A couple of months ago, I wrote a post about 11 common kitchen items that can help you get organized around the house. (If you missed that post, you can check it out at the link below.) That post seemed to resonate with a lot of you, and it’s easy to understand why! We could all stand to be more organized, but nobody really wants to go out and spend a fortune on storage containers and organizers. But I’m here to spread the word that you can get more organized today using items you probably already have at home!
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Related: 11 Home Organization Hacks That Will Make You Feel Like Macgyver
Today I’ll be sharing 10 common household items that can do double-duty as handy organizing tools! Since the last post focused on organization hacks using kitchen items, today I’ll be shifting the focus to office supplies. After seeing just how much organizing potential is hidden in your home office, you’ll never look at it the same way again! :-)
10 Ways To Get Organized Using Common Office Supplies
1. Letter Sorter For Lids
Use a letter sorter to keep the lids of your food storage containers nice and tidy! Putting your lids in a letter sorter also makes it easier to see what you’ve got, so you can quickly find the lid you need. It’s a much better system than rummaging around in a drawer!
2. Magazine File for Bags
Keep your stack of grocery store paper bags organized by storing it in a magazine file. It’s much less chaotic than sticking them in a drawer or cupboard. This should free up valuable drawer or cupboard space that you can use for other things.
3. Magazine File For Plastic Wrap
Here’s another brilliant way to use a magazine file to organize your kitchen. Use a magazine file to store your plastic wrap, tin foil, and other similarly shaped boxes. Mount the magazine file on the inside of one of your cupboards to keep it handy, but out of sight!
4. Magazine File For Cans
This is the last tip about magazine files, I swear. ;-) Use a magazine file as a sorter for canned goods in your pantry! It’s like one of those fancy pantry can racks, but with a much smaller price tag. (Magazine files come in a lot of different size, so make sure you have one that’s wide enough to fit the cans you want to store.)
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5. Binder Clips For Cords
I can’t stand to see piles of tangled cords and cables around my house. It drives me crazy! So I’ve started using binder clips to keep all those cords and cables looking neat, and it has made a world of difference.
6. Pencil Cup For Curling Iron
Use a metal pencil cup as a place to store your curling iron. It will save you quite a bit of counter space, and it also makes a handy place to set your curling iron down while you’re using it.
7. 3-Ring Binder As Hooks
If you have a spare 3-ring binder you’re not using anymore, you can use it to hang things in your kitchen! Just mount it to your wall with screws or Command hanging strips, then use it to hang your aprons, pot holders, or dish towels.
8. Desk Organizer For Hair Accessories
Use a desk organizers to store your small hair accessories, such as hair ties, bobby pins, and clips. You’ll love having a central location to store all your hair items, and you might just avoid losing them as well! (Except for the bobby pins, of course. We all know it’s impossible to keep those from disappearing.) ;-)
9. Letter Sorter For Makeup
If your passion for palettes is causing chaos in your bathroom or on your vanity, a letter sorter can help! Just pull your makeup palettes out of the drawer and line them up on the letter sorter. This makes it easy to see all of your options, and choose just the right palette for the occasion.
10. Accordion Folder For Auto Organization
Keep your auto insurance and registration papers organized with an accordion folder. Just store it in your glove box, and you’ll always know right where those important papers are.
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I’ve made pincushions with lids of various sizes, a little bit of batting, round circle of fabric 3 x larger than the lid, a bit of thread to run a basting stitch around the circle of fabric, start pulling it tight and add the batting or filler of your choice. Once tight, knot it , put some glue in side the lid and put the basting side of your ball of fabric and filler inside.let dry and presto pincushion! With little lids I can have my take along sewing safe and handy… used to put into a check book box… Read more »
Great idea Jean!
a great hanger for all sorts of things is an old garden rake head… keys, wine glasses, kitchen utensils, pot holders and apron…
How clever!
Can you tell me where you got the GOLD binder clips for the phone cord organization? They seem to be hard to find.
Here you go Elizabeth! http://amzn.to/2sk85aa
razors, will work longer if you use and old tooth brush, and use it across the blades to get the hair and soap out and rinse……to keep blades from rusting use a little baby oil on the blades and wipe off the excess……..
I used a solid magazine rack in a very tight spot as a waste basket for paper and other light trash. I also used magnetic tape that has a self adhesive side and a magnetic side to get all my bobby pins etc.to stay in one place!
How clever!
I was advised not to put any papers in my car‘s glove compartment related to the vehicle. Because if your car is stolen, the thieves have all of your car papers and can easily sell your car pretending to be the owner. They can also use the papers for identity thieft!
That is true for the title, but you’ll need to have your registration in case you get pulled over! :-)
I love all the ideas you share with us. Keep up the good work
I like to use mechanical pencils and when the little tube of lead is empty I use it to store my sewing needles. It is the perfect size and solves the problem I have of my needles getting lost inside my pin cushion. Also, I bring my crafts wherever I go and it provides a safe way to transport my needles.
That’s a great idea, Debbie!
That’s a good idea. Another way to store sewing needles is in an empty pill bottle.
I use a pencil cup for my razor. If you put the head up, it stays dryer and remains sharp longer.
I use a Mentos plastic lidded container in my purse. It’s the perfect size for several plackers & a few Aleve.