Introduction

Build a handy key holder for all your everyday carry items. Mount it on the wall in your home’s entryway and you’ll never lose your keys again! This is an easy woodworking project that will only take a few hours.

Cutting List

Glue and Clamp the Shelf

Cut the mounting board and shelf parts to length, then glue and clamp the shelf to the mounting board. Leave a 1/4-in. space on either side of the shelf and set aside for the glue to cure.

Project Overview

If you’re short on bedroom closet space or need someplace to hang your outerwear near the front door, here’s a great clothing rack you can build yourself. It’s practical and stylish, featuring a shelf to place your bags and a nook underneath to tuck away your shoes and boots. You can build this with basic tools and materials found at your local home center.

Cutting List

Fit the Base

Cut four 2×2’s to length with a 16-degree angle on one end. These are the vertical supports (A) that hold the hanger rod in position. For the bottom braces (B), cut two more 2×2’s with the same 16-degree angle on both ends.

Fit one vertical support to the bottom brace, then position the second vertical support on top and flush with the other end of the bottom brace. Fasten the parts together at the bottom with wood glue and trim screws.

Maximize Attic Space

Finishing an attic is a great way to add an extra bedroom or an office to your home. But even if your attic isn’t well suited for that, you should still utilize it for the storage space. The key is adding shelves and other systems that can help you organize it, rather than just randomly jamming your extra stuff into attic storage.

Best Overall Shoe Bench

Prepac Store Shoe Storage Cubbie Bench

With plenty of storage, the Prepac Store Shoe Storage Cubbie Bench is our pick for best overall shoe bench. This charming, cottage-style shoe organizer is available in four colors and works with most decor styles. We also love that this bench holds up to 18 pairs of shoes (that’s a lot of shoes!). If you have extra cubbies, use a wicker or canvas basket to keep must-have items like leashes and mittens near the door.

Pros

• Available in four colors
• Easy to assemble
• Under $200
• 5-year warranty on parts

Cons

• Cannot be used as seating

Shop Now

The basic concept of this upcycling hack is simple—buy a bread box (or two), turn it on its side so the sliding cover becomes a door, add paint and legs as desired, and voila, your bread-side table or bread box cabinet is born. Several variations exist, including fastening two boxes together side-by-side to make a 2-door cabinet, and stacking several boxes to create a multi-tiered storage unit.

The hack continues to gain steam, thanks to people’s ongoing appreciation of fast, easy, DIY projects like this work bench kitchen island and the IKEA Kallax shelf storage hack. IKEA’s bread boxes are sturdy, attractive and roomy, making them a natural candidate for up-cycling into something to store items besides bread.

Ready to head to the store? This is the best time to visit IKEA.

How to Build an IKEA Bread Box Table

Here’s how to turn two IKEA bread boxes into an elegant “bread-side” table with built-in storage.

@saniashome Bread-side table hack! So pleased with how these came out. #ikeahack #ikea #breadbin #breadsidetable #hacks #diy #home #newhome #house #newhouse #fyp #foryou #foryoupage ♬ She Share Story (for Vlog) – 山口夕依

What You’ll Need

• Two IKEA “MAGASIN” bread boxes. Or if you like, you can go with this similar model from Amazon.
• Four hairpin-style cabinet legs
• Bottle of waterproof wood glue
• Masking tape
• 180-grit sandpaper
• Latex primer
• 100% acrylic latex paint of your preferred color
• Paintbrush
• Flat, heavy object
• Screwdriver or impact driver
• Wet cloth

Directions

• Flip one of your two breadboxes upside down and lay a bead of wood glue along the perimeter of the bottom.
• Place the second breadbox carefully on top of the first, lining up the bottom edges of the two boxes so the glue bonds them together symmetrically.
• Ensure the two boxes are perfectly aligned with each other, then lay a flat, heavy object (i.e., a stack of books) on top of the top box to weigh it down and ensure a strong glue joint.
• Wipe away any excess glue that squeezes out along the joint using a wet cloth.
• Allow the glue to dry overnight.
• Decide where you’d like to paint your table and choose a color. Painting the top and bottom surfaces and door handles while leaving the rest unpainted gives a nice contrast.
• Lightly sand the areas you want to paint using 180-grit paper. This boosts paint adhesion.
• Vacuum away any dust.
• Mask any areas you don’t want to paint, then apply primer and paint. Allow enough time for the paint to dry.
• Use a screwdriver or impact driver to fasten four hairpin legs symmetrically to the bottom of your table.

Since then the charming lifestyle icon has built a veritable empire of tidying, including a second book, Spark Joy (2016), and two Netflix series — Tidying Up with Marie Kondo (2019) and Sparking Joy with Marie Kondo (2021). Both shows feature Kondo helping the less organized discover their inner neat freaks and embrace the joys of cleanliness.

Her name has become so synonymous with tidying that it’s often used as a slang verb: “She helps people ‘Marie Kondo’ their lives.”

What’s the Marie Kondo Method?

To “Marie Kondo” means employing her KonMari philosophy to clean, tidy and organize one’s way to well-being. The method includes six essential rules, but basically involves two steps.

First, touch everything you own and ask if it sparks joy. If it doesn’t, sell, donate or throw it away. If it does, the item must be appropriately stored among other happiness-inducing items so all are easily visible and accessible.

To Kondo, this organization can lead to inner peace because, she says, “tidying up means dealing with all the ‘things’ in your life.” Curious readers can experiment with the KonMari method on one category of items first, like folding clothes.

Has Marie Kondo Given up on Tidying?

Marie Kondo returned to the spotlight last year to promote her new book, Marie Kondo Karashi at Home (2022). She made waves on her press tour by confessing her home is “messy” now and she has “kind of given up on tidying.” Say it isn’t so!

Her reasons for her newly cluttered home are incredibly sweet, though. She cites the birth of her third child as the primary factor.

“My home is messy, but the way I am spending my time is the right way for me at this time at this stage of my life,” she told the Washington Post.

“Up until now, I was a professional tidier, so I did my best to keep my home tidy at all times … I have kind of given up on that, in a good way for me. Now I realize what is important to me is enjoying spending time with my children at home.”

What is Kurashi?

Kondo’s new life philosophy ties in beautifully to the Japanese concept of kurashi, roughly meaning “the ideal way of spending our time” or “way of life.”

According to Kondo, kurashi takes a holistic approach to well-being, including her signature organization and mindfulness. But it also recognizes a tidy environment as the foundation for realizing one’s dream life, not necessarily an end unto itself. In embodying this balance, the reader can intentionally identify what they want out of life and consciously cultivate those goals.

How Can I Employ Kurashi In My Life?

To start, try being grateful while envisioning what your ideal life may look like — not just your ideal home space. Above all, remember that “perfect is the enemy of the good.” A little gratitude or a little tidying can go a long way toward finding happiness.

So when I heard about popular cleaning guru FlyLady, who has been around since 2001, I had to check her out. Her cleaning method is more than just one simple idea or hack. Her website is full of cleaning and productivity tips, including a mandate about shining your sink every day.

FlyLady (aka Marla Cilley) believes cleaning is best tackled when broken into zones and bite-sized chunks. As she says, “Your home did not get dirty in one day, and it will not get clean in a day, either.”

Overall, FlyLady says cleaning should not be stressful. By utilizing her daily and weekly routines, you can make cleaning and organizing more manageable.

Her daily routine includes getting fully dressed every day to increase productivity. Then shine the kitchen sink, empty the dishwasher and do a load of laundry.

