The Ridiculously Stylish Storage Bins I’m Using All Over the House

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Eindhoven, The Netherlands - December 19, 2015: Bright modern kitchen interior with island, sink, and cabinets in new luxury home.
Credit: J.Croese/Shutterstock

Shopping for storage furniture requires at least a little bit of clairvoyance. Your goal is to buy something today that will fit inside your current living space and hold your current belongings, but also have room for stuff you might buy later. And, ideally, this magical storage equipment will work in your next home(s). That’s a lot to ask for one piece of furniture.

However, there is a way to resolve this conundrum that doesn’t require a crystal ball. The answer is modular storage units. On their own each unit acts as a standalone container, but placed together they become a sizable storage area for holding seasonal clothing, extra bedding, and any other stowables — plus, you can always get more over time and move them around to adjust to your needs. One of the most impressive modular storage pieces we’ve come across recently are these cute collapsible bins. Their clear sides let you see what’s inside and they have doors that let you access them without removing the lid. Genius!

These bins come together quickly by snapping the sides and top into place, and inconspicuous wheels on the bottom come in handy when you need to relocate them. (Pro tip: Set up one under your home office desk to slide it out like a rolling cabinet.) If you want to create vertical storage space, they stack on top of each other and lock into place by fitting their wheels into tiny grooves. The lids lift up if you want to access the contents from the top, but a set of doors on the front is far more convenient — and lets you grab stuff from bins all the way on the bottom.

Choose between five colors in two different sizes (19-gallon and 8.4-gallon), so whether you plan to use these in your living room or bedroom, or want to fit one into a closet or other small area, you can grab bins that are just right. Because they’re stackable, they make great stand-ins for things like nightstands, entertainment consoles, and console tables with room to keep personal items on top. You can basically think of them as mini cabinets: Wherever you need to keep items accessible without leaving them out in the open, these bins will do the job. They’re also durable enough to store heavy stuff in your laundry room or garages, but cute enough to corral toys in a kid’s bedroom or keep a college dorm room tidy.

Credit: Amazon

Besides the most notable features, there are a few functional details that help these storage solutions stand out above their counterparts. Deep side handles let you lift each bin comfortably and flat door handles contribute to the overall compact profile, which you can really appreciate when you fold them down. Finally, the ridge-shaped pattern on the transparent panels adds a bit of chicness that makes an entirely plastic product look remarkably elevated.

If you want to make sure the storage pieces you get today can adapt to your needs in a couple of years, these collapsible and stackable bins are a great choice. Stash them away for long-term storage or stack them into modular cabinets that keep everyday items clean and organized. And when you outgrow them, grab another and seamlessly expand your collection.

Buy: HAIXIN Collapsible Storage Bins, $65.89

This post originally appeared on Apartment Therapy. See it there: These Insta-Famous Organizers Are So Ridiculously Stylish, You’ll Want to Show Them Off