This $9 Caddy Is an Unexpected College Essential (No, It’s Not for the Shower)

I do so many more crafts in college than I thought I would. There’s a box full of paint and brushes in my living room that I used to paint wrapping paper for my boyfriend’s parents. I’ve resorted to storing all of my markers in one-half of a makeup organizer on my desk (the other half is home to my actual makeup brushes). And my latest knitting projects are all tucked away in the side table I share with my roommates. For their sake — and mine — I need a new organizational system.

So I was absolutely delighted when I saw this Brightroom Lidded Storage Caddy that’s trending on TikTok; it’s such a great find. Although it has plenty of different uses, I love the way user @strawbericrafts showcases in a TikTok video how she decorates her caddy and uses it to stash all of her junk journal craft supplies.

Measuring 12 inches wide, 7 inches tall, and 7 inches deep, this plastic storage caddy is big enough to store tons of craft supplies. In @strawbericrafts’ TikTok video, she fills it up with things like sticker books, tape, pens, scissors, photo paper, washi tape, and markers, with room to spare. It features a main base and a removable tray that sits on top, with three sections to organize the little things. Plus, it snaps securely shut and has a handle to make carrying it around easy. 

The caddy, which comes in a cool blue-green and a pastel pink, sells for $9 at Target. It has more than 200 reviews on the site with a nearly 4.5-star average rating. “It’s bigger than it looks,” says one review. “I wanted something similar to a Caboodle and this turned out fabulous, especially for the price.”

When I hear the word caddy, my mind immediately goes to shower caddies for shared bathrooms — but this one is so much more than that. In the product reviews on Target’s site, people share that they’ve used the caddy for everything from nail polish and sewing supplies to trinkets and hair accessories. In the comment section of the TikTok video, someone brought up how it would be perfect for makeup storage. 

I think I’d mostly likely use it to store all my crochet hooks and small yarn scraps or to organize my skincare (although it would even be cute to fill up with road trip snacks for my drive home during college breaks). Ultimately, it’s a multipurpose storage hero to use for whatever odds and ends of yours most need organizing — which you can never have too much of in college!