I have about 7 or 8 round bowls of various sizes that I nest together. Their lids are directly underneath the stack of bowls. It doesn't sit 'exactly' straight and the bowls are from different sets so it's not color co-ordinated either, lol! But they're not all jumbled and disorganized. I started keeping them this way about 5 years ago and it has worked very well for me. I also have a few rectangular (celery size) and cake pan size that I store on another shelf. My husband prefers the kind you can use and lose (rubbermaid or gladware) because he can't burp the tupperware and hates not being able to see through the container!

I use two drawers, and have to nest them to get everything to fit. I threw away lids without containers and containers without lids while packing the kitchen up. It was a wonderful feeling!

Match up tops & bottoms...toss any odd ones. Yes, you can do it! Put the tops in a basket or some other kind of container right next to, under or above the bottoms.

I put them in a cabinet with 3 shelves. One for round, one for square, one for rectangle, all nested inside each other. Next to the nested containers is a single container with all the lids for that shape. It has worked out well, and even DH can find the right size container. Good luck!

We are getting ready to remodeling our kitchen and we are going to put in a bank of 3 drawers for tupperware, saran wrap, dishtowels, etc. I currently have all my tupperware nested in an upper cabinet with all the lids in a wire basket. It has worked OK (the basket helps to keep the lids together), but my DH always puts things away too high for me to reach. So, we'll see if this works...

I keep mine in a drawer, stack the lids underneath the nested containers. I also threw away all the lidless containers & containerless lids. I'm working on replacing all my containers with the new rubbermaid ones which I love. They are clear, leakproof, and stainproof.

I'm replacing as needed with this kind so that eventually they will all be the same kind and easier to deal with.

A couple of things, I no longer buy the 32-piece pack or whatever, because you always end up with pieces you don't need. I also am only sticking to rectangular shapes, no more round ones.

I think buying lots of a limited number of sizes will allow me to be much more organized because having so many different sizes is what makes them impossible to keep together in the drawer without the inevitable jumble.

I'm thinking of buying this set and will store it in my pantry.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rubbermaid tupperware

In one of my lower cabinets,I nest my rounds within rounds, rectangles in rectangles, etc. and then I have a plastic grocery bag for round lids and one for square/rec lids. It's not fancy, but it helps keep the lids from sliding all over the cabinet.

I really pared down the number of containers I keep when we moved and got rid of any without lids.

One size. One brand. It's the only thing that works for me. Can't keep them neat, otherwise, because dear hubbie just can't find it on his priority list to worry about organization of the plastic thingys. Since we both work and I'm appreciative of his help...I'm not going to complain. In our old kitchen I had some drawer space dedicated to them, and I nested them, with tops along side. Now I have them in an upper cabinet. When our new cabinets are installed, I hope to return them to a drawer.

Honestly, I laughed when I saw the thread. You wouldn't think something as innocent as a plastic food storage container could cause such a mess... One day I just took the whole bunch of them and salvaged a few that actually did match and threw the rest in the trash, as others have done. It was wonderful.

If someone has a better way, I'd love to hear it. This is still on the top of my list as a pain.......

I'm garage-selling or donating almost all of our pre-remodel plastic containers. I used a Christmas gift card to get a fancy glass bowl Pyrex set that I can use for leftovers, or, in a pinch, mixing. I'd been eyeing the Pyrex bowls for a while, then all this stuff about plastics being bad started. Since I bought the set, the plastics phobia has grown. The glass storageware is going in a deep drawer between the dining room and sink. I still have to experiment, but lids will either be in the same drawer or in the drawer above.

Like many of you, I went through the liberating experience of winnowing through my plastic containers. Very few made it back in to the new kitchen. I treated myself to three of the new restaurant quality Rubbermaid containers while 'camping out', and was so pleased with them, I bought a whole set. (Way cheaper as a set than buying them individually). Like Cate, I also have three or four glass Pyrex bowls with lids (our IGA had them as an incentive purchase one summer). They are great- never stain, and you can see the contents clearly- which is also a bonus with these new Rubbermaid containers!

So far, I have them all in one drawer, but it is jammed with colanders and huge saran box too. Once new drawers have finally been made, think I will dedicate just one large deep drawer to plastic containers!

Here is a link that might be useful: New 'restaurant quality' rubbermaid containers.

Yeah, I have some of those rubbermaid containers and they are great. I do have to keep some of the cheap disposable ones, you know, for the left overs that are hubby's next day lunch that never make it home again. I guess that is one way to get rid of mismatched containers and not feel any guilt! Of course, it would be better if he knew how to stack them too. But honestly I think he doesn't learn on purpose so he doesn't have to put dishes away;)

I end up using the containers we get from chinese takeout because the men in my life never ever bring the containers back home. As of this moment, I have a load of tops and no bottoms. I'm going to take suzieca's advice and toss all the lone tops. This issue reminds me of the lone sock problem I suffer as well. Time to order more chinese food!!

I have what seems to be way too many plastics, and since my move, I've been good about only keeping 1 lid for each bottom, but it's still overwhelming!

I was planning on buying the rubbermaid set that saharag spoke of but decided the containers were too small or not the right shape for me.

I do like the look of the rubbermaid premier containers that raehelen links to. Do they all take the same lid?

Unfortunately I need to keep disposables on hand for leftovers that go home with my kids.

I also freeze big batches of tomato sauce, soups and other things, so I need a supply of decent quality stacking ones. For most of these I use chinese soup containers.

As I write the above list, I see why I can't keep my plastics drawer neat--there's just too d*** many but I need them all! I think I should try to only keep the ones I use frequently and for DH to take for work lunches. I can try to find a home for the rest elsewhere.

I have old cabinets (1921 house) so I have two plastic TW lid holders on the inside of the cabinet door where we keep the TW. It is easier to find the correct size bottom container first, then look in the lid holder for the matching lid.

Years ago, they came out with the semi transparent tupperware with the black lids, I splurged and got a lot of them, now my tupperware is all the same.

They don't do the black lids anymore, they should still offer them and I always thought white lids would do well, they seem to always have bright colors.

We have LOTS of plastic storage containers, since DH requires lots of choices of food in the fridge, and I send leftovers home with my son when we have family dinners. I now keep them in a 36" wide pots and pan deep bottom drawer, which IMO is much better than keeping them in an upper cabinet.

Anne

Putting plastic containers in the large pots and pan drawer instead of in an overhead cabinet is a lot like having a bottom freezer fridge instead of a top freezer model. You can open the drawer and see almost everything at once, and get at most items easily, instead of having to move other things around to get at what you want and having to find a place to put things as you move them.

Best of all, the darn plastic can't fall out!

Anne

I refuse to buy plastic containers that aren't clear. Too much food has spoiled because I have forgotten about what's really in the containers.

I agree with Anne completely about keeping the plastics in a drawer and for the exact same reasons. I just wish I didn't have to have so many!