I have a love-hate relationship with dollar stores. I love their wide variety of useful things that my wallet won't feel the sting of buying, but admittedly, the quality of those things is pretty hit-or-miss.
That's why I love all the hacks and ideas people have shared online. I can get great ideas for my own home without risking money up front.
Sure, you can buy mesh bags in the seasonal section, but why spend the extra money? These hampers are great for keeping all those shovels and buckets contained, and all you need to do is give it a shake to get rid of the extra sand you don't want following you home.
Solar lights can be found for a couple of bucks. Remove the stakes and stick the light into a dollar store vase filled with decorative rocks.
I think this would be even prettier if you used colored marbles or glass beads. They'd sparkle in the light!
The wire racks are already made to hold things up straight and the cutlery basket is perfect for small supplies. With some craftiness, you could easily cover them with decorative paper or something to mask the bare rack.
Really, the dollar store is great for back-to-school hacks in general!
A cheap easel or photo display from the dollar store can be secured to the upright tray table, letting you hang your phone or tablet at eye level while you fly. This also works great for road trips.
For a buck, you can get a bunch of plastic claw hair clips that work great as cable holders. They come in lots of sizes, so you'll definitely find something perfect for your specific needs.
The easiest lifehacks are always the best, amirite?
Did you know that a quick trip into the oven will make oil-based Sharpie markers permanent on porcelain and other ceramics? It's a great way to make yourself custom dishes without paying full price for them.
For some reason (*cough* dogs *cough*), my coasters never last long so I'm hesitant to spend much money on them, but plain ones are kind of boring.
You can get everything from the cork coasters to the tape and the paints from the dollar store. Just mask off some cool shapes with the tape and paint them with whatever colors you desire.
Command centers are a great way to keep the whole family up to date on appointments, chores, etc., but they don't need to cost a fortune.
Dry erase markers work great on glass. By printing out some lists and calendars and putting them in dollar store frames, she organized things beautifully.
It's not the quietest alternative, but by filling a cake pan with glass beads and placing a second pan on top, you can easily spin the top pan.
Just hang them on the chair backs instead! This is particularly helpful if you have young kids and need quick access to things before the mess gets out of control. There isn't always time to dig through the diaper bag.
Just cut the foot part of the sock off and sew up the hem. Kid's grow so quickly that it's silly to spend a ton of money on leg warmers. You could also use fabric glue or tape instead of sewing.
Those cut footies can be easily turned into simple sock puppets. Or stuff them with fluff and sew the ends to make a simple cat toy. Really, the options are endless.
Lucy over at Craftberry Bush made this beautiful three-tiered planter for less than 10 bucks and no one would ever guess.
Even the decorative rocks are from the dollar store! Just add soil and succulents.
Even if you can't find mirrors in the color you were hopping for, you can just paint the frames! Head over to The Blue House Crafts for all the crafty details.
Karianne of Thistlewood Farms has a great tutorial you can use to make one of these for your home.
Drawn To DIY used marble contact paper to give a dollar store find a stylish, new look.
One of these beauties only cost her $5.00 to make, which is a win in my books!
Even if you don't need a storage solution for makeup, this idea can be applied to other types of organization, too!
Hometalkers Rob and Courtney created these beautiful accessories out of picture frames, foam board, and hot glue.
With the help of some spray paint, Whitney of Polka-Dotty Place was able to complete her dollar store transformation!
Let Jenn of Build Basic show you how it's done.
