Kmart finds: The $8 Kmart buy that transformed my messy sewing room

Produced in collaboration with Kmart

I was already aware that my sewing corner needed to be cleaned up and better organized, but when I sat down to sew a pair of pants over the weekend, it became clear how dysfunctional my setup was.

It was my first time sewing in my new place, so I couldn’t sort out the mess until I knew what went where.

And once I did, I knew the solution would be at Kmart, where most of my paper and yarn storage comes from.

I decided on the smooth and shiny clear bath range due to the variety of sizes, their stackability and the clear plastic, which makes it easy to see what’s inside for easy access.

The moment I looked at the $85L tub I knew it would be great for storing wire. It’s a much easier and nicer storage option than the clunky plastic compartment box I used.

There’s plenty of room left for more thread – which is inevitable, because buying sewing supplies is as much a hobby as actually using them, and on the other hand I have bias tape gadgets.

I bought two more of these long boxes and used one for zippers and elastic and the other for scissors, tailor’s pencils and markers and anything else I might need right away while sewing.

It was also easy to imagine what the $10 was 11 liter tub could be used and my first thought was to give my stash of interfacing and cotton batting a special home. This means I no longer have to wonder where it is, what type I have, or dig through a box of dust to find it.

That same box of fabric was in desperate need of sorting and so the 11 liter boxes were also perfect for storing fat quarters (a 50 x 55cm piece of fabric), rather than confusing them all with large pieces of fabric – it was always so difficult to find them and see what I had.

One tub has fat quarters from Australia, a few rulers and some pattern weights, while the other has fat quarters and smaller pieces of fabric from Japan – these are extra special so I like to keep them together.

This means that my bin of large fabric scraps contains just that, so I know that if I want to make something with a particular fabric I’ve used before, I know where I can easily find it.

I also got the $54L smooth and glossy plastic tub and it’s the perfect size for storing small bits of fabric and threads – I used a fabric storage bag I’d previously made myself, but it quickly filled up and overflowed.

The 4 liter tub makes it easy to throw bits in and the lid keeps them stored until the box is full and I can recycle them as filling.

Another thing I like about these smooth and shiny clear bins is that they stack easily on top of each other and can be configured to have stacks of different combinations.

Right now I have two 5L tubs on top of the 11L tub, but two 4L tubs will also fit on top of the 11L tub.

Two 11-quart bins also fit nicely on the $7 52-quart wheeled storage bin and make a nice display of fabric to keep me inspired.

The storage options for these tubs are endless and I see them in pantries, under sink cabinets, bathroom shelves, on desks and more.

Other ways customers use the 10-gallon tub are for dog leashes and toys, toddler plates and bibs, toy cars and fruit in the refrigerator.

The 5 liter tub has been used to store skin care products in the refrigerator, baby and water bottles, gloves and hats.

Storage options customers have tried for the 11-gallon tub include paperwork, chocolate, recycling, clothing, medicine, Christmas decorations, aquarium accessories and even for starting seeds.

Product prices are current as of April 6, 2026. Availability may vary from store to store. Please visit kmart.com.au