A Down-to-Earth Solution for Clutter Conundrums
Do away with boxy baskets this year and keep your mess where it belongs with grab 'n' go buckets
The humble bucket is kicking up a storm again, with Houzzers’ homes overflowing with organising ideas to keep clutter under control this year. Head down to the hardware store, rummage through toy shops, or scour secondhand markets for buckets brimful of practical uses. They come in all shapes, sizes and colours, and are just the ticket to corral all household jumble from toys to toothbrushes. Try these fun ideas on for size.
If your entrance is too compact for a catch-all cupboard, just pop a couple of buckets by the front door to multi-task for outdoor footwear, umbrellas and sports gear.
Craft supply carrier
Set up a mini art gallery in a corner for little ones, by hooking several small buckets on a kid-height rail around a small table and stools. Separate brushes, paints, pencils, crayons, sharpeners, erasers, stickers, stamps and the paper supply. Attach wire or string lines with clips or pegs for drying and displaying finished artwork.
Creative displays for kids’ drawings
Set up a mini art gallery in a corner for little ones, by hooking several small buckets on a kid-height rail around a small table and stools. Separate brushes, paints, pencils, crayons, sharpeners, erasers, stickers, stamps and the paper supply. Attach wire or string lines with clips or pegs for drying and displaying finished artwork.
Creative displays for kids’ drawings
Kids aren’t the only ones who enjoy cutting, pasting, painting and generally making a crafty mess. Keep gift wrap and other craft supplies from getting out of hand in an office or craft space with a bucket or three.
Toy stash
Cheap galvanised tubs and buckets from the hardware store make practical storage for toys and games on a metal shelf unit. In shared rooms, label or colour-code – then there’ll be no arguments over whose toys are whose. When your tots grow too big for toys, the containers can find a use in the garden, workshop or as party drink coolers.
Cheap galvanised tubs and buckets from the hardware store make practical storage for toys and games on a metal shelf unit. In shared rooms, label or colour-code – then there’ll be no arguments over whose toys are whose. When your tots grow too big for toys, the containers can find a use in the garden, workshop or as party drink coolers.
Some buckets come with existing labels, but why not personalise the kids’ organisers with their own label, to simplify tidying up and make it more fun.
Store messy play equipment for outdoor use near the garden. A slash of blackboard paint and a stick of chalk will keep your tiny ones’ outside-only equipment organised, and ensure it doesn’t make its way inside.
More toy storage ideas
More toy storage ideas
Cleaning caddy
Instead of foraging in cupboards for individual cleaning products, keep a supply of essentials – cloths, paper towel, all-purpose, glass and loo cleaners – at the ready in their own bucket for fast whip-arounds. A bucket is easily carried from room to room and can be used to collect rubbish and dirty laundry too.
Instead of foraging in cupboards for individual cleaning products, keep a supply of essentials – cloths, paper towel, all-purpose, glass and loo cleaners – at the ready in their own bucket for fast whip-arounds. A bucket is easily carried from room to room and can be used to collect rubbish and dirty laundry too.
Hanging Metal Flower Pot
Herb hang-ups
Hang brightly painted metal buckets planted with herbs on hooks over a garden fence. It keeps them at convenient picking height, and raises the plants closer to the sunshine in a shady garden or courtyard. Just be sure to punch a couple of drainage holes in the bases.
8 fresh ways to plant herbs
Hang brightly painted metal buckets planted with herbs on hooks over a garden fence. It keeps them at convenient picking height, and raises the plants closer to the sunshine in a shady garden or courtyard. Just be sure to punch a couple of drainage holes in the bases.
8 fresh ways to plant herbs
Rescue battered buckets and tubs for an attractive display of greenery or herbs hung down a wall. Plants with a drooping and trailing foliage suit an informal arrangement like this better than neat upright plants. See other out-there places to grow edibles.