FlyLady also recommends a “weekly home blessing hour.” She identifies seven quick-clean tasks that take ten minutes each: vacuum, dust, mop, polish mirrors, purge papers, change sheets and empty all trash cans.

“Don’t obsess, set your timer for 10 minutes for each task, then quit!” says FlyLady.

But here’s the kicker: Before you can clean your home, FlyLady says it must be free of clutter. Her secret? This 15-minute decluttering method.

What Is the 15-Minute FlyLady Decluttering Method?

Set a timer and spend 15 minutes a day decluttering. That’s it!

The timer helps you stay on task so you don’t wander off to dust the baseboards when you should be recycling junk mail. The time limit also keeps you from burning out and giving up.

FlyLady suggests focusing each week on one of her five house zones: entrance, kitchen, guest bathroom/guest room, master bedroom/bathroom and living room/TV room. By spending just 15 minutes a day in one zone each week, your whole house will be decluttered before you know it.

Does This Decluttering Method Work?

Yes. Anyone can do anything for 15 minutes, and you’ll be surprised how much you can accomplish.

By focusing on one area, you’ll see gradual progress every day. And by narrowing your work to one zone, you’ll be forced to face all those neglected places where clutter accumulates — the overstuffed linen closet, the cabinet of food storage containers and the chaotic kitchen junk drawer.

Should You Try This Decluttering Method?

If you have problem areas in your home you never seem to get to, or you feel overwhelmed by the task, FlyLady’s 15-minute decluttering method is a great solution.

For those of us who don’t like to stop until a project is completed, this method could be aggravating. Once I’m in the organizing mindset, I don’t want to stop! On the other hand, sticking to the time limit would keep me from decluttering all day long and neglecting the other things on my to-do list.

What About the Other FlyLady Lessons?

Besides the decluttering method, FlyLady has many other tips and tricks for keeping your home clean and organized. Here are a few that caught our eye:

• Swish and swipe: FlyLady suggests doing this in your bathroom every day. Keep your favorite glass cleaner and roll of paper towels in your bathroom. When you’re done getting ready for the day, instead of leaving it a disaster, take a moment to swish water in the sink and then swipe it clean! Spray the mirror and counters and wipe. It’s a simple idea but makes a big difference if you turn it into a daily habit.
• 27 fling boogie: This is another clever tool to help you declutter. Walk through your home with a garbage bag and collect 27 items. Do not stop until you have 27. Then close the garbage bag and throw it away. Next, take an empty box and go through your home collecting 27 items to give away. As soon as you finish filling the box, take it to the car so you can donate it on your next errand run. Easy!
• Shine your sink: If you feel overwhelmed by a messy home, FlyLady says to start by shining your sink. It may not seem like the most important task, but the idea is to give you a sense of accomplishment. Once your sink is empty and sparkling, you’re ready to tackle the next decluttering or cleaning job. “When you get up the next morning,” FlyLady says, “your clean sink will greet you, and a smile will come across your lovely face.”

“That’s what we start with,” she says. “How do you experience your space? How does it affect you? It does impact you, drastically. We know when we’re in a space we feel good in, and that’s what feng shui comes down to. How do you use your space to support yourself?”

What Is Feng Shui?

According to Kaufman, certified by the Feng Shui Institute of America as a practitioner, feng shui (pronounced “fung shway”) is a 3,000-year-old philosophy and environmental science. The Chinese developed it after watching animals interacting with their environments.

“Everyone is busy right now,” Kaufman says. “Today’s lifestyle leaves us with little time to contemplate our surroundings. [The] coronavirus was an eye-opener for many people. Our homes looked like offices and vice versa.”

This, she says, sent design-savvy homeowners and interior designers into overdrive trying to warm up their homes during the pandemic. These efforts ranged from kitchen and bath design to wall coverings and paint colors.

What Does Feng Shui Actually Mean?

It literally translates to wind-water. It focuses on how the environment affects your life, inside and out.

Feng shui concerns itself with how we’re interwoven with nature, and how the elements of nature and the environment, when in balance, lead to harmony and well-being. This can be different for every person.

How to Feng Shui a Space

There are five basic steps:

Step 1: Determine the ‘why’

The WHY is your everything, Kaufman says. “It drives what you’re doing,” she says. “The what is less important than the why.”

Ask yourself: Is the change for a crisis? Life change? Relationship issue? Just tired and want a change? It all starts with this self-assessment.

Step 2: Map out your plan

The bagua, a series of eight symbols that represent reality and the elements, are the core of the space planning portion of the process.

Kaufman says she practices “pyramid feng shui,” which acknowledges space planning is different if you exist in a different hemisphere than China. The bagua is essentially a magic square — a grid of nine smaller squares that help you plan your space. It begins at your doorway or the entrance to the room you want to change.

“In China, they do this planning based on the compass,” Kaufman says. “In the U.S. it’s more about how we live and what we do — enhancing what you want, diminishing what you don’t, and acknowledging the role of the individual. No two people are the same.”

Step 3: Examine the five elements

Like many other philosophies and cultures, feng shui is based on the circle of life, an interwoven series of relationships based on five elements: air, water, fire, earth and metal.

“The seed germinates in water and grows to become a tree,” Kaufman says. “The tree is wood, which matures and burns in a fire. It returns to ash and the ash returns to the earth, which over time becomes metal. And water flows over it all, washing it and smoothing it.”

Phrases like “red-hot rage” or “down to earth” refer back to these elements and often represent the most logical solutions to a problem you’re trying to solve. Feeling stressed and angry? One design option incorporates the soothing hues of water into your space. Exhausted or unmotivated? Light a fire with warmer colors, or enhance your fireplace.

Step 4: Clear the clutter

Sometimes this step comes first, Kaufman says. But if not, this is the time to do it.

“Clutter blocks energy and your mind. It’s not good for you,” she says. “Somehow through the process of clearing the clutter, things come into tune much better.” By decluttering, energy can change and flow naturally.

Step 5: Adjust

Adjust your qi (or ch’i). “This is the energy of the space,” Kaufman says.

This often gets to the heart of what people think of as feng shui. By balancing the elements and adjusting furniture, color and other aspects of a room to maximize the flow of energy, you’ve achieved a space that looks and feels right for your needs.

Additional Feng Shui Wisdom

Keep these three concerts in mind.

You don’t have to do this alone

Lots of interior designers work within some form of feng shui. Or you can find a specific practitioner, take a seminar or hire someone to handle it for you.

Kaufman says if it feels overwhelming, something is wrong. Keeping it simple is better than making it too technical. And remembering it’s practical and logical, not woo (nonsense). “People shouldn’t be afraid of it,” she says. “You can totally learn it.”

It’s not permanent

“It’s a daily practice — not a one and done,” Kaufman says. “I can’t feng shui somebody, but I can facilitate feng shui within their own environment. It’s knowing yourself, which is a journey that never ends. Where you are today will be different in a year because you’re making changes and hopefully growing. It’s a continual process.”

Harmony in your space increases your well-being

In feng shui, we’re at the center with spokes coming out, like a wheel. “Good feng shui practice can eventually lead you to other things: eating healthy, surrounding yourself with healthy products,” Kaufman says. That can include other practices like yoga and Pilates.

Merchants know that most people are working on getting their homes in order for 2023, which means incredible savings on everything from organizing problem solvers to steam cleaners. Don’t wait for these cleaning and organizing deals to expire. Take advantage of inexpensive organizers while the sales are fresh.

