates as it helps prevent crowding on the floor, which might otherwise be covered in train cars or dollhouse furniture. The bins can be placed out of reach of small fingers, or low toward the ground to hold favorite toys that are always in demand at playtime. Or you can line them up side by side, as Tanner recommends, to help children start organizing their toys out by themselves. Since they are made with a woodgrain finish, the bins are neutral in design and can grow with your child as their taste evolves from stuffies to Legos.
From $15
at Target
Russell + Hazel Acrylic File Box
$80
$80
Type: Box that’s unlidded with handles | Material: Acrylic | Portability: Portable
The days of needing dedicated oversize filing cabinets in our home offices are largely behind us, but there could be some paperwork that you’d rather have printed out. For that, Cattano pointed us to this acrylic box that looks more like a CB2 sculpture than the usual corporate folder holders. Oftentimes, she’ll buy clients multiple boxes based on what they need filed away — one for insurance paperwork, another for finances, and so on. It’s simple but easy to carry, which is especially useful if it’s tax season or you’re moving to a new apartment. She recommends getting color-coded hanging files like these “so you don’t mind looking at it.” There are slimmer versions of this box for smaller archives as well.
$80
at Amazon$80
at Amazon
The Container Store Weathertight Tote
From $15
Type: Tote in multiple sizes with weather-resistant latched lid | Material: Plastic | Portability: Portable to not-so-portable (depending on the size)
I’ve come to learn on the home-storage beat that the Container Store’s Weathertight Totes are much-beloved in the world of professional organizers. Tanner describes the bins as “by far one of the most durable on the market,” while Susane Colasanti, owner of Organized Home NYC, has depended on them for clients who don’t want to get rid of their CD collections but have relegated them to “long-term” storage. These are stackable, see-through, and available in nine sizes, from 6.5 quarts to 156 quarts. They stack well, and some of the smaller sizes are proportioned to stack “evenly” on top of the larger sizes, in a Tetris-like fashion (as seen here). They are also suitable for garages, attics, and basements thanks to a weathertight foam seal around the inside of each lid and multiple latches to close the lids securely to keep out moisture, bugs, and anything else you don’t want in there. I tried the 19-quart size — the second-smallest, and the rough equivalent of two standard shoeboxes sitting beside one another. The T-shirts I had sitting in mine sat just as I left them when I opened the tote after a few weeks. I especially like that the edging on the top of the tote is easy to grip, making moving easier (though the bigger sizes will be more awkward to carry around). There’s also a version with a pull handle and wheels, if you’re storing especially heavy items, and many sizes are available in discounted cases of four or six if you’ve got a lot to store and want to save a few bucks.
From $15
at The Container Store
Rubbermaid Commercial Brute Tote Storage Bin With Lid
From $43
From $43
Type: Tote with snap-on lid that comes in two sizes | Material: Plastic | Portability: Not-so-portable
And this Rubbermaid “Brute” bin is especially hard-wearing, thanks to its tough, commercial-grade plastic and ribbed bottom that’s meant to be dragged around. (It’s also designed to hold industrial weight loads, so you know it means business.) Like the Roughneck, the Brute is stackable and has a secure-fitting lid and ergonomic handles to make it a little easier to haul around.
From $43
at Amazon$20
at Lowe'sOur experts
• Nicole Abramovici, founder of Genius Organizing
• Laura Cattano, professional organizer
• Abby Clawson Low, graphic designer and art director
• Susane Colasanti, owner of Organized Home NYC
• Mary Cornetta, professional organizer
• Jessica Decker, professional organizer at Become Organized
• Allison Dunn, founder of Neat Rules
• Rebecca Firkser, food writer
• Christina Giaquinto, organizing expert
• Meredith Goforth, founder of House of Prim
• Naeemah Ford Goldson, owner of Restore Order Professional Organizing
• Kelsey Keith, editorial director at Herman Miller
• Ann Lightfoot, founding partner at Done & Done Home
• Youngna Park, Strategist contributor
• Beth Penn, owner of Bneato Bar Professional Organizing
• Jeremy Rellosa, Strategist writer
• Barbara Reich, professional organizer at Life Organized
• Lauren Ro, Strategist writer
• Lauren Saltman, owner of organizing company Living. Simplified.
• Caroline Solomon, home organizer
• Jane Stoller, founder of Organized Jane and author of Decluttering for Dummies
• Britnee Tanner, professional organizer
• Jen Trolio, Strategist senior editor
• Rachel Winkler, owner of Tidyspot
• Lisa Zaslow, owner of Gotham Organizers
Actually good deals, smart shopping advice, and exclusive discounts.
Email
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best comforters, bath towels, bed sheets (twice), pillows for side sleepers, weird kneeling chair, and sleep accessories. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
Every editorial product is independently selected. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission.
Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with fast, free delivery
Fast, FREE Delivery is available to Prime members. To join, select "Try Amazon Prime and start saving today with Fast, FREE Delivery" below the Add to Cart button.
Amazon Prime members enjoy:Important: Your credit card will NOT be charged when you start your free trial or if you cancel during the trial period. If you're happy with Amazon Prime, do nothing. At the end of the free trial, your membership will automatically upgrade to a monthly membership.