Getting Organized on a Budget

1.

DE-CLUTTER

Chances are that you have available storage space in your closets and cabinets. But, perhaps they're currently filled with clutter.

This weekend, empty them out and dump or donate things you don't need and no longer want. It's the least expensive way to gain lots of storage space.

In fact, you may even consider holding a yard sale or selling your stuff online, and actually making some money!
 

2.

MANAGE YOUR MAGAZINES

First of all, it is very important that you assess your current magazine situation. You will probably not be reading most magazines older than a couple of months. Most magazines can also be recycled.

If you want to keep a recipe or article that appeared in a certain issue, tear out the page and keep only the article; not the entire magazine.

The next step is to pick up a magazine holder. If you're on a budget, most office supply stores carry very inexpensive cardboard ones, or make your own out of cereal boxes!

Once the box is full, don't allow yourself to put another magazine into it until you toss one out.
 

3.

USE CREATIVE STORAGE IDEAS

Need to organize smaller items, such as earrings, or extra buttons, or push pins? Ice cube trays or muffin tins are perfect for keeping everything sorted.

Place some in your drawers, and these smaller items will always be handy. The cost? Cheap! And readily available at most supermarkets and home stores.
 

4.

ORGANIZE WITH INEXPENSIVE BOXES

While I generally suggest sturdy, plastic, see-through containers for storage, for the budget conscious, that may not be an option.

If this is your situation, you can certainly use good old cardboard boxes. Just make sure you clearly label the contents in each.
 

5.

USE SMALL SHALLOW BOXES AS DIVIDERS

If you have a long, shallow desk drawer, chances are it's filled with an assortment of paper clips, pens, tacks, loose change, etc.

My first suggestion is to pick up a desk organizing tray. But if you'd like to save some money, there is a very frugal solution. Gather small shallow boxes - the type that jewelry or bank checks often come in. Most people have these floating around the house.

Empty out the desk drawer and line up these boxes inside, arranging them so that there are no open spaces. Voila! You now have the perfect sorting system for all of those loose desk items.

By the way, before you put anything back into that drawer, toss out anything you no longer need, or can no longer identify!
 

6.

HOOK IT

Often, wall space is forgotten about. But you can free up so much space in your cabinets, on your dresser, in your garage, and so on, if you always think about how you can use your walls.

The solution is to use hooks - very inexpensive and available at all hardware stores.

Hang your pots, pans and teacups. Hang photo frames. Hang bikes. You get the picture.
 

7.

BABY FOOD JARS CAN COME IN HANDY

Clean out those jars, remove the labels, and you have the perfect storage containers for nails, screws, nuts, bolts, buttons, loose change, paper clips, elastic bands, and so much more!

And the best thing is, they're see through, which means you can easily identify everything inside at a glance!
 

8.

USE EMPTY FILM CANISTERS TO ORGANIZE

Empty film canisters are perfect for storing pins, buttons, tacks and other small items.

Sort your things into these small organizing wonders, press on the top and stick a blank label around the outside. Then, label each canister to identify the contents. Finally, store these canisters in a box to keep them all together.