Getting organized can help you save considerable time and effort around the house, and while you can spend a lot of time and money while organizing, you certainly don’t need to! In fact, I do a lot of my own organizing in 5- or 10-minute windows throughout the day, using supplies I already had on hand.
These super quick and resourceful organizing methods are a passion of mine, so I thought that’s what I would share with you today! Here are 9 quick, easy, and inexpensive DIY organization hacks to help you tidy up around the house.
Related: 7 Cheap And Easy Ways To Get More Organized In A Hurry
9 Easy And Cheap Organizing Hacks
1. Sort Your Cookie Cutters
Hate digging around in a drawer for the right cookie cutter? Try sorting your cookie cutters into smaller groups based on holiday, season, type of baking project, or any other system that makes sense to you.
Put each group in its own ziplock bag and label it clearly with permanent marker. Next time you go to choose a cookie cutter, you’ll know exactly where to start your search.
2. Keep Papers In Document Pockets
Keep important papers organized in your kitchen with durable plastic document pockets like these ones. Use them to store your take-out menus, favorite recipes, printable reference sheets, coupons, and more! Tape the pockets on the inside of a cabinet door to keep them hidden, yet accessible.
3. Keep Hardware Together
It’s always a pain to have to take apart your furniture, but you can make it easier on yourself by using this little trick to keep the hardware together! Lay down a strip of packing tape sticky-side up, stick the hardware to it, then cover it with another piece of packing tape and press the tape tightly together.
Write a label on the tape with a permanent marker so you know what piece of furniture the hardware came from. The hardware will stay securely encased in the tape, and you’ll know exactly where it goes!
4. Hang Measuring Cups
Make your measuring cups more convenient by hanging them individually, rather than storing them in a stack. I used small Command hooks to hang mine up on the inside of one of the cupboard doors. It makes them easy to grab when I need them, and everyone knows exactly where to put them when it’s their turn to unload the dishwasher. :-)
5. Use A Bin As A Ribbon Dispenser
You can use a cheap plastic bin as a super simple ribbon dispenser! Just look for a small bin with holes on the sides. (You can usually find them at the dollar store.) Stack your ribbon into the bin and thread the ends through the holes in the bin. Pull on the ribbon as you need it, and the rest will stay nicely organized!
Related: 18 Dollar Store Organizing Ideas You Need To Try
6. Hang Tank Tops
Have a collection of tank tops and sleeveless shirts taking up space in your closet or drawers? Save space with a hanger and a few shower curtain rings! Hook the straps of each shirt onto a shower curtain ring, then clip the rings onto the bottom of the hanger. You’ll be able to fit about 5-6 shirts on one hanger with this method!
Related: 10 Unexpected And Creative Ways To Use Shower Rings
7. Keep Container Lids Tidy
This is one of my favorite organizing hacks for food storage containers. Get a small plastic bin from the dollar store, along with a cheap cooling rack. Set the rack on top of the bin, then slide your container lids into the slots formed by the rack. Your lids will be easier to see and be much more accessible this way.
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Related: These 15 Surprisingly Cheap Organizers Are Incredibly Useful
8. Use Cheap Bins In Your Fridge
You don’t have to shell out a small fortune on fancy bins to organize your fridge. Just grab a handful of small plastic bins from your local dollar store! You can label them however you want to help keep your food more organized.
Related: 9 Ways That A Trip To The Dollar Store Can Help You Get Organized
9. Make A Recycled Desk Organizer
Use a few cardboard tubes from toilet paper rolls and an empty tissue box to make a desk organizer! Cut the tubes to different lengths, then glue them upright into the tissue box. Decorate it with washi tape, paint, or scrapbook paper, and use it to keep your pens and desk accessories organized.
Related: 12 Surprisingly Practical Things You Can Do With Cardboard Tubes
Do you have any easy DIY organization hacks to share?