The Best Cleaning and Organizing Sales

• Amazon: Browse Amazon’s deals section for limited-time savings across thousands of items.
• Blueland: Save up to 30% on select sustainable cleaning kits at Blueland.
• Chemical Guys: Get car cleaners and more at incredible discounts when you shop the Chemical Guys’ Last Chance sales throughout their site.
• Dyson: Take $100 off select vacuum models during Dyson’s winter deals.
• Grove Co.: Do better for the planet and your wallet when you shop Grove’s sale section.
• iRobot: Save up to $200 on select Roomba models through January 28.
• Walmart: Pick up storage and organization essentials at up to 50% off at Walmart.
• Wayfair: Snag storage and organization for up to 40% off during Wayfair’s sale.

Our Top Picks

Steel Wire Garage Shelves

Simple to install and made of durable stainless steel, these steel garage wall shelves offer a peace of mind that lots of other must-have organizers can’t deliver. Pick up the pair at a savings of 50%. Use them to store power tools, materials or gear—these shelves hold up to 200 pounds of equipment.

iRobot Roomba 671

The iRobot 671 series works with the Roomba App or your smart home hub to set up a cleaning schedule that works with your lifestyle. An edge sweeping brush eliminates dirt in even the deepest corners, and the smart navigation allows for seamless movement through the home. Score the latest in vacuum technology while it’s listed for over $200 off.

Shop Now

Garage Storage Cabinet System

Looking for a spot to store DIYer tools that are laying around the garage? This four-piece storage system is the solution—and it’s on sale for 47% off! The system comes with two tall storage cabinets, one wall-mounted cabinet and a short standing cabinet to fit everything from nails to blueprints. Included is mounting hardware for a simple setup.

Shop Now

Gutter Cleaner Attachment for Pressure Washer

If you own a pressure washer, cleaning gutters is a breeze. This popular cleaning product is an angled gutter cleaner wand that screws onto virtually any power washer. Five interchangeable tips manipulate the pressure washer stream to accommodate different angles for a reach-free clean.

Pick one up and save 32% (and a lot of time) on gutter cleaning.

Shop Now

Chemical Guys Leather and Interior Clean Kit

For fans of leather, we have good news for you: the leather car cleaning kit from Chemical Guys is currently an incredible steal at a savings of $20. Included are a bottle of leather cleaner, leather conditioner, interior car cleaner and protectant and several tools to remove grime from seats.

Shop Now

Cabinet Pull-Out Wire Basket

Organizing for small homes is its own problem, but this two-tier pull-out cabinet organizer is here to save some space. At a savings of 49%, score a steel-framed organizer that installs into nearly any cabinet to accommodate pots, pans and lids of all sizes. As a bonus, the weight capacity is over 100 pounds, which means heirloom cast iron is welcome to the party.

Shop Now

Dyson V8 Absolute

Snag Dyson’s most affordable cordless stick vacuum for even less than the usual list price. Powerful suction, incredible maneuverability and a featherlight body make the Dyson V8 one of the best stick vacuums on the market. It picks up pet hair in a snap, thanks to the included hair screw tool. Shop now and save $100!

Shop Now

Simple Green Industrial Cleaner and Degreaser

Enjoy 58% off a super-concentrated industrial cleaner and degreaser for bathrooms, basements and kitchens. This professional-quality cleaning product boasts a biodegradable and nontoxic formula that lifts stains and dirt on everything from sinks to rugs. Simply dilute in water and start scrubbing.

Shop Now

Handheld Steam Cleaner

Steam cleaners are some of the best cleaning essentials to have on hand. Using a pressurized water tank and targeted nozzle, steam cleaners blast super hot steam at the toughest gunk to save some elbow grease. This handheld steam cleaner, available at a savings of $60, features a detergent container for added power.

Shop Now

Five-Shelf Steel Shelving

Put this muscle rack to work organizing your basement, or take advantage of the ample space and 33% discount to set up some new storage for pantry items. Easily assemble it with only a hammer—no nuts and bolts needed. Immediately enjoy storage that holds up to 4,000 pounds.

Shop Now

Shop smarter with our expert recommendations for tools, gear and money-saving deals on can’t miss DIY and home products. Sign up for the Stuff We Love newsletter.

Even if you’re an expert organizer, you probably have a few bins and boxes laying around. Sure, you could recycle them and start fresh every time you start a new project. But Melissa Gugni of Melissa Gugni Organizing says you don’t have to.

“I encourage my clients to put all of those unused bins and baskets in one space, creating a little ‘Container Store’ in their own home,” Gugni says. “There’s no shame in having a collection. Even the best of us have chosen an organizing solution that works great until it doesn’t.”

So rather than buy new the next time you feel the urge to declutter, why not create an organization center? We’ll show you how to set one up so you can “shop” your house instead of going to the store.

What Is An Organization Center?

An organization center is a dedicated place to store bins, boxes and other supplies for future projects. It can be a pantry, shelf, closet or any reasonably-sized area that works for you.

What should you keep in your organization center? Besides a few styles and sizes of containers, Gugni likes to stock blue painter’s tape for labeling, removable hooks, rolls of stick-on Velcro and cable ties.

How To Set Up An Organization Center

The first rule: Don’t go to the store and buy a bunch of bins. Gugni says to start by keeping things you already have. This can include old gift and shoe boxes, which can be repurposed into cord organizers and drawer dividers, and small glass jars for items like cotton swabs or hair ties.

Still, be discerning. Damaged or stained items should be recycled. You also shouldn’t save so much that you can’t find what you need when you need it.

Where you put the organization center matters, too. “It’s important that this stash gets a home that is easy to access and see, or it is likely to be forgotten the next time the organizing itch needs scratching,” Gugni says.

And consider downsizing if you start to feel overwhelmed by the number of things in your center. Even organizing supplies can become too much of a good thing, Gugni says.

How To Use An Organization Center

It’s simple. When you start a new project, make your organization center your first stop. Use your supplies as you sort and pare down, then your container stash to create the neat, useful space you envision.

“It’s such a good reminder to declutter, measure and assess what you have before heading to the store for more,” Gugni says. “The majority of my clients already have most of the supplies that they need, once we declutter and repurpose them.”

One more pro tip: Share the wealth! Gugni encourages friends to shop each other’s organizing stash, as well as their own, before heading to the store. Look into Buy Nothing groups, too. These communities offer hyper-local “sharing circles” where members give, share and lend without buying new.

“Buy Nothing groups can be a gold mine for canisters and other organizing goods that haven’t worked for others,” Gugni says.

Kitchen Island Cart

Living in a small apartment means needing clever studio apartment storage ideas. Your kitchen may not be big enough for a sprawling island, but a small kitchen cart can work wonders. It doesn’t take up much room while providing needed storage and work space.

@anaisazacarpio painted her kitchen cart pink and added faux marble peel and stick countertop paper to give it a custom look. The lower shelves hold kids’ snacks in baskets for easy access while keeping the unattractive packaging hidden away.

Wall Hook Bike Rack

Fed up with his bikes laying all over the garage, @gavjitsu attached heavy-duty bike hooks to the wall to store them vertically.

First, mount two planks of wood to the wall studs to ensure a sturdy hold, then install as many hooks as you need along the wood. The rubber-coated hooks protect the bike from scratches and hold up to 50 pounds.

The survey reported the size of kitchens continues to grow, with additional food storage and prep areas like butler’s and food prep pantries. We turned to two experts to find out why pantries are in demand.

