So being organised is like a secret desire of mine, however, with the chaos happening in my head it has always been difficult to stick to an organising system or to change everything up overnight. I have this fantasy for a white, grey and beige home that is spotless and organised, cute matching wooden boxes everywhere, labels and a place for everything. Then I wake up and realise that I would get bored and want to move things around so I will have to change my expectation of what organised looks like.
Once I did this, things started to fall in place, literally and figuratively. I have made peace with the fact that I wont be able to run a soccer mom home (I don’t think they even manage completely) and I will never keep things the same for extended periods.
What I can do, is find a couple of hacks or tricks or shortcuts to keep things organised. In this, I can still evoke that warm and fuzzy feeling from something looking good and neat and tidy but keep it versatile enough that I don’t upset the entire applecart when I want or need to shift something around.
The greatest secret about organising is not to just have things looking great but to ease your life. If you are starting to move away from simplification and heading just for aesthetics, your attempts at staying organised will fail. You need to make sure there is practicality in all you do and that the good looks are secondary.
For this, I have identified many, but I will share 15 with you, budget friendly organising hacks that can be used throughout your home.
Hack #1: Using Old Boxes for New Containers
This hack is very handy but can befuddle you if you don’t have a clear objective because it is so versatile! You can literally make any shape or size container depending on what your requirements are, it just takes a little bit of planning. I have a tendency of getting so excited I simply make 5 new items of an exciting project and I often have nothing to use them for, this is the OPPOSITE of what we are trying to achieve… lesson hard learnt…
This can be used for a spice rack, a stationary organiser, a jewelry box, etc, etc, etc.
Hack # 2: Paint Samples Calendar
This is really pretty and super useful! Keep a look out for my DIY on this coming soon. This is great for not only being beautiful, but it helps a ton, especially in a family environment where there are dates and commitments that everybody either needs to know about or needs to be ready for. You can choose the colours you desire and use a photo frame of your choice, (plain, ornate, colourful, sedate, etc) and voila, there you go!
Remember, you can choose your own size, layout and method of hanging, ie. from a wall hook or on the fridge with magnets.
Here is a link to a DIY ; And Another
Hack #3: Reuse Glass
Bottles, jars, containers, the list is endless! Glass is one of the most beautiful and handy things there are. If you are buying groceries and you have an option between glass and plastic I will most certainly opt for glass every time. This is not only because it is far more eco friendly, but you can then also reuse the glass in your home. Slowly you might end up just buying refills for all your containers instead of new yucky plastics that will simply go to a landfill in the end.
Enough preaching, glass bottles are ideal for your coffee station, your grocery cupboard (all the items that must stay airtight) and then also for your toiletries, jewellery, hardware, crafts, etc. This hack is truly and endless abyss of possibilities and if you are desperate for some sort of pretty DIY at some point, you have tons of containers to give a face lift.
Keep an eye out for my upcoming DIY on this, until then, here is a link and another for you to explore.
Hack #4: Upcycling Plastic Bags
This is a bit of a DIY but becomes super useful and you can also make it look unique and kick ass. By using all the plastic bags you have collected from your grocery shopping, you can combine them all, by ironing them together and sewing (or gluing) a sturdy grocery tote that you can use over and over again. This is a very easy project; I have made it myself several times (will update with photos).
Here is a link to a DIY and here is another
It is important to note that there are many other things you can use plastic bags to make or do, but I haven’t found any of them really look neat enough for me, however, they are great to keep kiddos busy with.
Hack #5: Meal Planning
Meal Planning has many benefits and only one downfall, it takes a little bit of time. The benefits outweigh the downfall by far; it helps you save money like crazy, it keeps your left overs from going off, it prevents impulsive hunger buying or late night lazy take-aways. After all of these practical pointers it can even help you with healthy weight loss. Please see my article on “Making a Realistic Meal Plan” as I also don’t think it is practical or achievable to suddenly reform your entire diet in one foul swoop.
Hack #6: Using an Ice Tray for Organising Small Items
While unpacking my Tupperware shelf (blegh!) I found ice trays I had forgotten about, which automatically means, I don’t use them. But instead of throwing these little gems away, I keep them. Ice trays are versatile little organisers. You can use them to organise your earrings (ladies) or rings, you can use them as paint trays for your crafts projects. The endless possibilities come into play when you use them for kids crafts and learning projects. My husband has one for his odds and ends (nuts, bolts, electric stuffs I don’t know about) that generally come out of his pockets after work.
Here is a link for you to explore.
