A project bin should make an unfinished job easier to pick up again. If you have to empty it onto the workbench to find anything, you have mostly purchased a smaller pile.
For ordinary dry hobby supplies, the IKEA SAMLA one-gallon box and HDX 6.5-quart clear tote are two compact candidates with different nominal capacities and lid arrangements. Choose around your largest item, the storage space and the way you retrieve the project. Neither is a compartment organizer.
This is a researched comparison of published specifications, not a hands-on test. Product links are ordinary links; Garage After Hours earns no commission from them.
The useful difference
Consider SAMLA 701.029.72 when its published outer dimensions fit your space and a small collection is enough. Consider HDX 999-6QT-C-HDX-W when you want more nominal capacity and an included lid, provided you can confirm physical fit. Use an existing suitable container when neither solves a problem you actually have.
On a narrow screen, swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Buying check | IKEA SAMLA | HDX clear tote |
|---|---|---|
| Exact variant | 701.029.72, clear box | 999-6QT-C-HDX-W, clear with white lid; internet 337213024 |
| Listed capacity | 1 US gallon, or 4 US quarts | 6.5 US quarts |
| Outer size | 11 inches wide × 7½ deep × 5½ high | Not established from the accessible listing |
| Lid | Separate purchase | Snap-on lid included |
| Main reason to consider | Small footprint with published dimensions | More nominal capacity and a lid in the package |
| Main reason to wait | Contents need dividers or more usable room | Shelf or contents require verified dimensions |
Capacity is a screening tool. A long tool may not fit into a box with more nominal volume. Outside dimensions also include the walls and rim; they are not usable interior measurements.
Measure the project, then its parking space
Set out the pieces that must stay together. Return shared tools to their usual homes unless the tool is essential to keeping the project organized. Measure the longest and widest items, including their appropriate cases or protective packaging.
Next, measure the destination. Allow room to grasp the container and lift or remove its lid. A bin can fit a shelf opening and still be awkward to retrieve. If usable internal dimensions are unavailable, inspect one with your measurements before buying a set. Do not force fragile parts under a lid to make the measurements work.
For a delicate assembly that needs to remain in position, a suitable rigid tray or dedicated work area may make more sense than either tote. A box solves grouping; it does not automatically solve protection.
SAMLA: a small box with a separate lid decision
The IKEA SAMLA one-gallon box is clear polypropylene. IKEA recommends indoor use and says it is not approved for food contact. The matching one-gallon lid is sold separately. Confirm the exact lid and order quantity at checkout rather than assuming every SAMLA combination includes the same pieces.
Our reason to shortlist it is its published compact footprint. That makes it easier to decide whether it deserves a closer look for a shallow shelf or a small project collection. We have not verified interior clearance, carrying comfort, stack performance or protection from garage conditions.
Skip it if you are trying to separate several sizes of loose screws without smaller containers inside. Transparency helps you see a mixed assortment; it does not sort that assortment for you.
HDX: more nominal room, but confirm fit first
The HDX 6.5-quart clear tote with white lid is the specific model in this comparison. Home Depot describes a snap-on lid and stackable design. Those descriptions do not establish a weather seal, safe loaded stack height or load rating for your use.
The accessible product page did not establish usable internal or outer dimensions. That is a reason to measure or inspect this exact variant before choosing it for a tight shelf. Do not borrow dimensions from another HDX tote with a similar photograph or name.
Its larger stated capacity may suit a collection that has outgrown a smaller box. It may also tempt you to combine unrelated projects. Give the extra space a job before treating it as an improvement.
Run one retrieval trial before buying multiples
Try a suitable container you already have with ordinary dry parts. Add a card naming the project, missing pieces and next action. Put the container at its intended destination, retrieve it and set it down where you would work. This is a suggested trial, not a result we have measured.
Notice whether you can identify the project from the approach, retrieve it without moving other jobs, and find the next piece without dumping everything out. If the problem is mixed tiny parts, solve separation. If it is an awkward shelf, solve access. More boxes will not fix either by themselves.
Keep chemicals, batteries, sharp items and other contents with special storage requirements in the storage specified for them. Neither candidate is presented here as hazardous-material storage or weather protection.
For the storage habit, read Give an Unfinished Project a Parking Spot. For the access tradeoff, see Open Bins or Lids?. Buy one useful size only after the trial tells you what the current container cannot do.
Bring the awkward item to the comparison
List the few items that always refuse to lie flat or make the lid hard to close. Compare their dimensions with the usable inside space, not a container’s nominal volume. Try retrieving one part while the rest remain organized. Choose how many containers you need only after the first one survives a session.
Keep the exact model number with your measurements. Capacity, lid inclusion and usable space answer different questions; a bigger capacity does not establish a better fit.
Sources
IKEA — SAMLA 701.029.72 · Checked September 15, 2026.
Home Depot — HDX 999-6QT-C-HDX-W, internet 337213024 · Checked September 15, 2026.
Use your own measurements in the free project-bin fit checker, then print the card before inspecting a candidate. It does not supply unverified interior dimensions for either product.