What Is a Pantry?

Some may remember their grandparents’ pantry, often a small alcove or closet off the kitchen or in the basement where canned goods and nonperishables were stored. But as refrigerators got larger and more efficient, the availability of fresh foods and takeout increased. Pantries shrank or disappeared altogether.

Chris Alexakis, interior designer and founder of CabinetSelect, says a modern pantry typically contains cabinets, shelves, drawers and other features to maximize space and functionality.

“To be considered a pantry, it must have at least one door to close off the room and should have counter space, sink, shelving, drawers and possibly electricity,” he says.

Alexakis notes that when creating a pantry, it’s important to tailor the space to fit the client’s specific needs. “For instance, if you plan on using the pantry for food storage and preparation, you may want to include additional appliances, such as a refrigerator or microwave,” he says.

What Is a Butler’s Pantry?

A butler’s pantry is a separate room between the dining room and kitchen, Alexakis says. Typically larger than a regular pantry, it includes features such as counter space, a sink and cabinets for food and dish storage.

These pantries are often designed for families who entertain a lot. He says the extra space can be a staging area for food preparation and serving prior to bringing it into the dining room.

Why Are Pantries Making a Comeback Now?

Aaron Jerez, CEO and founder of Home Bar Select, says, “With the rise of healthy eating trends, pantries are increasingly popular because they provide the extra storage space needed for healthy dry goods such as grains and legumes.”

Butler’s pantries may be more popular now due to homeowners spending more time at home and entertaining more since the pandemic began in 2020. Also, butler’s pantries keep main kitchen areas cleaner and better organized.

Some homeowners want a multi-purpose pantry that doubles as a space for crafting, painting or studying.

Another reason for pantry popularity? “A pantry adds an element of luxury and sophistication to any home,” Jerez says. Pantries can be customized to fit any decor style, from bare bones to total decadence.

If you have family members with strict dietary restrictions, a panty gives you more space to keep foods separated. This can be especially beneficial for large or intergenerational households.

Ways To Add a Pantry To Your Kitchen

If you want a pantry but can’t figure out where to fit one into your kitchen, Jerez suggests these clever ideas:

• Take some space from a garage.
• Convert an outdated built-in desk area.
• Adapt unused kitchen cabinets or counter space.
• Convert a hallway closet.

Alexakis suggests:

• Open up an entryway and add shelves.
• Mine unused spaces, like under the stairs.
• Add a cabinet system to create efficient storage in a small space.
• Install a sliding barn door on a nook or cranny to create pantry space.

One of our personal favorite hacks comes from Instagram cabinet expert Michelle Phillips, who shared her method for installing two low-profile IKEA drawers behind her existing high-profile IKEA drawer front. This cleverly allows her to keep the aesthetic appeal of a taller drawer while doubling her storage. Even better? It’s completely reversible, so those who rent won’t jeopardize that security deposit!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Michelle Phillips (@phlippingourhome)

How to Install Low-Profile Drawers

This hack works best for those who are already using the best-selling IKEA Maximera drawer and a medium (10-inch-tall) IKEA drawer front, such as the Axstad. For this hack, you’ll be replacing the medium Maximera drawer with two low-profile Maximera drawers in the same width as your cabinet, and adding one low-profile Utrasta drawer front. You’ll also need a screwdriver.

Once you’ve gathered your materials, start by removing the original drawer and 10-inch drawer front. Then, detach the drawer front from the old drawer.

Next, assemble the Maximera drawers according to IKEA’s instructions. Attach the low-profile Utrusta door front to one of the Maximera drawers. Attach the 10-inch drawer front to the other, ensuring that the drawer is placed at the bottom of the front, to place the other shallow drawer on top.

Lastly, install the new drawer tracks with the screwdriver, three pegs down from the top of the cabinet and inset. Roll the top shallow drawer in on the new tracks, then slide the shallow drawer attached to the original drawer front in on the lower tracks.

Voila! Now you have two drawers where you originally had one and can maintain the attractive façade of the original drawer front.

More Kitchen Storage Hacks

To get even more out of your kitchen cabinets, be sure to check out these cheap cabinet add-ons for concealed storage. Now is also the perfect time to repair any cabinets that may be stuck, misaligned, or just worn out. Finally—if you’re really on an organizational kick right now—why not de-clutter the entire kitchen with these sanity-saving storage tips or try out another IKEA storage hack, an IKEA bread box table. With a well-organized kitchen, making any meal becomes a joy!

Best Overall

Wheeled Under Bed Storage Set

With a locking lid, clear construction and a moveable base, the wheeled under bed storage set provides a quality combination of security and convenience. Dual latches allow one side of the lid to act as a hinge while opening the other, making it easy to quickly close back up when you’re finished. Stack these rolling under bed storage boxes on top of one another without taking up too much extra space thanks to their recessed lids. Whether you’re packing items away for the long term or want to get to them frequently, this set is an excellent storage solution.

Pros

• Comes with four wheels and two secure clasps
• Includes four stackable boxes
• Made with transparent plastic

Cons

• Containers are all the same size

Shop Now

Repurposed Doorway

When @annieswanhome remodeled her bathroom, she combined two spaces, leaving her with an unneeded doorway. Instead of covering the door opening with drywall, she solved two problems by converting the space into storage!

Recessing glass shelves within the old doorway preserved precious floor space. She surrounded the area with an ornate silver frame for a custom, glamorous finishing touch.

First, it’s important to understand hoarding is a distinct psychological disorder that goes beyond clutter. That’s according to Joseph Kim, an assistant professor at the Huntsman Mental Health Institute with a doctorate in clinical psychology.  “Not a lot is known about why people develop hoarding problems,” he says.

Many people develop symptoms before age 20. But for at least a quarter of people, the disorder comes on after age 40 or 50. Unfortunately, limited evidence exists for effective treatment, Kim says, although some studies have shown promise.

What Is Clutter?

“Clutter is anything that doesn’t have a home,” says Brenda Scott, a professional home organizer and owner of Tidy My Space. “It’s the stuff that no one knows where it belongs, so it gets dropped anywhere and everywhere.”

This doesn’t always mean you have piles of stuff everywhere, Scott says. It’s more about constantly moving things around, fruitlessly searching for things or lacking storage solutions.

What Is Hoarding?

“Hoarding refers to a behavior where someone has difficulty throwing away or letting go of their possessions, even if they may not have much value,” Kim says. People with hoarding disorder may save boxes, plastic bags and junk mail, Kim says. “This difficulty is thought to be caused by a strong urge to save items and distress around throwing them away,” he says.

Kim says people in any age group can develop hoarding disorder, but how it manifests and the risks involved present unique problems for older adults.

Older adults have “more physical ailments, a greater likelihood of having cognitive difficulties, and a higher risk of social isolation associated with the context of aging,” Kim says. “Each of these factors can cause a greater adverse impact on mental and physical health caused by hoarding behavior.”

Clutter vs. Hoarding

Kim says hoarding differs significantly from clutter. “Many people may be surprised to hear hoarding disorder is at its core a type of anxiety disorder,” Kim says. “This is because anxiety — of throwing away objects — is a fundamental driver of what causes hoarding behavior.”

People with hoarding disorder often lack insight into their behavior. That’s why television show-style interventions offer superficial solutions, Kim says, and don’t address the underlying behavioral patterns.