Hack #7: Containers and Organising Trays
This one seems obvious but if you visit your local plastic store and get a couple of uniform containers (that seal properly, I have made the mistake of choosing price over quality and had to replace them) regardless of how ugly they may be, a quick layer of acrylic or spray paint can fix that very easily and impressively. I would truly suggest putting your own flare on them, it makes the world’s difference to the warm and fuzzy feelings as well as the ownership of using your new system.
This may not be as budget friendly at first, depending on the retailer you decide to use, but in the long run it will help with organisation and budget cuts.
Hack #8: Cereal Boxes for Paper Organisers
You can make your own filing boxes and even file dividers from a cereal box and some wrapping paper, or newspaper for a more retro look. This is very useful for a home office space to keep your important document neat and organised so that you can grab and use them anytime you need to.
Please see this link and this link for DIYs on doing this.
Hack #9: Sock Drawer Organising from Old Boxes
You can make a neat little set of compartments to separate and organise socks and underwear, stopping the chaotic scratching when you are in a rush, causing even more chaos for the next round of searching. This just takes a little bit of planning and then some cardboard and cutting. I also used this in my medicine cabinet and it works brilliantly! It honestly surprises me every time I realise what a difference such a small thing can make.
Here is a link for a DIY on making one of these organisers, I am also sure you can buy drawer organisers that allow you to customise the size of each compartment. I have a few in my bathroom.
Hack # 10: Empty Toilet Rolls to Organise your Spiderweb of Cords
This is great and can also be left as bear or decorated as much as you prefer. Your cords can be neatly rolled up and stored in a satisfactory looking honeycomb configuration. This allows for you to label everything too, which helps when you need to unplug something without daring to touch another crucial cable (like the tv while husband is on a season finale – yes, you saw right)
My only tip with this, from experience is that if your puppers enjoy eating toilet rolls, you should disguise them in a shoe box or put them high enough that they are out of sight.
Here is a DIY I found (and used) for this trick.
Hack #11: Bathroom Hooks inside your Cleaning Cupboard
The cleaning cupboard is a pain. There are many different items with many different shapes and sizes so you are playing tetris the whole time just to ensure that you know what and where everything is. Using some bathroom hooks you can place them inside the cupboard door (make sure you do not intersect a shelf on the inside as your door wont close in this case) you can hang cloths, brushes, even a caddy or a bottle of cleaning spray.
Check this link out for a video on using hooks and this link some more ideas (and pictures).
Hack #12: Labeling
Believe it or not, this one may sound stupid but it is a life saver. If you have a label maker you are one lucky bugger and you must already be in the habit of doing this, if not, you get to make your own, lovely labels. Labelling, I find, helps with a creative spirit, or even a slightly forgetful one (like myself, minus the word slightly). You don’t have to go as far as labelling your light switches but labelling icing sugar and flour, to tell the difference or to label a craft box that hubby doesn’t often use but sometimes puts the wrong things into is very useful. This is a method to help keep everyone on track and in the same lane rather than just having you enforce the organising rules.
Hack #13: Utensil Caddy
This is a handy way to use old tins or containers but also to store your utensils. You can use this only on occasions if you like or you could permanently have your utensils in the caddy, especially if you are low on space. I have a utensil caddy for all the large items, like spatulas, spaghetti spoons, ladels, salad tongs, etc because we are low on drawer space. This is also useful in other places in the home. A cady can always be used for stationary, hair brushes, toiletries, dishwashing items, etc.
Here is a link to a DIY for this, but please remember, you are only limited by your imagination, so go nuts and tailor the design to your requirements.
Hack #14: Storage Box from an Old Cardboard Box
This is one of my favorites, not only because it is handy, but it looks absolutely stunning! This works well for things like linen and towels or I have a little brother and sister that often visit and they each have one with a set of warm pajamas and socks and underwear for sleep overs. But your options are endless, if you layer it with plastic it can even go into the bathroom.
Here is a link to a DIY Or this one
Hack #15: Grouping in your Medicine Cabinet
This is more important that you realise. Not only does it make it easier to find something, but it allows you to asses all your duplicates as well as prevent a scratching around (causing more chaos) looking for something. There are many of the hacks from earlier on in this post that can help with this as a mechanism. What I want to mention about this is how I think the grouping works best.
I divided my drawer into categories like: colds & flu meds; kids meds; vitamins & supplements; first aid items and chronic/daily medication. You will find that you rarely need more sections than this, but you can divide some of these categories up, like having a band aids and an ointments section in the first aid category. This changed the way the medicine cabinet is used and also means I don’t have to always be involved in finding what is needed, the drawer is clear and organised enough for the family to help themselves.
The End: Thank you for dropping in on this article, I will be sure to follow up on any and all inquiries as well as posting more awesome hacks and tricks soon.
Much Love, BohBli
bohbli.wordpress.com 