Want to know the absolute best organizing totes? The following hacks will keep your totes organized and tidy!
This post is all about the best organizing totes tips that everyone should know about.
Before I started organizing my totes, they were basically just a mess of random items thrown together. I had totes for every season, holiday, and hobby, but I had no real system. Whenever I needed something — like a fall wreath or a bag of extra candles — I would have to dig through multiple totes just to find it. Things got broken, lost, or forgotten about entirely. I was wasting time, space, and money because I often ended up buying duplicates of things I already owned but couldn’t locate.
Once I took the time to organize my totes properly, everything changed. I labeled each tote clearly, sorted items by category, and even created a simple inventory list so I would know exactly what was in each one without opening it. I also stacked them in a way that made them easy to access. Now, when I need something, I can find it within minutes. Organizing my totes gave me back valuable storage space, saved me money, and made me feel much more in control of my home and projects.
Best Organizing Totes Tips
1. Gather Every Tote First
Whenever I decide to organize my totes, the first thing I do is gather them all into one place. That means pulling totes from closets, the garage, under beds—wherever they’re hiding. I don’t worry about sorting or cleaning yet; I just want to see what I’m working with. Seeing everything together helps me realize just how many totes I have and what kinds of clutter I’m dealing with.
2. Empty Them Completely
It’s tempting to just peek inside a tote and assume what’s in there, but I’ve learned the hard way to empty every tote completely. I spread a blanket or sheet out on the floor and dump everything out. This forces me to really confront the stuff I’ve been storing and evaluate whether it’s still worth keeping. Plus, it makes it easier to repack them properly later.
3. Sort Items into Categories
Once everything’s out, I sort the contents into clear categories: holiday decorations, kids’ clothes, craft supplies, sentimental items, camping gear, etc. I don’t worry about how big or small the piles are at this point. Sorting helps me see where I have duplicates, where I can downsize, and where it actually makes sense to dedicate a full tote to a specific category.
4. Purge Before You Repack
I’m brutally honest with myself during this step. If I find broken decorations, clothes my kids have outgrown, old paperwork I’ll never need, or things that no longer bring value, they go. I create piles for trash, donation, and recycling. Totes should store useful, important, or truly meaningful items—not just things I’m too indecisive to deal with.
5. Choose the Right Size Totes for the Job
Not every tote is created equal. I used to cram small items into giant totes just because that’s what I had available, but it always led to a mess. Now, I match the tote size to the category: smaller totes for delicate decorations, medium totes for clothing, larger totes for bulkier gear. It keeps things from shifting around too much and makes totes easier to stack and move.
6. Label, Label, Label!
I can’t emphasize enough how life-changing clear labels are. I use a simple label maker or heavy-duty waterproof labels and write exactly what’s inside—no guessing games. Sometimes I even tape a more detailed inventory list inside the lid if the tote holds a lot of small items. Being able to glance at a tote and know what’s inside saves me hours of digging and searching.
7. Color Code for Seasons or Categories
One trick I absolutely love is color-coding my totes. Red and green totes for Christmas, orange for Halloween, pastel totes for spring or Easter, clear totes for everyday storage. If specialty colored totes aren’t available, I use colored duct tape on the handles or lids to mark them. Color coding gives me an instant visual system, and I can spot what I need at a glance without reading every label.
8. Stack Smart, Not High
When it’s time to put the totes away, I’m careful about how I stack them. Heavy totes always go on the bottom, lighter ones on top. And I never stack totes higher than I can safely reach without needing a chair. I’ve knocked over a tower of totes before—trust me, it’s not fun. Keeping the stacks manageable and stable protects both the contents and my sanity.
9. Create a Tote Inventory Sheet
For bigger storage areas like the garage or attic, I created a simple tote inventory sheet. I number each tote with a sticker (like Tote #1, Tote #2, etc.) and keep a master list that says what’s in each one. That way, even if I can’t access a tote right away, I can check my list and know exactly where to find what I need. It’s a little bit of extra work upfront, but it saves so much time later.
10. Schedule Regular Tote Check-Ins
Over time, what’s important to store changes. Kids grow up, hobbies shift, seasons of life evolve. So now, once or twice a year, I schedule a tote check-in. I pull down a few totes, reassess their contents, purge anything outdated, and update the labels. It keeps my tote system fresh, relevant, and way more manageable than waiting until it’s an overwhelming mess.
This post is all about organizing totes tips!
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