“When something like this happens without improving insight, or addressing the underlying anxiety [or other psychiatric issues] that promote hoarding behavior, patients are very likely to re-accumulate hoarded objects,” he says.

So while we all deal with clutter from time to time, hoarding is a distinct disorder that will not be solved by just getting rid of the hoard. Kim says it’s similar to taking alcohol from a person with an alcohol use disorder. “We do not expect them to get better just from that, do we?” he says.

Do I Hoard or Am I Just Messy?

According to the American Psychiatric Association, diagnosing hoarding disorder may include asking the following questions:

• Do you have trouble parting with possessions, whether discarding, donating, recycling or selling?
• Is it difficult for you to use the rooms and surfaces of your home due to the clutter?
• Does hoarding, saving, acquisition and clutter affect your daily functioning? To what extent?
• How much do these symptoms interfere with school, work, social or family life?
• How much distress do your symptoms cause you?

Impacts of Clutter on Your Home

A cluttered home is harder to clean, which contributes to higher concentrations of allergens like dust mites. Dust mites don’t stay in the air like pet allergens, but they settle on everything. Reducing clutter is key to removing the places dust mites live, according to the American Lung Association.

Reducing clutter also makes your home safer. Excess clutter creates combustibles that can provide fuel in a house fire, Scott says, and prevent emergency services from reaching you quickly.

Impacts of Hoarding on Your Home

Hoarding disorder creates significant safety and hygiene issues for the home, Kim says, particularly for older adults.

“The majority of older adults with hoarding problems will experience substantial difficulty moving through their home: using their sofa, refrigerator, kitchen sink, bathtub, as well as difficulty preparing food,” he says.

Hoarding can also damage your home’s structure, according to the International Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Foundation.

• Pest infestations: Rodents may chew through walls or wiring. Pests can migrate to other homes and apartments.
• Stress on building materials: Weight from hoarded items can exceed load limits of the structure.
• Flooding or fire risk: This comes with unmaintained pipes, heating systems and electrical wiring.

How To Start Decluttering When You Feel Overwhelmed

Scott offers these tips for people who feel overwhelmed at the prospect of decluttering:

• Divide up your rooms and projects into manageable chunks. Decluttering doesn’t need to happen all at once.
• Start with things without emotional attachment, like sports equipment in the garage instead of photos and other memorabilia.
• Start with the area that would give you the greatest sense of accomplishment, or that’s causing you the most stress.

Downsizing often comes with natural life transitions. And with today’s cost-of-living crisis, soaring real estate prices and the rise in interest rates, more and more people are opting for a “less is more” lifestyle that may require some measure of downsizing.

Whatever your reason, if you’re planning to downsize but don’t know where to start, here are some tips that could make the job easier, less stressful and maybe even fun.

Start Early

Allowing yourself plenty of time to sift and sort through your possessions has its advantages:

• Gives you a feeling of control and accomplishment;
• Provides the opportunity to reflect on decisions about belongings;
• Helps avoid the stress of a last-minute rush job.

Work by Category

Decluttering is the first step to a successful downsizing effort. To make the process more manageable, Michele Vig, founder and chief organizer of Neat Little Nest, suggests going through items by categories, rather than room by room.

“It’s easier to make a decision on how many screwdrivers [you need] if you gather them up from around the house to see just how many you really have,” she says. “Same goes for shoes, sweaters, books, and the list goes on.”

Then, get rid of any duplicates, as well as items that are outdated, damaged, worn out or expired.

“Save sentimental items for last,” Vig says. Decluttering emotionally-charged items too early in the process could slow you down or bring it to a halt as you spend hours reminiscing over a shoebox full of old photographs.

Make a Checklist

Just thinking about the fate of every last thing in your home can be daunting, to say the least. Creating a checklist helps you break down the project into manageable pieces, Vig says, leaving you better able to prioritize and track your progress.

Generate a “hit list” yourself, or download Vig’s.

Let Go of What You Don’t Love or Need

Going through items can be an emotional experience, whether you’re running across long-held family heirlooms or that plaster hand-print you made in first grade. Take a page out of the Marie Kondo playbook and approach each by asking yourself not only if an item brings you joy, but if it fits into the new lifestyle you’re envisioning for yourself. If not, let it go.

Tactics to help ease the loss:

• Take a photo of it;
• Give it to a family member or close friend;
• Share stories about the item with people;
• Know it’s always there in your memory.

Purge the Paperwork

The cardinal rule of downsizing: Don’t keep what you don’t have to. Paperwork is an easy target on this front. Think bank statements, tax returns more than seven years old, restaurant receipts, expired appliance warranties, junk mail, etc.

Check with your city or county to see if there’s a community shredding event on the horizon. Or invest in a good home shredder to destroy anything containing personal information, like account or social security numbers. Have nightly shred time while watching TV or listening to your favorite podcast, then recycle.

Give Away, Donate or Sell

Getting items into the hands of a more appreciative owner can be a great motivator, along with netting some money in the process.

Are there family members who might want or need the item? Local charities? Thrift or consignment shops? Don’t rule out a yard sale, either. While the garbage is a fine final option, you may be surprised at how many of your unwanted items can be recycled, donated or sold.

Top apps and websites to get rid of your stuff:

• Nextdoor: Connects with your neighbors.
• Facebook Marketplace: Offers local or national reach.
• Decluttr: Electronics focused.
• Poshmark: Clothing re-sale.
• Esty or eBay: Vintage items and collectables.

Ask for Help

Downsizing can be stressful. For some, the one-two punch of decision-making and dealing with the fallout of those decisions can produce enough anxiety to warrant support, Vig says. She recommends recruiting friends and family to help.

That might mean setting up accountability check-ins, coming over to help make decisions or picking up your unwanted items ASAP, so you can’t change your mind.

And, of course, there’s always the option of calling in a pro, who can guide you as well as speed up the process. Hourly rates vary, but expect an average fee of around $100 an hour for a team of two organizers or $250 for a three-person team.

Task Lamp

This is one of the top lighting decisions you have to make for a home office: Choosing the light to view your important (and not-so-important) documents, drafts and to-do lists.

While overhead lights can create glare or shadows, task lamps reduce both, which is soothing to the eye and the spirit. Task lamps, like this one, often have metal shades that direct the light to a specific spot on your desk.

Many have adjustable arms, joints or shades, too. That way you can shine the light exactly where you need it, no matter what type of work you’re doing.

Use a Closet Organizer System

Are your closets and garage overflowing with stuff? Are your kitchen cabinets stuffed to capacity? You don’t need to spend a lot of money to find new storage space in your home. You just need these decluttering strategies from our organizational gurus to organize every room of your house.

For economy and quick installation, you can’t beat wire-shelving systems; you can outfit a typical closet in an afternoon. You easily build your own closet organizer, adapting the plans to your specific needs and DIY skill level. You can also buy a pre-made system, but before you go shopping, go online to check out the options, accessories and installation steps.

Create Extra Space With Risers

According to home organizer @katys_organized_home, cabinet risers make all the difference when organizing kitchen cabinets. A riser elevates stacks of dishes and creates extra space underneath to slide plates or bowls. It’s a great way to maximize all the vertical space in a cabinet that otherwise would be wasted.

Clear risers like these give your cabinet a professional look and don’t add visual clutter.

Assess Your Closet Space

To start, pull everything out – yes, everything. Even the shirt you just wore last week. Part of decluttering and cutting down is knowing exactly how much you have to begin with. This will give you a fresh start in your newly organized closet.