Here’s another use for those Command hooks that you show for hanging the measuring spoons. I used them to make a custom cell phone holder. Using three of the Command hooks (clear in my case, as I was using them on glass), mount two of the hooks horizontally to match the width of your phone, and the third centered vertically below the two horizantal ones to hold the bottom of the phone. You can do this to keep the phone off of a cluttered desk, or off of, say, a kitchen counter, where it could be in harms way should something be spilled near/on it. They could also be useful to keep the phone safe and easily found in a workshop. In my case I have used them to mount my phone on the inside of my sauna door as I use it every day to provide relaxing music via bluetooth while I’m in there.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.One thing I haven’t seen anywhere that I do is collect those plastic containers baked goods come in at the grocery. I use them on shelves to seperate like items, in drawers to hold small things in categories, for trays under houseplants to save the shelf from water. They protect the shelves like shelf paper but do double duty as organizers. They are free and recycle single use plastics. My favorites are the black ones because they don’t show.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have things all over my dresser, chest of drawer,nightstand in my masterbedroom like medicine,water,pictures, mailbanks, different size chest,makeup books bibles,back braces. And I am I am a chronicpIn person with no help will you tell how how is Cantu these himgsup and not decuter aanin an inexspensivetasty way
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use a dollar store dish drying rack to store pot lids in my cupboard. Makes it easier to find the lid you need.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.So clever!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Jillie, I sure have gotten a lot of ideas off of your website, I absolutely love it. I wish I had the genius ideas that you come up with, I have been saving so many of your posts so I can use them in my home and when I am traveling away from home in our travel trailer. Space is small and compact but I have plastic bins for everything and the mason jar dispenser for my kitchen stuff in there is going to be fantastic. I will definitely continue to be a faithful watcher on the website. Thank you, Joann
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you Joann! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I found a cheap bathroom tote in the dollar spot at Target and have been using it to organize my son’s school supplies and he takes it from room to room to do homework. He’s been using it for a few years now.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great idea!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My problem with the ideas is they wast space, I have very few cupboards and space is at a premium. The side of the containers slope towards the bottom, so when you put them side by side there is a space. I have looked for ones that are straight but haven’t found any. If anyone know where you can get them please let me know, thank you.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Could you place every-other container upside-down? :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.IKEA
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use ceramic mugs that are sentimental to me as pen, pencil and tool caddies on my desk.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I do this too.I have a mug with a cute saying that I use on my desk.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I do too – and I put a small plastic inside to keep the cup clean.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.small plastic glass or cup …
I have many organizing baskets on shelves, but sometimes there are small things, like my toothpaste/toothbrush/dental floss basket. Rather than throwing everything in the little basket, I use my excess coffee mugs inside the baskets. Tiny containers inside bigger ones, works well to keep like with like and corraled.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use baby close hangers that have clips on them to hang tank tops, also use I use the baby hangers to dry delicates on to dry.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great ideas. The fridge one with the bins, reminds me of when we were visiting relatives recently. My Aunt had some of the cheap plastic containers you showed to organize her freezer.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use the bins in my freezer as well. I found stacking frozen vegetable/fruit bags keep slipping. I also use them for small containers in the freezer that get knocked over easily. It keeps them from dropping onto the floor and cracking.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I, also use the dollar store bins in the freezer, I color code them (red for beef, blue for fish, yellow for chicken etc.) and I use a permanent marker to note (for example) ground beef, pork chops etc. my bins have white handles perfect for writing on. Just measure your freezer shelf width and height so you’ll know how many bins to buy. I have an upright freezer which is perfect for this system……………………
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Storage tip for stud earrings – use Ice Trays and put a pair into each hole. Stack trays onto one another. No longer hunt for partner of earring
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I did this about a year ago and my life is so much easier now. The ones I have are stackable, too, so they don’t take up much space at all.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use larger weekly pill organizers for earring sorters. The smaller weekly organizers work for studs. Works for travel also.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I find that the lids (with constant use) break off, but I do like the ice cube tray idea………………………