As I stood in the checkout line to pay for another set of winter gloves last week, I had a strong sense of deja vu. That’s because, despite my daughter always bringing home her gloves from school, we keep losing them in our house, leading to wasted time and money.
That’s why I am snapping up this $14 Mesh Door Storage System to use in my coat storage cabinet, so all our small and easily-lost winter essentials have a permanent home.
It’s a small space storage idea that adds functionality without extra visual clutter, as an over-the-door storage gem will sit on the inside of my cabinet door and hide our belongings from guests, whilst also being easily accessible when we need it.
Why Giving Winter Essentials a Permanent Home is Vital
This large organizer slots over doors, making it easy to install and damage-free for renters. The large mesh holders allow you to spot what you’re looking for instantly, whilst making previously dead space (the back of your door) a handy storage spot.
I’m a big fan of stylish over-the-door storage, as my small newly-built home came with zero built-in cabinets beyond the kitchen, and the space under the stairs, though cavernous, is awkward to use as it slopes down.
We currently keep our coats on wall hooks in there, but the rest of the space has become a catch-all for lots of our items, including large winter throws, my wheelchair, and it seems to also eat up hats, gloves, and scarves.
That’s why I’m adding this discounted mesh organizer to the door, which will give us the vital extra storage we need for soft winter essentials that are otherwise easy to lose or misplace.
Decluttering method tester and content editor at Homes & Gardens, Chiana Dickson, says, ‘Seasonal clutter usually builds up, and often gets lost in the house, when it doesn’t have a permanent home. Many of us will put our hats and gloves on radiators, stuff them in pockets, leave them in the car or our handbags, and that is a recipe for nuisance.
'You’ll end up wasting time looking for items you have no real idea of the location of, and likely end up buying a new one after one too many trips outdoors without warm hands and ears.'
Chiana continues, 'An organizing system like this, which hides your winter mess from view, but keeps seasonal essentials such as scarves and other small knits to hand, is perfect. The see-through mesh will help you locate what you’re looking for quickly, without needing to implement any further organizing.’
If you do want an added order, and since this over-the-door mesh organizer has four sections, you can either allocate one to each family member or store one type of item in each.
For instance, put most-used items in the middle two – that’ll be hats and gloves fir the majority – whilst scarves or visitors' accessories go on the higher or lower ones. The last one can be a catchall for out-of-season essentials, such as caps for the summer and sunscreen.
If you prefer to store your out-of-season stuff elsewhere, use a vacuum storage bag, available in a multi-pack with different sizes at Amazon. Simply pack soft items (no sharp corners) and use your vacuum stick to remove the air and compress them down into a fraction of their normal size.
Use only clean and dry clothes and add a scented sachet, available in multipacks at Amazon, so when the weather changes and you need them again, they’re clean and ready to go.
What to Shop
This structured door organizer has slots on the side as well, allowing for even more storage. It comes in five colors and also utilizes mesh so you can see what’s inside.
This mesh organizer comes with hardware to slot over the door or to screw into walls. This might suit those who prefer to add storage vertically to wall space. There is a wider option, as well as a pink version.
Drape or hang winter items such as coats, ear muffs, helmets, and more without damaging the walls. It’s also useful for the bathroom, instantly doubling towel drying space.
This basket trio comes with the over-the-door hook you need to utilize it immediately. Each cotton basket can be detached and used separately. Adjustable wood buckles fit them together.
This organizer can be used for more than your winter essentials. Store shoes and boots out of sight. This is available in five sizes and eight colors including black, white, gray and taupe.
If you like the idea but don’t need a whole door's worth of organization space, this single mesh organizer bag can be stuck to walls or doors with ease.
Learning how to store out-of-season clothes in the long term will help you protect your items from pests, dust, and mold.