Next, assess the setup of the closet for the clothing you own. Does it fit your wardrobe? Do you need more space for hanging clothes, or do you have more casual items that can be folded? With the closet empty, think about structural changes that might need to be addressed. Would you benefit from adding another hanging rod, cubby organizers, or shelving?

Finally, before you put anything back into the closet, use this opportunity to clean and vacuum it.

Sort Your Clothing

Sort clothing into four piles – keep, try on, give and seasonal. Everything you own should fit into one of these four categories, and breaking the bulk into smaller piles will make the task friendlier. You can use a few empty laundry baskets or other storage containers to help make the process easier. If you don’t have four baskets, that’s fine, just use your bed, the couch, the floor, etc. to sort clothing.

• Keep – Before putting an item back in your closet, ask yourself this: Does this fit? Have I worn it in the last year? Is it still in good, clean condition? Do I feel good wearing it? If the answer is no to any of these questions, consider redirecting it to another pile. Hang or fold any keep clothes and put them back in the closet.
• Try On – Trying on all undecided clothing at once is much easier than each piece as you sort through it. Keep any clothing that fits and you still enjoy. Put the clothes on a hanger or fold them neatly and put them back in the closet. Anything else should filter down to the Give pile. If necessary, keep a small pile of undecided items and return to them at the very end where you might have an easier time making a decision.
• Give – Unwanted and unworn clothing clutters up your closet for no reason. Considering donating used clothing or hosting a clothing swap with friends. Remember, just because it’s a great shirt, it doesn’t mean you’re ever going to wear it – but someone else might love to.
• Seasonal – Clothing specific to one season has no need to be in your closet the rest of the year. Store these items away until the right season in storage bins, under bed boxes, garment racks or spare closets. Make sure when you take your seasonal clothing back out, you remove any past-season clothes from your closet, always keeping some in seasonal storage.

Don’t forget to go through your clothing storage outside of the closet – follow the same process with dressers, trunks and coat closets. If dresser drawers have become cluttered, use fabric or spring-action drawer dividers to keep smaller items organized.

Create Space for Clothing That Doesn’t Need to Be Washed

Clothing that you’ve worn that doesn’t need to be washed just yet can create clutter. To prevent that, use decorative baskets, bins or robe hooks to store those items before washing. Not only will that help keep clutter from building up, it’ll keep those clothes from wrinkling in a pile on the floor.

Repeat the Decluttering Process Regularly

It’s best to accept the fact that your closet is going to get cluttered again. But to help manage the problem, it’s useful to do this again on a regular basis. The easiest way is to set a calendar reminder to revisit this process once or twice a year, but if you have another system for making regular reminders to yourself, just plug in closet decluttering to the list.

@oliverviolet.collection

It’s sweater weather! #sahmom #momunder25 #momsunder30 #momofgirls #girlsmom #girlmomclub #girlmomlife #smallbusinesscheck #momsoftiktokclub

♬ Sweater Weather – Junior Franky Ibarra

Macramé Hammock

This macramé hammock from @oliverviolet.collection keeps stuffed animals organized and off the floor and looks beautiful doing it. The macramé hammock is made with three durable wooden rings that hang on the included stainless steel hooks. You can easily install this yourself in the corner of your child’s bedroom or playroom.

“I think you know in your gut that it’s time to start letting go,” says Mary Cornetta, chief executive officer of Organized Overall. “[It’s time] when the clutter really starts to stress you out, you’re misplacing things more frequently, and the floors and countertops are starting to disappear.”

But knowing you need to declutter and actually decluttering are different things. It’s hard to take that first step because the task seems so overwhelming. It’s not hopeless, though. If you’re ready to start, Cornetta’s expert techniques will get you on the path to organization, without the stress.

Start With the Easy Stuff

The first things to go? “Anything with an expiration date,” says Cornetta, who also founded and owns Sort and Sweet professional organizers.

Getting rid of “no-brainer” items like expired medicines and stale food works wonders for your confidence. Open up your medicine cabinet and check the bottles and boxes. Next, tackle the pantry. Ditch anything expired or empty.

“As you gain confidence in your decluttering skills, you can move on to a space like your closet,” says Cornetta. It’s hard to part with our things, so it pays to start with something that doesn’t require much thinking. If it’s out of date, get rid of it — no decision-making needed.

Pick a Small Space

Another way to jump into decluttering is starting small.

Most of us have a junk drawer in the kitchen, or several. Cornetta says decluttering a small space like a drawer, your purse or a backpack is a great first step, especially if you don’t have a lot of time. “Doing a little decluttering is better than doing none at all!” she says.

So take 15 minutes and go through your sock drawer. You’ll feel better and gain confidence to tackle bigger spaces.

Bring in a Friend

Friends are there for us through thick and thin — job changes, breakups and the daily grind of life. If you’re feeling overwhelmed about the prospect of decluttering your home, enlist a buddy to help.

This works great for people who work well in teams, says Cornetta. And if a friend won’t tell you those old jeans have to go, who will?

Professional organizers are an option too, Cornetta says. And don’t overlook your family members. “If the clutter is your partner’s or kid’s, it’s really important to include them,” she says. “Not only is it their stuff to make decisions on, it takes the load off of only you.”

Make a Schedule

If you’re eager to declutter but can’t seem to kick-start the process, Cornetta recommends scheduling dates on your calendar. Scheduling declutter days will keep you from backsliding, too. Clutter seems to magically accumulate, but knowing there’s a declutter date around the corner can ease your mind.

“Look at the year ahead and schedule two closet decluttering days, four for skincare, makeup and medicine, and monthly or bimonthly sessions for the pantry,” Cornetta says. Choose a schedule that makes sense for you and stick to it.

Make Your Bed Every Day

Do you make your bed? It’s a great way to get you in the right frame of mind for decluttering and staying organized, says Cornetta. “This simple 60-second act will set the tone for the rest of your room (and day),” she says.

Most people make their beds at least some of the time, according to the National Sleep Foundation. If you’re one of the bed-making majority, make the effort to do it every day to give yourself a boost. And if you’re not, it’s a great time to start.

Declutter Regularly

If you’re struggling with clutter and need another incentive to streamline, here’s a tip: If you can make it part of your routine, over time you’ll reduce your workload around the house. A clutter-free home means less time spent cleaning and searching for things.

“Having less stuff means having less to clean up or tidy,” Cornetta says. “Decluttering regularly is really the most powerful way to stay organized.”

• Cover your boat unless you plan to wash the interior as well.

Well, worry no more! If you have wooden drawer slides, these two easy fixes will ensure they’ll open on command.

Wooden vs. Metal Drawer Slides

Drawers are pretty much useless if they won’t open. That’s why they require some kind of slide, also called runners, to move in and out. And that’s usually how they tend to get stuck.

Metal drawer slides are the most common today, and they offer some distinct advantages. Ball bearings in metal slides let drawers glide smoothly. They also, typically, include an automatic stop function, so drawers don’t fall out when you pull them too far. If you’re adding drawers to a project, metal slides will definitely shave off some time.

If you’re a woodworker or know your way around handcrafted furniture, you’re probably familiar with wooden drawer slides. Of course, they aren’t limited to fine furniture. Wooden drawer slides in workbenches keep tools and other supplies handy and tidy. Done right, wooden drawer slides can hold more weight than metal ones, important for storing heavy tools.

One downside to wooden drawer slides: Humidity can cause the wood to expand, leading to more stuck drawers. Fortunately, there are a couple of easy ways to deal with stuck wooden drawer slides.

