Plastic storage bowl issue

Lori Kelly
by Lori Kelly
Where does everyone store their plastic storage containers; i.e. Tupperware, Rubbermaid, and those pesky lids. I'm about ready to pitch ALL of it!
  23 answers
  • B. Enne B. Enne on Jun 22, 2015
    We only use glass containers now, but we put them in a pot & pan drawer, which is great because nothing falls out. We have 2 little bins in the drawer: 1 for the little lids, 1 for the bigger lids. The funny thing is I discovered that my friend had transferred her containers to a pot & pan drawer too around the same time, because she was tired of the avalanche. Before using the pot & pan drawer, I was using an old refrigerator bin in my corner cupboard. I just pulled it out to access the containers, like a drawer...That's when I got the idea to use the pot & pan drawer.
  • Tanya Tanya on Jun 22, 2015
    I've used plastic storage drawers for some lids and for the small bowls. Works great and it gives you extra room on top of the drawer for light weight bowls and such. http://www.amazon.com/Sterilite-20518006-Stackable-Storage-Drawer/dp/B001MY0NGE/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1435009141&sr=8-13&keywords=Plastic+Storage+Drawers
  • Debi53 Debi53 on Jun 22, 2015
    I use a wire basket intended for use in a freezer & store mine in a deep drawer. If you don't have a deep drawer, use a large plastic or woven basket that fits your lower cabinet shelves to hold bowls & lids. Just slide the basket out, lids & bowls are easily accessible.
  • Barbara Valenti Barbara Valenti on Jun 23, 2015
    I have all my lids standing up on their sides. The plastic bowls are stacked next to them, kinda jammed together. My husband can't stand that I even keep plasticware! So when he is LOOKING I throw some out. This when they never get out of hand. Really!
  • Becky Greenwald Becky Greenwald on Jun 23, 2015
    I use clear storage bins, one for the bottoms nested and one for the lids. And I pitched all mine when we moved and started over. So many mismatched, stained, and lids missing now gone. Love the simplicity of starting fresh.
  • Angie Angie on Jun 23, 2015
    I bought a cheap tall oval pitcher. Most of the lids fit in there. It has a handle so one hand is all I need to look for lids!
  • Danee Kaplan Danee Kaplan on Jun 23, 2015
    Mine are on a shelf that slides out which helps a lot. I have the lids stacked inside two oblong plastic containers on their sides. The lid that is too long to fit simple rests under the bowls while the rest are on their sides. Be sure you frequently discard any containers or lids that don't have mates.
  • Pam Pam on Jun 23, 2015
    I always put the lid back on the container. When I need it I don't have to search for the matching lid. Just make sure both are dry after washing before putting the lid on.
  • Tonia Tonia on Jun 23, 2015
    Plastic magazine holders work well to hold the lids. If you want to DIY something take a cereal box and cut the top down so it looks like a magazine holder and decorate how ever you like.
  • Ann Daley Ann Daley on Jun 23, 2015
    I stack or nest the containers in a cupboard and store the lids behind them or, if three's room, under the stack. The containers keep the lids in place and they're right where I need them when I want them.
  • Liliana Wells Liliana Wells on Jun 23, 2015
    I stack the containers one inside the other when they are dry. The lids are on their sides in a large container and the stacks are next to each other. PS - make sure you have mates. If you are unsure you have lids to containers and vice versa, write a number on the bottom of the container and the same number on the lid. Maybe this is a good time to toss some.
  • Irma Woods Brewer Irma Woods Brewer on Jun 23, 2015
    I use a plastic tote.
  • Sheryls.aerials Sheryls.aerials on Jun 23, 2015
    Stacked in deep kitchen drawer with lids behind (in larger tupperware with short sides). Masking tape on side tells which lid to grab for quick matchups. Just had a leftovers-only night, and combined with sending food home after grad party, few containers shown.
  • Amandakayesnana Amandakayesnana on Jun 23, 2015
    I have 87 containers and 34 lids, and none of them fit each other. LOL
  • Tisha Tisha on Jun 23, 2015
    I have two drawers designated for Tupperware bowls and their lids. One drawer is for lids (stacked together by size) and the other is for bowls.
  • Lori Kelly Lori Kelly on Jun 23, 2015
    I have received some awesome responses. Thank every one for their replies! I will take all advice and put it to good use!
  • Ruth james Ruth james on Jun 23, 2015
    Here's my cabinet---I matched all tops and bottoms and for ease of stacking I separated the squares from the rounds. I also keep the tops in a containers, one for each shape. Never any confusion when grabbing a fitting top and bottom
  • Duv310660 Duv310660 on Jun 23, 2015
    Yeah, this is a mental health issue for sure. After trying many things (including waiting for my husband to straighten them up for once (an 8 month hiatus of container coraling for me), one day I just started cutting up cereal boxes and making sleeves to fit the different types of lids. Some were taped to the inside of the shelf like opera balconies, some were removable 'file folders" that you could grab along with the relevant stack-o-containers. INSTANTLY the whole thing got way better, no major cascades of slick lids toppling containers. Personally I would like to toss mine still; we don't have a dishwasher and my gut tells me the corners of plastic never gets clean and dry. There is a glass product out there with lids that stick to the bottom when stored - I would really like to try these, but the price does not compare to empty cereal boxes! For now...
  • BS BS on Jun 23, 2015
    First figure out how much of this stuff you actually need/use. I think most people hang on to way too much. I have a set of nesting bowls with lids that I use pretty frequently. Since the lids as well as the bowls nest, they don't take up a lot of space. Then I have maybe five each sandwich size and deeper plastic containers which use the same lids. I have the containers stacked and the lids stored vertically beside them in a narrow upper cabinet. On the shelf below I have three different sizes of small round containers. They are on a lazy Susan to make access easy. I keep lids vertically in an old bread pan. Although all of this takes up little space, I still have more than I really need. If you have a bunch of mismatched containers and lids, by all means pitch (recycle/donate) them and start over. After carefully considering what your needs really are, buy good replacements. There are well designed products on the market that are really space efficient.
  • Linda Miller Hook Linda Miller Hook on Jun 24, 2015
    I found a very large clear plastic container that fits on the top shelf just perfect and I put all of my small containers in it. It's as deep as my cabinets and about 8" high and maybe 18" long. It's light so when I need something I can pull the whole thing down and get what I need. No more waterfall of plastic. My larger ones, I whittled down to about 8 and cradled them, lids to the side standing upright.
  • Virginia Younger Virginia Younger on Jul 04, 2015
    I'm short so I have to stack a lot of things in my lower cabinets. I bought one of those big plastic drawers (or one that will fit in my bottom, under the counter cabinet. I stack by size in it and stack all lids sideways beside them. I NEVER keep lids that I have no bottoms to.
  • Z Z on Jul 09, 2015
    Inside other plastic containers with lids. The larger ones on the bottom hold the bowls. The smaller ones on the top of each larger bowl hold the lids. The containers pull out from the base cabinet I store them in like drawers and can be easily lifted to the counter to find what I need then slide the larger containers back in place.
  • Lauren365 Lauren365 on Jul 12, 2015
    I concentrically stack the container and store them in a cabinet. I store the lids in a deep drawer. No avalanches!!