11 Easy Organizing Ideas... Your Home Will Thank You
Photo: apieceofrainbow.com
Have you ever just looked at a messy drawer and felt overwhelmed? In most homes, there are too many cluttered zones to count—desk drawers, bathroom countertops, kitchen cabinets, and crowded bookshelves just for starters—all of which could use a little organizational TLC. Buying enough organizers for all those trouble spots could cost a small fortune. Fortunately, the tidy drawers dreams are made of don’t have to set you back a wad of cash. Try your hand at one (or all) of these 11 easy projects to whip your tough-to-declutter spaces into (streamlined) shape.
1. Divide and Conquer
Photo: iheartorganizing.blogspot.com
Craving a more custom look in your current drawer setup? This project from I Heart Organizing turns a piece of oak molding into a stylish drawer organizer with individual slots for small accessories like belts and scarves.
2. Clean Sweep
Photo: instructables.com
Keep all your desk essentials a mere arm’s length away using an unorthodox cleaner-turned-organizer—a broom head. Follow the directions at Instructables to remove the broom handle, then flip the head up so the bristles can support your trusty writing utensils. The hole left behind by the handle even provides just enough room to thread a phone charger through the base.
3. Priority Mail
Photo: abeautifulmess.com
A DIY that clears counters of the dreaded mail stack? We’re in! The girls at A Beautiful Mess use a fridge-mounted envelope for organizing post. Their modest-size solution—a repurposed pocket folder with strong magnets glued to its back—holds you accountable for sorting the mail regularly.
4. Fancy Footwork
Believe it or not, serious shoe storage in slim quarters is actually possible. This project by A Piece of Rainbow transforms folded cardboard and duct tape into a cool geometric design that can be customized to fit your closet’s dimensions. Now, go ahead—give those cardboard shoeboxes the boot.
5. On a Roll
Photo: brit.co
Simple and chic, Brit+Co’s cable organizer requires only a sizable piece of leather (real or fake) and scissors to DIY a wrap that’ll keep your cords contained while you travel.
6. Tray Chic
Photo: takingontoday.com
Finally, you can take one big step toward your dream kitchen by controlling your chaotic stacks of baking sheets and casserole dishes. These custom vertical cabinet dividers devised by Taking on Today stand each piece on its side to save you the trouble of digging through a pile of pans to get to the one you need.
7. Outside the Box
Photo: thistlewoodfarms.com
It’s double the storage when you’re able to stash supplies both inside and outside this cool pegboard box from Thistlewood Farms. Start by building the box’s frame with wood molding, then glue pieces of pegboard to the frame. Finally, decorate—and fill—the box to fit your style.
8. Organized Frame of Mind
Photo: redflycreations.com
Say hello to a simple DIY that will save you hours of wasted time. Redfly Creations screwed metal hooks inside the top edge of a thick, empty picture frame to make it the designated spot for hanging keys. Mount this to the wall between the coat closet and the front door, and you’ll never lose ‘em again.
9. Supply and Demand
Photo: makinghomebase.com
Much more sophisticated than a college bathroom caddy, this wooden crate is ideal fororganizing all your bathroom essentials, from cotton balls to hair ties. Making Home Base’s tutorial demonstrates just how easy it is to screw together several cut-to-fit wood pieces. You can have this rustic accent ready before the start of your next morning routine.
10. Old School
Photo: pneumaticaddict.com
Backpacks are like little mini ecosystems, full of all sorts of interesting supplies, treasures, school papers, and lunch remnants. At times it seems like keeping a pack organized is a full-time job! Pneumatic Addict Furniture’s detailed DIY can help you put an end to chaos, and even keep these knapsacks up off the ground so they won’t trip anyone.
11. Mug it Up
Photo: designlovefest.com
Who said kitchen storage had to be boring? Design Love Fest’s caffeine cloud combines form and function with a design that involves gluing together painted wooden dowels of different sizes and lengths. Hooks screwed into some of the dowels provide places to hang your favorite mugs until you’re ready for your next cup of joe.
