This post was written in collaboration with Walmart.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’ve mentioned a million times over on Instagram that our goal this year is to get more organized and eat healthier.  It’s a new year.. which means a new beginning.   With that being said, when you are in a rental, like us, you take what you get.  Open cubby shelving in a kitchen isn’t really practical for me.  There is no other storage in this kitchen besides the upper and lower white cabinets and these open shelves.  I cannot imagine storing my food in this cubby so all the world can see.  I have my huge antique hutch that I use as a pantry, but sometimes there are extras… that won’t fit.   So where do they get shoved.  THE CUBBIES.

Everyone is in a different situation.  For those renting, it’s sometimes hard to deal with certain areas. We were thinking back over at all of the homes we’ve lived in.  The one thing it MUST be is a place we both find pretty. We find different ways to deal with different situations given.  I thought it would be fun to show you a few ideas on how we store extra every day items in these cubbies and still make it look pretty.  I find that if I use something several times a day, it’s best to have them at my reach.

Styling Open Shelves for Organization in a Small Kitchen

Of course, baskets are the first thing people think of when they think of organized storage.  I found all of my storage items at Walmart.  Walmart has such a great line of baskets and storage container ideas.  Not only are they pretty, but they are so budget friendly.  They sure make it easy to not only organize my life, but to stay on budget, too.  AND, help me reach my goals.

Different Ideas for Basket Storage

I love the lighter colored baskets which match my woods and whites theme so well.  Also… something I have learned is to pay attention to the sides of the baskets.  I like the ones that are straight up and not angled for storage.  They fit better side by side with each other.  And, you can cram more stuff in them.  ????  I also love the baskets with dividers.  These work great for any seasoning envelopes, rice packets, or plastic utensils.

I’m not a fond lover of a box of tissues sitting out in the open.  I usually put them in some type of drawer.  But, if you don’t have an extra drawer, hiding the tissue box in a basket on the shelves looks so much better.  They are always close to you when you need one, but they are disguised.  We use baskets to store things like onions, bananas, avocados, etc.  I don’t like that stuff sitting out in the open either. ????  I take a pre-work out four times a week before I work out.  We keep the pre-work out and my shaker bottle in a basket because it’s a quick grab.

If you have limited spaces, baskets can always hold coffee cups, drinking glasses, or plates.  I had all of my coffee cups in the old house in a basket under the bar.  It worked perfectly.

Glass Containers

One of my favorite things for storage are clear glass containers.  They look old school.  I have used these for coffee beans, in my laundry room for dry laundry soap and laundry pods, and in the kitchen for dishwasher pods, too.  Anything you use on a regular basis looks prettier stored in a glass container.

Canister Sets

Not only can canister sets be used for FLOUR, SUGAR, AND COFFEE, but they can be used to hide your treats.  Who will think to look in the flour container for your private candy stash.  I used to do that when my kids were young.  ????  These cute canisters have a design that is continued around to the back.  So you can also turn them around if you don’t want to see the writing.  I found so many other cute canisters at Walmart that would make a perfect hiding place, or to use as the original purpose.

Mixing Bowls in Decor

I LOVE bowls.  I have so many in my antique collections but I, also, have newer ones that I use every day.  These white mixing bowls look pretty sitting out as decor and are easily accessible.  If you don’t have room in your cabinets, display them.

Hopefully this inspired you to get yourself organized this year by using your every day items.  And, don’t forget to check out Walmart for great looking affordable options