When on the hunt for the best storage containers, Julie Morgenstern, New York Times Bestselling author of Organizing From the Inside Out recommends first taking an inventory of the items you need to store. “Before going shopping for storage containers, make sure you have sorted, purged, and grouped your belongings," she says. “Then you will be sure to get the right containers and really complete your organizing project.” To help you find the best storage containers for your home, we researched many storage solutions looking at size, capacity, material, and more to create this list. Our pick for the overall best storage container is the Rubbermaid Brute Food Storage Tote with Lid. It’s made of sturdy material, is food safe, and is an all-purpose storage solution. Here are the best storage containers. Keep in Mind: This storage tote is more functional than beautiful, and the handles take up extra space. The 14-gallon capacity and measurement of 16.75 inches in width and 27.8 inches in length means there is plenty of space for stashing sweaters, summer bedding, or seasonal decor in the garage. The lid snaps on for a more secure storage solution, and built-in handles make it easy to lift and transport. However, keep in mind that the handles do take up a bit of extra space, which is a concern if your storage area isn’t all that large. The tote’s aesthetic is more industrial, so it’s probably not a storage container you’ll want to leave out on display. Yet, multiple totes can easily be stacked together to maximize vertical space, and they’re a wonderful all-purpose storage option. Price at time of publish: $27 for 14-gallon storage tote Size: 16.75 x 10.5 x 24.5 inches | Material: Polyethylene | Capacity: 14 gallons Keep in Mind: The plastic material is lightweight, so it may not be ideal for heavy-duty storage items. One thing to keep in mind is that their plastic material may not be your best bet for heavy items. If you own lighter items you want to stash away but can grab at a moment’s notice, these bins are ideal. Price at time of publish: $45 for six 12-quart storage bins Size: 11 x 16.5 x 6.8 inches | Material: Plastic | Capacity: 12 quarts Keep in Mind: They are not aesthetically pleasing and are heavy, even when empty. Even better, these totes are weather- and water-resistant thanks to the lids that come with a snap-lock mechanism. Using caution while lifting heavy things is important, and the totes have ergonomic handles to help out. Be aware, though, each tote weighs several pounds when empty, so filling it up will make it significantly heavier. While these storage containers are not necessarily beautiful options, we found them to be the best storage containers for heavy items. Corral bulky tools and materials in a workshop or garage, for instance. You can even secure the lids with zip ties. Price at time of publish: $99 for four 27-gallon storage totes Size: 14.5 x 30.8 x 20.3 inches | Material: Plastic | Capacity: 27 gallons Keep in Mind: The set of 24 may include too many containers for some people. The containers nest together, so they take up minimal space when you’re not using them to store food. Organize cereal, pasta, and more into these clear plastic containers, and you can easily see what needs to go on your grocery list each week. The plastic containers are airtight and can even go right into the dishwasher for convenient cleaning. A bonus is the marker and chalk labels included with the containers to help keep everything labeled. Price at time of publish: $40 for 24-piece set Size: 11.6 x 6.1 x 4.3 inches, 8.1 x 6.1 x 4.3 inches, 5.9 x 6.1 x 4.3 inches, and 3.5 x 6.1 x 4.3 inches | Material: Plastic | Capacity: 0.7 quarts, 1.3 quarts, 1.8 quarts, and 2.5 quarts Keep in Mind: Their large capacity may not suit everyone’s storage needs. You can freeze the containers, opening up even more storage possibilities in the kitchen. They also come with measuring cups and reusable chalkboard labels to keep everything tidy. You can even use these stackable containers beyond the kitchen. Organize soaps in the bathroom, or stash powdered laundry detergent in them for your laundry room. The transparent plastic makes it easy to see everything in the containers if you’re searching for something specific. Price at time of publish: $36 for four 6.5-liter storage containers Size: 15 x 12 x 7 inches | Material: Silicone | Capacity: 6.5 liters Keep in Mind: The plastic clasps may not be a heavy-duty option. There are 16 small cases inside one larger case, each holding 100 photos. This safely stores up to 1,600 photos all in one spot. Made of colorful or clear plastic—allowing you to see which section the photos are in—the overall dimensions are 14.8 x 12 inches and a little over 5 inches high. Though the plastic clasp may not be the strongest option, the case is a great way to sift through your printed pictures and keep things organized. Price at time of publish: $28 for clear photo case Size: 12 x 14.8 x 5.1 inches | Material: Plastic | Capacity: 1,600 photos Keep in Mind: Some assembly is required for this storage box. The box stands up to UV rays and resists fading, rusting, and rotting. This is an excellent pick for stowing patio chair cushions, pool toys, and even landscaping tools when you’re not using them. Price at time of publish: $178 for extra-large deck box Size: 27.5 x 55.5 x 26.75 inches | Material: Plastic | Capacity: 134 gallons Keep in Mind: Once full, it may be heavy and hard to move or lift. It’s made from durable plastic and measures 11 x 14 x 11.13 inches. The file box weighs just under 3 pounds, so depending on how many documents you store in it, it may become heavy. However, it comes with a handle and a hinged lid that keeps everything in place if you need to transport it. Price at time of publish: $27 Size: 11 x 14 x 11.13 inches | Material: Plastic | Capacity: Up to 22 folders Keep in Mind: You may not want to lift the container once it’s full. You may want to select one of the smaller capacity options if you’re concerned about the weight of the container when full. Otherwise, the included scoop makes it a cinch to feed your pets right from the container—just be sure you place it in the right spot before filling it. Price at time of publish: $30 for 8.5-gallon storage container Size: 12 x 12 x 16.8 inches | Material: Plastic | Capacity: 8.5 gallons (35 pounds) Keep in Mind: The bags are not airtight, and the fabric panels will bend. The handles are convenient for retrieving the bags from under the bed in a snap. While the fabric panels aren’t going to be sturdy like a hard plastic container, these do fold up easily when you’re not using them. Price at time of publish: $13 for two under-bed bags Size: 39.4 x 19.7 x 5.9 inches | Material: Polypropylene | Capacity: Not listed Keep in Mind: There is no room for wrapping accessories. It holds 14 rolls that are 2.5 inches thick or 20 rolls that are 1.5 inches thick. Stash holiday and birthday papers together in one convenient place. Come wrapping time, select the tube you need or simply use the handles to carry the bag to your DIY wrapping station. Though it cannot hold wrapping accessories like tape or ribbon, it’s still a convenient option for corralling otherwise unruly rolls of paper. Price at time of publish: $11 for black wrapping paper storage container Size: 41 x 11.2 inches | Material: Plastic | Capacity: 14 to 20 rolls of wrapping paper Keep in Mind: They require some assembly. We also love that you can stack every box next to or on top of each other, adding storage room for multiple pairs of shoes. Each container holds one pair of shoes (up to a size 12) and measures 13.5 inches in length. They easily allow you to keep everything separated and highly visible—ideal for choosing your go-to shoe at a glance or simply admiring your favorite pair of heels. Price at time of publish: $48 for six shoe storage boxes Size: 7.5 x 13.5 x 10.6 inches | Material: Plastic | Capacity: One pair of shoes per box Keep in Mind: They only hold up to 50 pounds and have no lids. These crates can also be used outdoors thanks to their heavy-duty construction and reinforced handles. They’ll work wonders for organizing garages and workshops that tend to collect miscellaneous odds and ends. They come in a pack of three, giving you a few to get started with any organization project. Price at time of publish: $39 for three 24-quart milk crates Size: 19 x 13 x 11 inches | Material: Polyethylene, plastic | Capacity: 24 quarts
What to Know About Storage Containers Before Shopping
Size
If you rush out to buy containers without pausing to think about what sizes you need, it’s easy to make storage mistakes. Julie Morgenstern, NY Times Bestselling author of Organizing From the Inside Out, says before you buy storage containers, sort through whatever you’re storing. “You need to know exactly what you are going to store and where you are going to store it,” she says. “Then measure your space to see exactly how many containers you need and what size you need based on what you are storing and where you are storing it.”
Material
When it comes to material, Morgenstern advises avoiding clear containers when storing items “that are visible or out in the open.” She also recommends you pick out containers with a material that you like. “You want to love the containers you are storing things in as it motivates you to put things away,” she says. Her go-to containers for kitchen and office drawer organizers, for instance, tend to be either metal mesh or clear acrylic.
Capacity
It’s important to consider how much a container can hold. “For maximum storage and efficiency in your space, avoid containers that are tapered [are wider at the top than the bottom] or have things that extend outside of the container, such as handles,” she says. “Figure out what you are storing, group your items by categories, and create your puzzle with the containers where every category has its own container, and you are making the most of the space.”
Your Questions, Answered
How do you know if a storage container is airtight?
Libby DeLucien, owner of Organize It SWFL, says there are two ways she uses to check if a container is airtight. First, you could put a piece of bread in the container and seal it up. If the bread hardens after a couple of hours, your container is not airtight. “The other way is by submerging the container in water to see if water is able to enter the container," DeLucien says. “If the container is too large to submerge, you can fill the inside with water and turn it over or shake to see if water leaks [from] the container.”
How do you keep bugs out of storage bins?
“Using airtight containers is best when it comes to keeping out bugs,” DeLucien says. “Try to never use cardboard boxes to store items, and make sure that there are no edible items in the containers. Lastly, if possible, do not store the containers in a garage unless they are airtight containers.”
Do clothes get moldy in storage containers?
Clothes can grow mold, even in an airtight container, if the clothes were damp when stored, according to DeLucien. Avoid this problem by only storing clothes that are clean and completely dry. DeLucien notes that “climate-controlled environments are best when storing clothing.”
Who We Are
This article was written by Brittany VanDerBill, a freelance lifestyle and travel writer whose work has been published with several Dotdash Meredith brands. To find the best storage containers, she researched a variety of factors about them, including their size, material, capacity, and more. She also consulted Libby DeLucien, owner of Organize It SWFL, and Julie Morgenstern, New York Times Bestselling author of Organizing From the Inside Out.