How to Fix Sticking Wooden Drawer Slides

Wax

Rub paraffin wax on the parts of drawers where the wood meets. You’ll find paraffin wax almost anywhere, from hobby and craft stores to the canning supplies section in your local grocery store. In a pinch you can also use candles, bar soap or even dry spray lubricant.

Nylon tape

For a more permanent fix, apply nylon drawer slide tape to the parts that come in contact with each other. You can find self-adhesive nylon tape at most home stores.

The tape won’t stick to wax or dirt, so prep the surface first by lightly sanding it with 100-grit sandpaper and then vacuuming the dust. Then simply cut the tape to length with scissors, peel off the back and stick it onto the wooden drawer runner.

What are magnetic hooks?

The top-rated DIYMag Magnet Hooks are universally handy—magnetize them to any metal surface and instantly add storage space. More than 600 Amazon ratings attest that this popular DIY product is one of the most budget-friendly ways to organize any room in your house. The hooks offer a unique storage solution for small kitchens that are short on space and make use of that under-sink area you don’t know what to do with. They also help you add organizing power to your stove, sink and cabinets by using your kitchen’s vertical space.

Plus, right now, you can find the hooks marked down by 31%. At just over $10 per set on sale, they’re a super functional addition to everyone’s list. We’re scooping up several sets.

Why We Love the DIYMag Magnetic Hooks Set

These magnetic hooks may seem like a humble little DIY gadget, but don’t let their unassuming appearance fool you. What sets the DIYMag hooks apart from other storage and organizing tools is how ridiculously easy they are to install. Just unpack them and affix them to any magnetic surface, like a metallic shed wall, magnetic kitchen strip, refrigerator or oven. No installation tools necessary!

Not only that, but these heavy-duty magnets will not budge, even under heavy weight. They can bear up to 36 pounds when hung horizontally, and an impressive 110 pounds hanging vertically. That means you can feel confident hanging even bulky items like cast iron pans, plants and garage tools.

Our Home Editor plans on using them to hold cooking tools and aprons in her kitchen, as well as putting several along a mud room wall to keep her children’s backpacks and winter coats off the floor. The rust-free and corrosion-free nickel plating makes them ideal for heavy-traffic areas prone to humidity swings, so they’ll last for years to come.

Easy use and durability are features that verified Amazon reviewers like Alexandra M. can’t stop raving about. She writes, “The magnet is super strong. It practically jumps out of your fingers and attaches itself to the metal. I hang heavy jackets on it, and it does not slide down. Some people even have heavy frames hanging. Best hooks ever!”

Where to Buy Our Favorite Storage Tool

Amazon is the only place to score the DIYMag Magnetic Hooks, and you can snag them now for 31% off! We wouldn’t be surprised if these magnetic hooks sold out quickly, so stock up while you’ve got the chance. Just think of all the things you can hang (and organize)!

Shop Now

Shop smarter with our expert recommendations for tools, gear and money-saving deals on can’t miss DIY and home products. Sign up for the Stuff We Love newsletter.

What Is a Berry Ave. Mop & Broom Holder?

The Berry Ave. Broom & Garden Accessories Holder is a brilliant product under $15 that organizes all your stuff. It neatly mounts to garage walls, sheds, utility rooms, laundry areas and other places you might keep your cleaning and gardening tools. While it’s described as a mop and broom holder, it easily holds rakes, garden hoes, shears and Swiffer devices with ease. The commercial-grade hanger has a 35-pound weight capacity that makes storing several robust tools at once a breeze. Spring loaded, double rubber-gripped slots store wet mops, dusty rakes, muddy baseball bats and other long-handled garage items without slipping. It also comes in a variety of colors including black, gray, white and beige to suit almost every type of wall.

How to Use a Mop and Broom Holder

Adding a Berry Ave. Mop & Broom Holder to any storage room or closet is an excellent way to keep clutter and safety hazards off floors. It can organize foyer closets by keeping clunky umbrellas from falling over and taking up valuable closet real estate. It also works to easily organize your garage by getting garden tools into one collected, neatly-arranged spot on the wall of your choice. The plastic-based mount weighs just half a pound and includes all the screws and anchors requires to get it up in a matter of minutes. Reviewers note that it is “as fast as five minutes to get up on typical walls.” The ease of use and affordable price point makes it one of the best-selling organizer products on Amazon with over 53,000 ratings and a nearly-perfect 4.5-star average.

The Best Amazon User Reviews

“Absolutely love this product,” writes one five-star Amazon reviewer. “I cleaned my laundry room last week and wanted to organize all my brooms, mops and even a mini vacuum. This handled the job and then some! It installed in minutes and is very strong. Love the added hooks!”

Rob, another verified Amazon purchaser, writes, “I’m a repeat customer! I purchased one broom holder to organize the garden tools like the rake, hoe, cultivator, shovel, etc. in our garage and by alternating the tops of the tools up and down, I was able to fit them neatly in the holder. I liked it so much that I’m going to install another next to it for the other items. The hooks are a nice feature to hold gloves and a simple plastic bag to hold things when needed. The installation kit was very helpful. I was able to install it without using a drill.”

“I am in love with this little gadget!” shares another verified Amazon purchaser. “I was stacking my mops and brooms in my laundry room corner, but now I have them hanging in my garage. It is so easy to grab a broom or mop; they just slide out. I am super impressed with this product!”

Where to Buy a Berry Ave. Mop & Broom Holder

The Berry Ave. Mop & Broom Holder is available on Amazon in sets of one, two or four. Prices start below $20, and you can also find an option for a single mop and broom holder with an added small broom holder. That attachment gets rave reviews from athletes looking to hang their baseball bats and tennis racquets. Add one to your cart immediately if you have sporting equipment to organize, because this model tends to sell out!

Shop Now

Shop smarter with our expert recommendations for tools, gear and money-saving deals on can’t miss DIY and home products. Sign up for the Stuff We Love newsletter.

I’ve flip-flopped on this for years. At one point I lugged a toolbox so big and heavy I outfitted a furniture dolly with a custom-built rack, just so I could move it onto the jobsite.

These days, all the leading tool brands feature modular, rolling tool towers. After examining several at my local home center, I picked up DeWalt’s ToughSystem 2.0 Rolling Tower and put it through its paces.

What Is The DeWalt’s ToughSystem 2.0 Rolling Tower?

The DeWalt ToughSystem 2.0 Rolling Tower consists of three toolboxes: standard, extra-large, and an even bigger one with a rolling bottom. It comes with an adjustable handle and sturdy eight-inch wheels.

Tough System 2.0 toolboxes feature spring-loaded, auto-connect side latches enabling one-handed operation, along with durable metal front latches and a padlock hasp. The dust and water resistant set comes with two large organizer cups and two removable inner trays, letting you maximize your storage space. Best of all, the Rolling Tower is compatible with any Tough System product, past or present.

Straight out of the box, Rolling Tower feels steady, strong and well-built. The molded bee-colored plastic tower is roomy, measuring almost 40 inches tall while providing nearly five cubic feet of storage space for your tools and gear.

How We Tested It

I sought to determine its capacity, maneuverability and durability. In my test I loaded almost 100 pounds of tools and gear into the Rolling Tower. Then I took it up and down stairs, across uneven terrain, and even plunged it off my pickup’s tailgate.

Towards the end, I sprayed the ToughSysytem tower with my garden hose from every angle imaginable to assess its water resistance.

