With this website as my pulpit, I preach about the value of an organized home and what, exactly, is required to achieve one. It typically boils down to using a rigid organizing system and investing in quality storage containers. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Store similar items together and have a designated space for everything. To do that, you need a variety of storage options, like boxes, containers, different kinds of shelves, and even hidden storage. Some of my favorites are on sale for Black Friday, so now is as good a time as any to whip your home into shape—for cheap!
First up is a storage lamp I've actually written about before because it was also on sale during Amazon's October Prime Day sale a few weeks ago. If you missed it then, don't miss it now. It's a simple, bright lamp that has three shelves in its base and, since I picked it up after writing about it before, I'm back to say I've fallen in love with it. The more small shelves you can fit into your home, the better, as they allow you to designate hyper-specific spaces for your categorized items. The second shelf on my lamp, for instance, is dedicated entirely to lotions and creams, while I have hung my gaming headset and Playstation controller from the side. I actually use the top shelf when I take pictures of items I want to sell online, since it creates a sharp backdrop and has the added benefit of overhead lighting. It's marked down to $29.96 from $49.99, so get it while you can. (I got the light pink color, but you do you.)
Another household item I evangelize about is the storage mirror. In general, I'm a big advocate for storage furniture because, by its nature, it's dual-purpose. Not everything you organize and store needs to be visible, so having hidden spots to keep everything in order while getting another benefit out of the unit is a smart way to keep a smaller space clean. I love my storage mirror because there are compartments inside designed for rings, bracelets, necklaces, and miscellany, but when it's closed, it just looks like a classy, functional addition to my wall. Search "storage mirror" on Amazon to see all the great options for Black Friday that range from about $80 to $200, but here's my pick of the one that gives you the most bang for your (relatively few) bucks this time around:
I believe you can never have too many shelves and, of all the options out there, cube shelving is my favorite. Shelving that is already divided up so you can specify categories for each section takes some of the work out of organizing for you. A simple-yet-spacious unit with 16 cubes is $35.99 right now. They're easy to build and, when necessary, disassemble, and I use these all over my home, from my closets to my kitchen.
