6 strange storage solutions

Crates, bins, wall units and containers will only serve you so well. When you're left with bits and pieces, and organization systems that don't quite work — there are solutions; ones you may not have thought of yourself. Read on to find out more.

Only 21 things? What can't you store in pantyhose? (Basically, liquids, grains, flour and anything that won't fit.) Among the items to stash in a pantyhose leg or foot are these, listed in orderly fashion — i.e., alphabetically.

1. Badminton shuttlecocks
2. Coloured pencils
3. Curling irons
4. Dog toys
5. Eagle Scout merit badge sash
6. Flower seed packets
7. Golf balls
8. Hair clips
9. Kazoos
10. Lightbulbs
11. Mothballs
12. Narcissus bulbs
13. Ping-pong balls
14. Q-tips
15. Ribbons
16. Undies
17. Vampire teeth
18. Walkie-talkies
19. X-ray eyeglasses
20. Yo-yos
21. Zip discs

It just keeps growing, doesn't it? To reduce clutter without giving up the articles, invest in a craft knife to slice out the pages you want and then save them in a "To Read" file. A craft knife will not only give you a cleaner cut, but also will do the job three times faster than scissors.

A tablecloth folded like a sheet is a tablecloth that will have to be ironed. Keep tablecloths crease-free by hanging them over a towel rod mounted on the inside of a storage closet door. If the rod isn't round, slice paper towel tubes lengthwise and fit them over the rod to minimize wrinkling.

Your great-great-grandfather's footlocker in the attic can do more than just gather dust. Topped with a runner, it makes a coffee table that's a conversation piece as well as a storage unit. Pack it with extra blankets or sheets or use it for board games, playing cards and any sports equipment small enough to fit.

A device to keep books from falling off open-ended shelves, that is. To secure the books, cut two wooden dowels to size and stain them to match the shelves. Screw two teacup hooks on each shelf end, pinching the hooks on the bottom shelf closed so they'll hold the dowels in place. Slide the dowels through the hooks, and you have two bars that will keep books in place on your airy shelves.

Perfect for organizing everything from toys to infrequently-used linens, these uber-storage containers have more uses than we have room to list here! Wash them thoroughly, label them, and use them to store dishes, tools, small kitchen appliances, boxes of photos and much more.

These six strange storage solutions are genius — use them and the bragging rights are yours!