13 Simple but Smart Water Bottle Storage Ideas

By
Grace Gallagher
picture Grace Gallagher
Grace Gallagher
Grace Gallagher is a lifestyle expert and writer with five years of experience covering home furnishings, storage, and organization. She has also written for Greatist, Veracity Selfcare, Brit + Co, and others. Grace also taught creative writing workshops in Portland, Oregon.
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Published on 10/03/22
copper reusable water bottles on a pantry shelf

@afreshspace / instagram

Water bottles are one of those things you just seem to acquire over time. You buy a few, some come as gifts, your kids may be given a few if they play sports, and suddenly you have more bottles than you know what to do with. And while hydration is key and reusable water bottles are a great way to cut down on plastic use, they're notoriously hard to organize because they take up a lot of space and don't neatly fit in a cabinet or drawer. They also come with a ton of accessories like straws and lids that make organization more difficult. These water bottle storage ideas will help you wrangle your bottles so you can cut down on clutter and won't find yourself looking for that one top that fits that one bottle when you're rushing out to a sports practice or gym workout.

  • 01 of 12

    Line Up Bottles in Slim Containers

    water bottles in a holder

    @afreshspace / Instagram

    Here an acrylic wine rack is a perfect size for storing water bottles on a shelf. If your pantry or cupboards have vertical space, you can also flip the orientation of the rack and allow the bottles to stand up; the dividers will keep them from toppling.

  • 02 of 12

    Label Bins for Accessories

    water bottle storage and labeled bins for straws and tops

    @efficientlyneat / Instagram

    Use a wine or bottle rack to keep larger water bottles arranged horizontally. It's also helpful to have labeled bins for tops, straws, or lids for to-go mugs; these are things that often get lost, rendering the whole bottle useless.

  • 03 of 12

    Color Coordinate Kids' Bottles

    organized kids plates and bottles

    @efficentlyneat / Instagram

    If you can never seem to choose the "correct" color for your child's plates or water bottle, arrange their dinnerware in rainbow order in a lower cabinet they can see into. They'll have fun picking out their color water bottle for the day and you may even avoid a tantrum.

  • 04 of 12

    Separate by Type

    water bottles organized in labeled bins

    @aullorganized / Instagram

    Most people can relate to the feeling of opening a water bottle drawer or cabinet and finding total chaos. One of the easiest ways to start organizing is to arrange by type of bottle, then sort into separate labeled bins. This way with a quick glance you'll know where to find the travel mug or the kids' straw bottles.

    Continue to 5 of 12 below.
  • 05 of 12

    Separate Bottles in a Shoe Organizer

    water bottles stored in a shoe storage book

    @missmiddlebrook / Instagram

    A clever hack for storing a bunch of water bottles at once is to repurpose a hanging shoe bag. This specific set-up is in a classroom, but it would work in a kitchen or mudroom too, especially tucked behind a door.

  • 06 of 12

    Put Water Bottles in a Drawer

    water bottles in a drawer

    @rachelorganizes / Instagram

    A low drawer is a great place for storing kids' dinnerware and water bottles. When they can reach their stuff, you'll spend a lot less time getting them water (it helps to have a stool by the sink or refrigerator water dispenser too). Use clear bins to prevent tipping.

  • 07 of 12

    Use Bins for Extra Parts

    water bottles on wine rack with labeled bins

    @lessisliving / Instagram

    It's one thing to keep water bottles organized, and another thing to figure out what to do with all those spare bits and bobs. These woven bins are labeled so you know where to find extra bottles or straw cups, and when you have a system like this, you'll only need to keep a few out in plain sight.

  • 08 of 12

    Lay Water Bottles Flat

    water bottles stored flat in a drawer

    @sikorasolutions / Instagram

    It can be hard to find space for taller bottles that can't stand upright in a drawer. Here bigger bottles lay flat, and a small narrow bin keeps lids and straws organized while a drawer divider separates out the shorter bottles.

    Continue to 9 of 12 below.
  • 09 of 12

    Use a Pretty Organizer

    geometric wine rack

    @simplicity_cleaning_services / Instagram

    A bottle rack can actually be nice to look at. This geometric bottle holder in a rose gold finish looks pretty and modern in a pantry or on the counter. After washing your bottles, let them dry completely then store them with caps on so you don't have to spend time matching the lid to the bottle.

  • 10 of 12

    Organize Bottles in a Narrow Drawer

    water bottles stored in a spice cabinet

    @alohadiyaddict / Instagram

    A spice drawer can feel like such an awkward space, especially when you don't have enough spices to fill it up. This narrow pull-out drawer is the perfect size for storing kids' water bottles - finding unique ways to utilize weird spaces like this is great for home organization

  • 11 of 12

    Use Drawer Dividers

    water bottles separated with drawer dividers

    @happy.healthy.home.dm / Instagram

    Drawer dividers are always your friend. Here they're arranged in very narrow rows to allow bottles to stand up straight and stay orderly. You can buy your own inserts (as opposed to having them custom built) which allows you to vary the spacing so it works for bigger and smaller bottles.

  • 12 of 12

    Add Bins To The Fridge

    bins for beverages in fridge

    @afreshspace / Instagram

    If keeping plastic water bottles in the fridge organized is a concern, use clear bins to keep them contained. This will prevent the domino effect that often happens when a bottle falls in the refrigerator, plus storing them upright is much more space efficient than having them lying and rolling around.

Most houses have at least a couple of water bottles, and yet they can be so tricky to store because of their awkward sizes. These water bottle storage ideas will keep all the bottles contained and easy to find all the pieces.