Performance Review

Capacity

My first impression while loading the Rolling Tower was how spacious it is. It easily fit all the cordless tools I usually bring to a jobsite in the bottom rolling unit alone. That included a drill driver combo, oscillating tool, handheld vacuum, random orbital sander, right angle drill, 18-gauge nailer, jigsaw, reciprocating saw and a circular saw. I loaded the batteries and charger as well, no problem.

I filled the large toolbox on top with hammers, wrenches, screwdrivers and pliers, as well as my corded belt sander and router. With just these two boxes filled, the Rolling Tower was definitely heavier and more cumbersome, yet still maneuverable.

Typically, I would save the top box for my delicate tools, pencils and instruments like tape measures, squares, levels, and chisels. But for testing purposes, I threw in some more non-delicate hand tools and filled the large storage cups with screws, dowels and biscuits.

Maneuverability and durability

At this point, after accounting for its 45-pound starting weight, the DeWalt Rolling Tower weighed approximately 144 pounds according to my bathroom scale. Though hefty, it still managed to roll smoothly up and down stairs and across bumpy terrain.

I could feel the Rolling Tower’s heavy weight stressing its adjustable handle when it tipped up before rolling, or going up and down stairs. Despite my slew of rigorous tests, the handle held firm. That surprised me.

I was most afraid of the tailgate test. Counting the curb height, the fall from the bed of my midsized pickup onto soft grass measured 22 inches — above and beyond what a full toolbox should handle.

I figured the auto-connecting side latches would be the weak point, either popping apart or breaking completely. But I was wrong. The Rolling Tower stood up to the abuse and came away unscathed.

Waterproof

I emptied every tool out of all three toolboxes and wiped them clean. If water seeped into the Rolling Tower, I wanted to notice it.

I pulled out my garden hose and put the sprayer on the most powerful jet setting. I soaked the tool tower for two solid minutes. Upon inspection, I found the DeWalt ToughSystem Tower to be legitimately waterproof.

However, I was disappointed to see a couple of drops trickle down from the lid and enter near the open boxes hinges. This isn’t that big of a concern, just something to be aware of if your box gets stuck out in the rain.

Why You Should Buy This

Though nothing is flawless, the DeWalt ToughSystem 2.0 Rolling Tool Tower is close. It’s well-made and roomy enough to carry every tool you can imagine in one easy-to-transport tower. Furthermore, it’s water- and dust-proof, excelling in tests beyond everyday use.

Easy to configure and disassemble, it includes plenty of compatible accessories. It’s backed by DeWalt’s Guaranteed Tough Lifetime Limited warranty. There isn’t much more a toolbox tower could offer.

Where to Buy

The DeWalt ToughSystem 2.0 Rolling Tool Tower is available at The Home Depot.

Buy Now

Though it’s almost halfway through our short Minnesota summer, I figured it wasn’t too late to try one of these out for myself.  So I ordered the Blue Sky Outdoor Living Ridge Smokeless Fire Pit, picked up some S’mores fixings and got ready for the long Fourth of July Weekend.

What is the Blue Sky Ridge Fire Pit?

The Blue Sky Ridge is a 15-pound portable steel fire pit. It stands about 16 inches tall and 12-1/2-inches wide, and supports a decent fire in its 11-1/2-inch-wide burn chamber.

It’s a dual-fuel device, meaning it’s approved to burn standard firewood and wood pellets, or a mixture of both. When the party is winding down, the fire pit breaks down easily. Its pieces neatly nest together and slide into an included carrying bag for easy transport.

The low sheen, solid black design is modern and sleek, reminiscent of something from a 1980’s sci-fi movie. Blue Sky is also an official licensed partner of the NFL, NHL and U.S. Army. So if you’d like to support your favorite team or military branch, there are plenty of customized options for that, too.

The unit feels durable, sturdy and well-made. Plus, all Blue Sky Outdoor Living products come with a three-year limited warranty.

How We Tested it

With clear weather on the horizon and Fourth of July weekend approaching, I gathered our family and packed our vehicle a long weekend at the lake. I figured this would be the perfect setting to test the Blue Sky Ridge Fire Pit.

I was curious to see how well it packed and set up, and whether it was truly a smokeless fire pit.  I had wood pellets from our pellet grill already up there, so I planned to test the dual-fuel concept as well.

Performance Review

This fire pit is slick. It’s easy to set up, use, haul and even clean. The included storage bag is handy not only for transport, but for keeping ashes and soot from smudging the inside of your trunk.

The Blue Sky Ridge sets up and breaks down in seconds. The top burn chamber sits on top of the ash-catching base. With some firewood or pellets, you’ll have it raging in minutes.

The Blue Sky website says the Ridge can handle fires up to 1,900 F, and I believe it. This thing gets roaring, expelling flames out of the top and pumping out heat you can feel on your shins a couple of yards away. I sensed a faint smell of something industrial the first few times I used it, but that went away. It was probably just excess paint or the powder coat from the manufacturing process.

When it was time to pack up and head home, the Blue Sky Ridge cleaned up in a snap. I just emptied the ashes from the collection stand, nested the pieces back together and was on my way. Just give yourself ample time to let it cool down before handling or putting it back into its travel bag, because it can take awhile.

The Great Fuel Debate

The dual fuel test was eye-opening, and a learning curve. The wood pellets burned thoroughly but quickly.

I dumped an 1-1/2- to 2-inch pile of grill pellets into the bottom of the burn chamber and set four tiny fires, ignited with torn off chunks of brown-paper bag. Minutes later, the fire was roaring and burned for 20 or 25 minutes.

Once the pellets burned up, the fire extinguished quickly. But that’s the best part — to keep the fire going a few minutes longer, just toss on a handful or two of pellets rather than an entire log.

Using firewood with the Blue Sky Ridge Smokeless Fire Pit is a little different. First, you’ll need to split the firewood into smaller uniform pieces that will fit snugly in the bottom of the fire pit, rather than sticking out of the top. Instead of building a fire that fills the entire burn chamber, work on creating a more intense one in the bottom half.

This reflects how a smokeless fire pit works. Outside air is pulled into the bottom ring of the burn chamber, then moves up the pit’s hollow walls. The heated air is then released into the top of the burn chamber, infusing the fire with an extra burst of oxygen. This vaporizes any wood or moisture particles, creating little or no smoke or embers at all.

If you build a fire with your firewood pieces in a typical teepee design out the top of the fire pit, like I did the first time, expect plenty of smoke and embers — the opposite of what you’re looking for.

After trying pellets alone, then firewood, then a mixture of both, I think wood pellets alone offer the best way to keep a low-profile fire blazing away while minimizing the smoke.

Value

Comparable sized portable smokeless fire pits from market leaders cost nearly double the price of the $160 Blue Sky Ridge, and with fewer features.

Of all its competitors, only the Blue Sky Ridge features an easy-to-clean, ash-catching base and a carrying and storage bag. It’s also the only brand customizable with your favorite sports team’s logo or military branch emblem.

Why You Should Buy This

If you were thinking about getting a smokeless fire pit but weren’t sure which one, give this affordable Blue Sky Ridge fire pit a try.  The dual fuel fire pit is easy to use, set up, haul and even clean. It’s compact enough to throw over your shoulder, yet pumps out enough heat to keep family and friends warm year-round.

Where to Buy

The Blue Sky Outdoor Products Ridge Fire Pit is available at Amazon, The Home Depot, Walmart, Lowe’s and Camping World.

Buy Now!