TIP: Create a safe rusted effect with an oxidising patina paint. Applied over a metal-based paint, it gives a rusty red or verdigris surface as it oxidises.
TIP: Create a safe rusted effect with an oxidising patina paint. Applied over a metal-based paint, it gives a rusty red or verdigris surface as it oxidises.
Wood shed
The owner of this eclectic country home puts buckets to good use, holding fire-starting timber and dramatic organic wood ‘sculptures’ beside the fireplace. A wheeled tub contains logs, while a smaller bucket holds a bouquet of timber tulips on top of the distressed timber wardrobe.
The owner of this eclectic country home puts buckets to good use, holding fire-starting timber and dramatic organic wood ‘sculptures’ beside the fireplace. A wheeled tub contains logs, while a smaller bucket holds a bouquet of timber tulips on top of the distressed timber wardrobe.
Toothbrush holder
Family bathrooms descend into messy chaos quickly. A kids’ play bucket (or plastic or painted metal rubbish bucket) big enough to hold bathroom bits and pieces is a practical way to keep benches uncluttered. Brighten it up with a write-on label panel and a happy message to remind your morning grumps to cheer up.
Upbeat ideas for kids’ bathrooms
Family bathrooms descend into messy chaos quickly. A kids’ play bucket (or plastic or painted metal rubbish bucket) big enough to hold bathroom bits and pieces is a practical way to keep benches uncluttered. Brighten it up with a write-on label panel and a happy message to remind your morning grumps to cheer up.
Upbeat ideas for kids’ bathrooms
Towel tidy
A couple of capacious galvanised buckets under an open-fronted vanity add industrial ambience and hold an ample supply of clean towels. They can double as a bin or temporary dirty laundry basket too.
In this rustic bathroom, metal buckets, lights and exposed plumbing accentuate the recycled timber floor and beams, as well as the natural texture of the stone vanity.
A couple of capacious galvanised buckets under an open-fronted vanity add industrial ambience and hold an ample supply of clean towels. They can double as a bin or temporary dirty laundry basket too.
In this rustic bathroom, metal buckets, lights and exposed plumbing accentuate the recycled timber floor and beams, as well as the natural texture of the stone vanity.
Toilet paper stockpile
Not every bathroom would be enhanced by a bucket holding loo paper rolls, but there are some it would suit down to the ground, such as this unpretentious beach cottage bathroom. Choose a bucket large enough for a supply you’ll rarely need to top up.
Where do you store extra loo paper?
Not every bathroom would be enhanced by a bucket holding loo paper rolls, but there are some it would suit down to the ground, such as this unpretentious beach cottage bathroom. Choose a bucket large enough for a supply you’ll rarely need to top up.
Where do you store extra loo paper?
Off-the-floor garage organiser
Your garage can look this neat and convenient with plastic buckets hung on hooks, which become catchalls for the clutter that often ends up taking up floor space.
Your garage can look this neat and convenient with plastic buckets hung on hooks, which become catchalls for the clutter that often ends up taking up floor space.
And now that you’re all organised…
An elegant ice bucket is a must for those little bath time luxuries like chilled flutes, strawberries, ripe peaches – and of course, champagne.
TELL US
Do you have any inventive ways to organise with buckets? Share them in the Comments section
MORE
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An elegant ice bucket is a must for those little bath time luxuries like chilled flutes, strawberries, ripe peaches – and of course, champagne.
TELL US
Do you have any inventive ways to organise with buckets? Share them in the Comments section
MORE
Nifty Thrifting: 19 Inventive Repurposing Ideas
5 Decluttering Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
10 Beautiful Ways to Use Crates Around Your Home
A row of labelled buckets on a shelf in your home’s entrance can hold dirty, wet shoes and gumboots. They’re on standby for a fast tidy-up – and there’ll be no more shouts of, “Where are my sneakers?” when they’re so easily found. Paint, stencil or hang tags with numbers, initials or names to help organise even further.