These tiered shelves helped me finally get organized

I have way too much stuff, but I’m always working on it clear out and rationalize what I have. Ironically, my quest to organize the things I want to keep often requires purchasing something new – and a recent purchase really came in handy. It’s time to talk about how tiered storage changed my organizational life.

How I use tiered storage to organize everything

I’ve already written about how much I love acrylic organizers Storing things like makeupas they keep all small items organized and easily accessible. I’ve ordered so many of these, my shopping apps picked up on my preferences, and a few weeks ago one of them offered something different: acrylic mini tiered shelves.

The algorithm always knows what I want before I want it, and this time it wasn’t wrong. I dutifully added it to the cart. When the small units arrived, I set about rearranging my perfume shelf to try them out. In the end, I was thrilled with the result – and bought more. Now I can see everything in my closet without having to take anything out and reach in without knocking anything over.

Photo credit: Lindsey Ellefson

What I really like about tiered storage shelves — and why I think you should add some of your own — is that they help me stay organized Organizational triangle Rules I always write about. Specifically, the rules stipulate that all similar items must be stored together and that everything must have a place. Typically this means using containers to group items into categories.

This works well in some cases, but I’d like to be able to do it for frequently used but varied things like makeup, perfume and accessories see what I have while I get ready. Ripping open a storage container and rummaging through it is less than ideal. Tiered storage not only allows me to keep and group everything on one shelf, but it also makes it easy to see and access.

Before I picked up these little stacked shelves, I had lined up a bunch of perfumes on little boxes to create my own tiered effect. It wasn’t exactly a sturdy setup and it resulted in me breaking a beloved, far-from-empty bottle of Glossier You. (RIP.) These sturdier, purpose-built shelves will save me from making that mistake again.

My favorite ideas for layered storage

I used my first tier organizers to manage the delicate glass bottles of my perfume collection, but there are many uses for them. They’re great for organizing spices in a closet, displaying sentimental items or a collection of knick-knacks, managing office supplies scattered around the desk, or even storing spices in the fridge. Anything you have in abundance and don’t want to rummage through when you just need to grab one is a candidate for bunk storage. Because they utilize otherwise wasted vertical space, these shelves provide better organization in a relatively small space. So you can let your creativity run wild.

Another advantage of tiered shelves is that they are usually not very expensive. Consider this three tier riser stand for $6.99:

You can get one with four levels for $12.99. If you want something more stylish than clear acrylic, you have many options:

Whatever you choose, you’ll definitely appreciate being able to actually see (and use) all the things you bought to put on it.