Buying Storage Bins? Pro Organizers Say To Do This First

Professional organizers interviewed by Good Housekeeping advise homeowners to sort and declutter belongings, take inventory and measure the storage area before buying bins. The guidance matters because choosing containers before knowing what needs to be stored can lead to poor-fitting purchases or bins for items people no longer want or use.

Shannon Littlehale, owner of Make Space NJ, said organizing should begin by deciding what belongs in the home, rather than by buying products to contain everything. “Organizing clutter is not creating a system; it’s just containing things that you don’t actually need, use or want,” she told Good Housekeeping. Littlehale said it is difficult to determine the right system or products until unwanted items have been removed.

The organizers recommend grouping similar belongings and sorting them according to how people want to find and access them. Wendy Trunz, partner and head organizer at Jane’s Addiction Organization, said to categorize items and dispose of or donate what is not needed. Olivia Parks, owner and lead organizer of Professional Organizer New Orleans, said decluttering may reveal that a household needs fewer bins—or none at all, which can save money and space.

After sorting, shoppers can make an inventory of what they plan to store. Trunz said the dimensions and shape of the items affect the bin choice: containers for framed pictures or photo albums, for example, may differ from those for holiday decorations. The report also recommends measuring the intended location’s width, depth and height, including door clearance and any cabinet doors that open inward. For drawer organizers, measure the drawer’s height as well as its other dimensions.

Planning Can Prevent Bin Waste

The advice addresses a common practical problem: buying storage products before understanding the items and space they must serve. A container that is too large, too small or awkward to access can fail to make a storage area more useful. Sorting first also may reduce the amount of storage needed, according to Parks, potentially avoiding unnecessary spending and the use of valuable closet, shelf or floor space.

Measuring helps connect the shopping decision to the actual location. Littlehale told Good Housekeeping that organizers should help define a system and make good use of available space. For people in small homes, the report says stacking may make use of vertical space. Trunz advises checking that lids are sturdy enough to support the weight if bins will be stacked. For shelf storage, containers should fit without extending beyond the shelf.

These are recommendations from professional organizers, not a formal product standard or a guarantee that a particular organizing method will work for every household. The central point is to base purchases on the belongings, intended access and physical dimensions of the space rather than starting with a shopping list.

The Organizing Steps Before Shopping

The Good Housekeeping report presents the organizers’ suggestions as a sequence: first decide what to keep, then group and inventory those belongings, measure the destination, and consider how the containers will be arranged. Each step informs the next. Knowing what is being stored can clarify the dimensions required, while knowing the storage location can rule out containers that will not fit.

Placement affects the choice too. A stack requires bins and lids suited to the expected load; shelf storage calls for containers that fit the shelf. Measuring door swings and inset cabinet doors can also prevent a container from interfering with access. The source does not recommend specific brands, materials or bin models, and it does not provide a universal sizing formula.

““If you’re going to stack your bins, make sure the lids are extremely sturdy and can handle the weight of the bins stacked on top of them.””

— Wendy Trunz, partner and head organizer at Jane’s Addiction Organization

No Universal Bin Size Is Given

The supplied report does not specify a single bin size, material or product that works for all homes. It also does not quantify how much money or space people might save by decluttering first. The recommendations depend on what a household owns, how often items are accessed and the dimensions and layout of the chosen storage area.

The source offers general guidance rather than a tested comparison of organizing methods or products. It does not establish that decluttering will eliminate the need for bins in every case; Parks’s point is that some people may discover they need fewer containers or none.

Measure Before Choosing Containers

For readers following the report’s advice, the next step is to choose one area to organize, remove items that are no longer wanted or needed, and group what remains by category and use. They can then record the items’ approximate sizes and measure the intended storage location, including access and clearance.

Only after those details are clear can shoppers compare bins for fit and placement. Anyone planning to stack containers should check the lid and stacking guidance for the specific product; the source provides no product-level load ratings. The report does not announce a follow-up study or a later milestone.

Key Questions

What should I do before buying storage bins?

Declutter first, then group and inventory the belongings you plan to keep. Measure the storage area before choosing containers.

Why sort belongings before shopping?

Sorting shows what needs to be stored and how much space it may require. Organizer Olivia Parks said decluttering can reveal that a household needs fewer bins or none.

Which measurements should I take?

Measure the storage space’s width, depth and height. Account for doors and clearance; for drawer organizers, measure the drawer’s height as well.

What should I check if I plan to stack bins?

Consider whether the bins and lids are designed to support the weight above them. Wendy Trunz advises checking that stacked bins have sturdy lids.

Source: rss