My favorite cheap storage helpers are plastic or metal garbage cans with lids, see-through plastic bins, wire baskets and utility shelving, and pegboard and metal racks. Here's what to use in your...

Kitchen

* Attach narrow racks inside cabinet doors for lightweight items — pot lids, paper rolls, plastic bags, etc.
* Store veggies and fruits in hanging three-tier wire baskets. Keep leftovers in see-through containers (I love glass mayonnaise and spaghetti sauce jars). Label the container with the date on top.

Living Room

* Use large baskets to corral magazines, books, or TV and stereo remotes. Put skirts on side tables so you can store things underneath and out of sight.
* Place a big, handsome trunk in front of the couch or along the wall. It can serve as both a table and a storage bin.

Bedroom

* Keep linens or off-season clothes inside plastic containers with wheels, rolled under the bed.
* Assign one bowl to hold everything that comes out of a purse or pocket. Use an over-the-door shoe rack for organizing small purses and accessories. Put a pretty box or covered basket on your bedside table as a home for your nail file, scissors, hand lotion, ear plugs, etc.

Bathroom

* Place a lazy Susan in your under-the-sink cabinet to organize bathroom items like nail polish or small bottles, etc.
* If space is tight, hang sturdy shelves above toilet to hold towels or bath accessories.

Laundry Room

* Keep at least two hampers — one for whites, the other for darks. Station clothing trees, a basket for clean laundry, and garment racks near the ironing board.
* Store supplies in a large plastic shelf basket to contain spills.
* Set up a counter for sorting and folding clothes.

Garage

* Use utility racks geared specifically for storing sports equipment or bikes. Store rakes and other gardening tools inside plastic garbage cans with wheels.
* Install pegboard on walls to hang and organize small items.

Attic/Basement

* Create specific storage zones — holiday, vacation, clothing, school. Mark the floor with tape or paint to remind you which area is which.