Creative Ways to Organize with Plastic Divided Boxes

Divided plastic containers are a wonderful way to organize small items that have a tendency to get jumbled together and make it difficult to find what you need when working on a project. When these same items are placed in a divided container, it is easy to see what you have and grab what you need easily.

Multiple items can be stored inside one box and then neatly stacked on top of another box or tucked away inside a cabinet or drawer. Another great thing about these boxes is that they can be found at almost any craft store or retailer where jewelry or fishing supplies are sold. They are also a very cheap way to organize small items or accessories. Some boxes also offer adjustable compartments, which is great for larger items and make them completely customizable to your needs.

Think beyond their advertised purpose, which is mostly for beads or fishing lures, and use the ideas below to see how these containers can make your home a little more organized.

Once my daughters hair was long enough for pony and piggy tails, we started acquiring quite a few hair accessories. I started out by just dumping all of the ponytail holders, barrettes and small bows into one container but that quickly became overwhelming. I couldn't find what I wanted without digging through everything.

Since buying a divided container, finding hair accessories has become so much easier! It took about five minutes to sort through what we had and get it organized. Keeping it organized is also easier because I can see where each item goes. She likes to match her own accessories with her outfit and is able to pick out just what she wants with the help of this container. When we're finished, we snap the lid closed and set it neatly into our bathroom cabinet.

Storage for jewelry supplies is one of the main points of advertising for these types of boxes. I am not into making jewelry but, as I sorted through two or three shoeboxes full of craft supplies to find what I needed one day, I thought I would try a divided container and it worked wonderfully! I was so happy with the results, I bought a couple more. Now, my craft supplies are neatly organized and my work area is much more tidy.

While preparing for a recent road trip, I was trying to think of ways to take games and snacks in the truck for my children that wouldn't take up a lot of precious space. As I was searching the internet for ideas, I came across the link at the right that featured a great idea: use divided containers when packing snacks for a road trip! I was so excited about this idea! Not only would it save space but my children could also have a variety of snacks as well.

In the article, the writer made a snack box for each of her children. I had originally planned to follow that idea but I was concerned about my children, ages 2 and 4, tipping the box and spilling all of the snacks. So, what I did instead was pack two divided containers with snacks and, as snacks were needed, I would take them out of the divided container and place them in a smaller bowl that was easier for little hands to hold. My husband also liked this idea because each compartment held almost the right amount for a serving size.

Depending on the size of the box you choose, they will hold more snack foods than you think. When we got back from our trip, we still had plenty of snacks in the boxes so when my kids were ready for an afternoon snack, I let them eat out of our snacks boxes until they were empty. It went over so well that I still keep the boxes stocked with some of their favorite snacks and pull them out during snack time. I think they like having the variety and choosing what to eat and I like that there is very little clean up at snack time each day.

While jewelry boxes are pretty, they can also become a jumbled mess of necklaces, earrings and bracelets very quickly. One solution is to use a divided container to keep each piece separate. Another great thing about using these boxes is that they are totally customizable depending on the amount of jewelry you have. I keep the pieces I wear the most in one box and store the rest in a separate box. You could also have one for each type of jewelry: one for necklaces, one for bracelets or, if you have sets that go together, store all of the pieces in one compartment so you can grab them quickly and be on your way.

These ideas are just a few ways using divided containers has helped with organization in my home. Here are a few additional ideas that I plan on trying soon:

* Sewing storage- Keep spools of thread and matching bobbins together as well as other notions such as thimbles, needles and sewing machine accessories

* Toy cars- Buy the boxes with adjustable compartments to help store longer cars. Boxes can be stacked for easy storage and clear boxes help children find the car they are looking for.

* Nuts and bolts- If you complete a project and have a few nuts and bolts left over, store them in these containers. You could also make a small note to slip in listing what project they go to in case repairs are needed.

* Picture hanging kit- Store items like nails, screws, picture hangers and cable in a divided box and you'll have just about everything you need when you need to hand a picture on the wall.

*Office supplies- If you don't have a lot of storage in the drawers of your desk, place paperclips, brass fasteners, extra staples, rubber bands and other small items in a divided container and store somewhere convenient.