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Looking for the very best plastic storage bins to use for storing Christmas decorations, special keepsakes and year round holiday decor?
I have a secret tip for you.
It's not the biggest plastic storage bins.
It's not the most sturdy ones (although it's worth watching for that!)
It's the clear ones.
(WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME THIS TWENTY YEARS AGO?)
If you're like me, you've probably snagged a storage bin or two (or, um, thirty two, but who's counting . . .) throughout your life.
And likely you've stored all kids clothes in them alongside Christmas lights, special memories, and Easter decor.
But for whatever reason, no one told me early on that the smartest way to store anything is in a clear plastic storage container.
So last week I headed to Target, saw these guys on sale, and bought them all.
(These at Walmart also work well if you'd prefer plain lids!)
It cost right around $133 after my Target Redcard Savings. Which let me tell you felt super painful because I have plenty of storage containers that aren't clear, but I was determined to create a sense of order.
My husband had already built this storage bin shelving which made it even easier. Best $70 ever!
Here's what I did:
Everything with a red lid is Christmas decor.
Everything with a clear lid (those were ones I had already), is our winter clothing and ski equipment.
Everything with a green lid is either other seasonal decor (Spring and Fall), or special memories for my kids to keep.
I EVEN LABELED ALL THE THINGS. With my printer. I was so proud. (
Easy tip: get these labels over on Amazon, then go HERE and you can create fancy labels easily for whatever you need right over HERE. It was quick and easy (I even impressed myself!)
It took a few hours to go through what we had, clean out thing we no longer need and decide what's really most important, but it feels AMAZING to have it done.
The genius of having clear plastic storage bins, is CLEARLY you can see inside.
So rather than guessing what's inside and having to open each bin to see what's really inside, a clear storage bin takes you less time to think through.
And by color coding the lids, you'll easily know which bin to pull out which season of the year.
SO SMART.
So if you're needing some new storage bins, try these out over HERE (so far I'm super impressed!) and use your Target Redcard Benefits to save a wee bit too.
What tips do you have for storing your Christmas decorations and everything in your house? I'd sure love to hear ~ leave a comment to share. (I love hearing from you!)
I really hate to put a pin in this, but I felt like I should warn you about clear plastic storage bins. If they are exposed to light AT ALL, over time it will fade the items, especially those that are closest to any light source. To help with knowing what is in my totes, I use a label machine. I label the top and sides of each tote. You could even go as far as to number your totes, and for each tote write down the contents in your favourite organizer, so you’ll know exactly what is in each one! I felt I should say something, because I would hate for your cherished items, especially keepsakes, to get ruined from being exposed to light.
Can you give me the measurements of the storage shelving your husband built?
Here’s all the info Lori! 🙂 https://passionatepennypincher.com/70-storage-bin-shelving-part-one/
I’ve used clear totes – finally changed a few years ago – but I use fun seasonal duct tape – I do have color lids – but they aren’t all the same
How fun Misti ~ great idea on the tape! 🙂
I have both clear and solid colored bins. I didn’t want to get rid of any of them so I make a “contents list”. It’s just plain white paper and I use a sharpie to list the main things in that bin. I slide the paper into a clear 8×10 sheet protector. Then I either tape it to the outside of the bin or just lay it right on top so that all I have to do is remove the lid and look at the list that’s right on top.
It’s handy because if you “reorganize” stuff in your bins, you can just add or subtract things from your handwritten list.
Amazon sells QR codes for totes. They’re called Tote Scan. You download an app, type in what is in your tote, assign the QR code to it, & stick it on the tote. So, all you have to do is scan the code to see what’s in that tote!
That is so smart Tamara ~ thanks a bunch for the tip! 🙂
I use colored bins (red = Christmas, lavender/light green = Spring, green = Fall, black/orange = Halloween), with holiday names, seasons, etc written on the lids and sides with black Sharpie. I learned the hard way that I can’t use clear bins, all my seasonal decor and clothing are stored in a shed with windows. I lost a few containers of things over the years because of the sunlight fading things. 🙁
I see what you are doing with the lids being color coded, but i store mine the attic and so to make it a bit easier to see them up there, I have color coded totes for the holidays. Black for Halloween, Orange for Thanksgiving, and well Red and Green for Christmas…I also have Light blue ones for clothing, Turquoise for Easter and a clear one for St. Patricks day.
Just a heads up, from my experience, the clear totes don’t seem to be quite as sturdy in extreme temperatures. I’ve had many clear totes crack or even shatter when cold so if you live in a cold climate, be extra careful when stacking/moving them until they’ve warmed to room temperature.
Good to know – I didn’t even think about that Amanda! Thank you so much for sharing!